For David McKibben, Owner and Funeral Director, and Emily Johnson, Funeral Director, at Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home, managing paperwork and case details was eating up precious time.

When they discovered Passare, everything changed.

But it takes time to know whether software will really make a difference after implementation.

After a few months, David and Emily weigh in on why they feel Passare is making a huge difference in their business.

How would you describe your overall experience with Passare?

Emily: Passare is very user-friendly, which we really appreciate. We only started using Passare in October of 2025, so we’re still fairly new, but so far, so good. We haven’t explored the full range of what the software can do yet, but we’re already impressed by its capabilities.

We’ve already saved a lot of time, especially when it comes to manual data entry. Not having to retype everything is huge. If there’s a mistake or a change, we can simply edit it instead of redoing an entire form.

What challenges were you facing before Passare?

David: There are a lot of moving parts in this business. Even though we’re not a large firm, we still have a lot to keep up with. Before Passare, we were getting frustrated and overwhelmed trying to manage everything, especially all the paperwork, without software in place.

Having not used software before, what led you to choose Passare?

David: I had known about Passare for a long time, but what really made it stand out was how much information you make available before anyone ever talks to sales. I spent a couple of months reading help articles and blogs on your website.

By the time I reached out, I already understood the foundation of the software, so my questions were much more specific. That transparency made a big difference. Other companies felt too hidden, almost like they were afraid to show how their software really worked. Passare does the opposite, and that gave me confidence.

What kind of results have you seen since implementing Passare?

David: One of the biggest things for me was understanding what I could actually do with my data. With other software, the answer was basically, “You can store it.” That was it.

With Passare, the answer was almost overwhelming…in a good way. There are so many ways I can use information in the software to enhance processes. For example, customizable reports alone have been incredible. It’s my data, and I can use it however I want.

There isn’t just one big benefit of Passare, there are dozens.

Emily: The time savings have been top-notch. For example, printing forms used to be tedious and eat up so much time in our day. Now, information is auto-filled on forms, and we can print them instantly.

What's your experience been like working with Passare Support?

Emily: Support has been wonderful. When we call, the person we talk to actually has the answers. We’re not getting passed around or told someone else will call us back. It eliminates lag time, phone tag, and all that back-and-forth that can make support frustrating.

Everyone we’ve worked with seems really well-trained in the software, so we feel like we can really trust the person we’re talking to.

What features do you use daily?

David: Reporting has been especially beneficial. Passare offers a strong mix of pre-built reports, which gave us a great starting point. Even with those, I can still go in and customize fields and requirements to fit our needs.

As far as custom reports go, I’ve probably created at least 15 from scratch. One of your team members even mentioned that I’ve created more reports than the average user, which was fun to hear.

Emily: The level of customization is huge. Reporting isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every funeral home wants to see different metrics, and Passare makes it really easy to tailor reports to what matters most to you.

How have families responded to Planning Center?

David: We’ve used Planning Center with families, and each experience has been great. We’ve gotten really positive feedback directly from families.

In one case, a family member spent weeks uploading photos, adding information, and messaging with us through Planning Center on her own time. She loved having a place to go where everything was in one place. Plus, we cut down on phone calls and emails.

In another case, a family member needed to travel out of state quickly. We sent her the Planning Center link, and she finished everything late at night and into the next day. She uploaded the obituary, photos, and all the information we needed. By the time we talked on the phone, we weren’t bogged down with gathering information. Planning Center allowed us to just have a real conversation.

We’re excited to keep using Planning Center more. Even though we’re still scratching the surface, it’s already working really well for us.

Do you use Passare Mobile? If yes, how has your experience been?

Emily: Yes, we use the Passare Mobile app a lot, especially for taking photos and attaching them directly to a case. I love being able to take pictures at the cemetery, upload a marker photo, and tie it to the correct case in real time. It helps us keep track of which items need attention and makes sure nothing gets missed.

David: For me, it’s all about mobility. We answer phones 24 hours a day, so being able to pull up case details or start a new case right from my phone is incredibly helpful. I don’t have to wait until I’m back at my desk, and I don’t have to run back and forth across the building just to send an update.

Do you have any favorite integrations?

David: We use the Tukios integration to manage and update our website, and we’re excited to start using it to create memorial videos from the photos we upload to Planning Center.

We just set up our Georgia EDRS (electronic death registration system) integration. It’s been incredible to have our death certificate system connected to our software. What used to be a major hassle is now so much smoother.

Would you recommend Passare to a colleague?

David: Definitely. You don’t have to be especially computer-savvy to succeed with Passare. It’s easy to pick up and intuitive to use. We also like that you can use as much or as little of the software as you want and still see real benefits.

Anything else you'd like to add?

David: We really appreciate that Passare doesn’t nickel-and-dime you for every feature. Everything is available to us, and the pricing feels fair given the value the software provides.

Which means it’s completely up to us to decide what to use, test, and build into our processes, and cost isn’t a barrier. Passare is transparent about their pricing and features available, and we genuinely appreciate that.

About the funeral home:

Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home is located in Hogansville, Georgia, and they serve around 170 families each year.

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