When visiting a new doctor's office, you are probably familiar with the process of completing new patient paperwork. In the past, offices would either mail a packet for you to fill out before your appointment or ask you to complete it upon arrival.

However, nowadays, many doctor's offices provide a link to an online patient portal. This allows patients to fill out paperwork, check-in, or even make payments before their in-person appointment.

More businesses are interacting with consumers online and in-person, with many consumers now expecting it.

The families you serve want the same blended experience, and this can be achieved with collaboration software.

But some funeral professionals wonder if collaboration software will actually help them better connect with families.

In this blog, you'll uncover the myths about collaboration software and the truth behind each one.

But first, what is collaboration software?

Collaboration software (also known as online, at-need planning software) helps funeral directors and families work together throughout the planning process - no matter where a family is. It allows you to start working with your families before the arrangement conference so they’re better prepared and you have more time to plan a meaningful service.

With it, you can:

• Collect information easily: Families can enter basic information and service preferences or even work on the obituary anytime.

• Centralize communication: Nothing will fall through the cracks with conversations and case notes in one place.

• Speed up processes: Paperwork is quick and easy with planning software

Now let's take a look at a few myths about using this software with families.

Myth #1: Funeral directors lose that "personal touch" when they use collaboration software.

After hundreds of conversations with funeral professionals, this is the number one concern, and we understand why. When families are going through a difficult time, they need the support of funeral staff to guide them through the funeral process, and no software can replace a compassionate funeral director!

But a “blended” experience means you provide families with a way to work with you online and in person. What does that look like? Let us explain!

The truth

Collaboration software helps you save time, collect vital statistics, share documents, and work on the obituary remotely. And when families can get a few things checked off their task list online, you'll have more time during in-person meetings to get to know them.

With paperwork out of the way ahead of time, you can get right to helping them plan a healing, meaningful ceremony for their loved one. Plus, you can use the software to collect information ahead of time and start thinking about ways to make their experience at your funeral home more personal.

Myth #2: Families don't actually like collaborating online.

You might be thinking, "My families won't use this! Nobody in my community wants to work online to plan a funeral."

And to some degree, you’re right. There will always be people who would rather plan the entire funeral in person. But the question is, how many people feel that way?

You may be surprised to see that a large number of consumers are wanting both digital and in-person options when it comes to planning a funeral. Let’s take a look at some data that proves that!

The truth

Our study revealed there are seven distinct types of funeral consumers, three of which (Resolute Rookies, Future Funerals, and Great Expectations) are very comfortable with a "blended" experience that includes both online and in-person interactions with businesses.

Since 2011, there's been a 44% increase in the comfort of planning online. Plus, at Passare, we found that acceptance rates to our online Planning Center increased by 46% in 2024 compared to 2023. This means that in 2024, a total of 26,604 families collaborated with funeral homes online in Passare.

Judging by the data, more and more families do want to plan online. By offering your families an online planning option, you'll be able to reach a growing number of families who either prefer to do business online or appreciate the option to work from home.

Myth #3: If funeral directors work with families online, they'll have nothing to discuss during arrangement conferences.

For funeral directors, face-to-face time with families during the arrangement conference is so important. After all, it’s how you learn about the family! But if the family fills out paperwork and preferences online, what will you do during the arrangement conference? We’ll show you.

The truth

Completing paperwork and gathering information can take up a lot of time during the arrangement conference. But if the family gets started with vital statistics, service preferences, or the obituary ahead of time, you can review the information as it comes in and feel like you already know the family by the time you see them. That way, you'll have time during the arrangement conference to customize the service and spend more time doing what you were trained to do: serve and care for families.

See how one funeral home manager has experienced this in real life using Passare:

"Passare helps you connect with each family.

Think about it this way: having software that saves you time doesn't mean we work less, shave time off our long day, or go home early. Passare saves us time on things like paperwork so we have the opportunity to spend our time differently - with families.

We didn't get into this profession to do paperwork; we became funeral directors to serve families. Passare allows us to do that."

-Bryan Hicks, General Manager at Elmwood Funeral Home

Find software that works for you

After learning the truths behind these myths, you may be wondering which collaboration software would be right for your funeral home.

Passare's Planning Center serves as an extension of you, all while saving time and opening the door for better collaboration with families. With it, you can:

• Simplify communication using instant messaging within the platform.

• Make processes easier with tools like eSignatures, customizable checklists, and AI Obituary Writer.

• Work with families online ahead of time so you can plan a healing and meaningful service when they are with you in person, without the time crunch.

Ready to elevate service to families?

Get a demo of Passare's all-in-one case management, including the Planning Center, in a demo with our team: