Planning funerals and serving families isn’t getting any simpler. There are more details to manage, more paperwork to track down, and higher expectations for quick and clear communication.

Luckily, technology can help. But only if you’re using the right tools in the right places!

To find out which tools actually make a difference, we analyzed data from more than 320,000 cases across 2,600+ funeral homes in our newest resource, State of Funeral Service 2026. This data helped us identify the tech tools that are truly improving how funeral homes operate and how they serve families.

Best of all, the data didn’t disappoint. 🙌

We discovered that a few key tools are reshaping how funeral homes streamline communication, speed up paperwork, and bring more clarity to every case.

And if other funeral homes are seeing benefits from these tools, why shouldn’t you?

See the top 3 tech trends you can use right now to save time, reduce friction, and deliver a better experience for the families you serve.

#1: Communicate with Messages

Planning a funeral isn’t always easy. Details change, or questions come up after hours. And families don’t always want to pick up the phone every time something crosses their mind. Without an integrated messaging tool, communication can get really messy, really fast.

That’s why communication with families needs to be simple and convenient. And why more funeral homes are turning to Messages in Passare Mobile to chat back and forth with families without giving out their cell phone numbers.

More and more Passare users relied on Messages to chat directly with families without giving out personal cell phone numbers or losing track of important details. Conversations stayed organized inside the case, and funeral directors could respond on the go when needed.

The shift was significant:

• 78% more funeral homes used Messages in Passare Mobile
• 10,000 messages sent throughout the year
• 231% increase in messages sent compared to 2024
• 5,821 cases utilized Messages during the planning process

These numbers show how integrated and important a messaging feature is inside your software. Not only are funeral professionals using it, but they are also relying on it as part of their day-to-day process for conversations with families.

As Mark Langendorf, Owner and Funeral Director at Draeger‑Langendorf Funeral Home & Crematory, puts it:

“Messages has been great because it has decreased the amount of phone calls and texts that would go to my personal cell phone.”

Why settle for scattered conversations when you can use a tool that’s safe, organized, and built into your software?

#2: Collecting signatures digitally

The planning process comes with paperwork, and lots of it. And when signatures slow things down, everything else slows down, too.

That’s why more funeral homes are moving paperwork online.

From 2024 to 2025, eSignature usage in Passare increased 35%, signaling a clear shift toward faster, more flexible signing options. Instead of printing, scanning, or waiting for families to come back in, funeral homes are collecting digital signatures in minutes.

The impact adds up quickly:

• 83,409 total signatures collected (a 141.7% increase from 2024)
• 30,102 cases utilized eSignatures
• 779 funeral homes used the feature

Those numbers point to a shared reality: families expect convenience and funeral homes are meeting them where they are.

Digital signatures remove distance barriers, reduce back‑and‑forth, and help cases move forward without delays. That means more timely arrangements and more meaningful interactions with families.

For Shirley Calahan, Vice President at Calahan Funeral Home in Chicago, the difference was simple and immediate:

“I love the eSignature capabilities in Passare. All we have to do is open the file in Passare, add the necessary information, sign it, and send it to the next of kin. Now, we can get forms back in 5 minutes with eSignatures.”

When hundreds of funeral homes are cutting hours out of the planning process, why rely on outdated paperwork when digital tools are already changing the pace of service?

#3: Tracking items efficiently

Keeping track of loved ones and their belongings is one of your most important responsibilities. And it’s not an area where “good enough” is good enough.

That’s why more funeral homes are relying on barcode tracking to bring clarity, consistency, and confidence to their day‑to‑day operations.

With barcode tracking in Passare, items are logged, scanned, and updated in real time—right from your phone. Funeral directors can see where everything is, who handled it, and when, without digging through notes or relying on memory.

On average, funeral homes tracked 3.8 items per case, showing just how embedded this tool is throughout the entire process. And throughout 2025, usage continued to grow:

• 144,925 items tracked
• 467 funeral homes used barcode tracking
• Most commonly scanned items included tags, photographs, and urns, with many homes tracking additional personal effects as well

Those numbers reflect trust, not just in the technology, but in the peace of mind it provides. When everything is accounted for and documented, teams can focus on serving families with care and confidence.

As Jordan Seitz, Funeral Director at Washburn‑McReavy Funeral Chapels, shared:

“Keeping track of decedents and the chain of custody was one of our biggest hurdles. Our processes have cleaned up significantly since using Passare’s Barcode Tracking.”

When hundreds of funeral homes are using barcode tracking to strengthen accountability and reduce risk, it’s clear this isn’t just a process upgrade – it’s a standard that’s expected.

These tools are quickly becoming the norm

Everything from the State of Funeral Service 2026 makes one thing clear: funeral homes aren’t just experimenting with technology, they’re leaning into it.

And the funeral homes using these tools? They’re seeing smoother processes, faster turnaround times, and better communication with their families.

If your peers are already using technology to save time, reduce friction, and deliver a better experience, the real question isn’t if these tools matter, it’s: how long you can afford to go without them?”

Want to dig deeper into the data and see how funeral homes across the country are using Passare to move forward?

👉 Explore the full State of Funeral Service 2026 report and see what’s shaping the future of funeral service.