Beth Moscatello, Funeral Case Manager at Headstone Consultant, knew once her business added a second funeral home, their old pen-and-paper system wouldn’t be able to keep up.
They needed a solution that would be simple, organized, and accessible, and Passare checked all the boxes.
Now, with features like Checklists, Barcode Tracking, Planning Center, Mobile, and even External Payment Links (say, what?!). Beth and the team are less stressed and more focused on providing meaningful connections to families.
Keep reading to see how Passare changed everything for them.
Our experience with Passare has been amazing. Managing two funeral homes comes with its own set of challenges, but Passare makes it so much easier. We don’t deal with the headaches we used to have.
Between the Passare Mobile app and the software, we have experienced a huge change for the better. Passare has been an improvement that has helped in every area of the business. Having everything on one platform is incredible, and we’ll never go back to juggling multiple apps again.
When we acquired our second funeral home, we realized the paper system we were using just wasn’t going to cut it. We needed a better way to communicate and keep track of cases across both locations.
Before, communication and tracking were a real challenge, especially when we were in different places. Now, with Passare, staying connected is simple.
Passare came to us at the perfect time and has helped us in so many ways.
The biggest benefit is access. Everyone on our team can see every case at any time. It’s not like the old paper system, where you had to be in one specific location to find what you needed.
With Passare, we can work from anywhere: home, one funeral home, the other, it doesn’t matter. I can even be at the grocery store and still help a family if they have a question. That flexibility has been really helpful.
Passare keeps our team in sync. We constantly tag each other in comments and stay in the loop during every step of the decedent tracking process. I always know the status of each case, whether someone is booking a cemetery or dropping off clothing, because it’s all right there for me to view.
Overall, our internal communication has improved so much. Everything feels more organized and less stressful.
We use Passare Mobile all the time, even our directors rely on it!
It’s especially helpful for decedent tracking. When we’re moving individuals from place to place, documenting every step is crucial, and the mobile app makes tracking simple.
Passare Mobile also helps us stay on top of details when we’re juggling multiple cases. Instead of waiting to get back to a computer or writing things down on paper, we can enter information right away. Having everything we need at our fingertips is a lifesaver.
Mobile really comes in handy at night. We do not have an answering service at night, so if a call comes in while we’re away from the funeral home, we can add it to the system immediately. It’s great not to stress and run to the funeral home or our computer. We don’t have to because it is all right there with us on our phones.
We use so many features in Passare, and each one makes a big difference in how our team operates.
Our process for contracts and billing is so much smoother and efficient with Passare. We love that we can build contracts directly in Passare, rather than using Excel or other apps. Everything is in one place, which means no double work or worrying about updating payments across multiple systems. It’s simple and efficient.
This feature has helped us significantly cut down on the back and forth of knowing where items and decedents are. Before, we spent a lot of time trying to track down where a decedent was or asking which director handled what. Now, every step from removal to the prep room to the parlor is logged automatically. Anyone on our team can check the system and know exactly where we are in the process. Barcode tracking has relieved a lot of our mental load and stress, which is a really big deal in this line of business.
We love the ability to set reminders. Sometimes, we plan memorial services months in advance. Instead of trying to remember everything or relying on sticky notes, we just set a reminder in Passare. It tells us exactly what to do and when, so we don’t have to think about it again until we need to.
There is nothing better than the satisfaction of checking things off a list, and Passare makes it easy. Seeing that green check mark at the end gives us confidence that everything is ready for the service. In this profession, timelines can vary. Sometimes we have memorial gatherings that we have months to prepare for. Other times, we have a funeral within 24 to 48 hours. Having a checklist helps us move quickly without forgetting anything.
\We have started using the AI obituary tool here and there. Families have given us positive feedback, and it saves us time. It gives us a solid draft to start with, and then we can tweak it for accuracy and add personal touches. We are always looking for ways to save time, so this has been a great feature for that.
Payment links in Planning Center have been a game-changer. We can send a direct link or add one to the obituary so anyone can make a payment in Planning Center. It’s especially helpful for families in need because we can hide the balance. Family and friends can donate directly without knowing the family’s financial situation.
We love Planning Center. It’s a huge help when families are out of town or loved ones can’t make it into our funeral homes. With Planning Center, families can pin merchandise, write the obituary, add photos, all of it! We can literally plan a funeral with someone in a different state instead of waiting for them to arrive. By the time they get here, all the details are ready, and we can focus on the service.
Another way we use Planning Center is for families with loved ones in hospice. We’ll send them a link and say, ‘While you’re feeling well enough, go ahead and start adding information.’ It’s much easier to gather details when someone has a clear head, and it makes the process less stressful.
The feedback from families has been really positive. The main thing we hear is that the platform is so easy to use and navigate. It’s not challenging, it’s not confusing, it’s very straightforward. Information within the tabs is well laid out, so families know exactly where to go.
Planning Center strikes the perfect balance of being thorough without being overwhelming. We love how intentional and personal the questions are because they help us truly get to know the loved one. Families appreciate that personal touch, and so do we.
We’ve even had families say it felt good and healing to share those details. Those questions make a big difference when we’re creating a meaningful experience for them. Planning Center has really helped in that area.
I have worked with Support quite a bit, and they’re always prompt, friendly, and willing to help. No issue is too small, and they never make you feel like you’re bothering them.
What really stands out is their follow-through. Some problems aren’t quick fixes, but the team sticks with it until it’s resolved. We had one issue that took over a month to figure out, and they stayed determined the whole time. That kind of patience and commitment means a lot. The support team is top-notch.
Oh, I would absolutely recommend Passare to a colleague. I would tell them how Passare has made my job easier, and made our way of serving families more thorough, efficient, and smooth from start to finish. We literally use Passare for every part of the process.
I’d also mention how impressed we’ve been with Passare’s responsiveness. The team really listens to funeral homes and always looks for ways to improve. When we make suggestions, it's clear that they care about making our jobs easier and helping us serve families better.
Knollcrest Funeral Home is located in Lombard, Illinois, and Steuerle Funeral Homes is located in Villa Park, Illinois. Combined, these funeral homes serve approximately 300 calls per year.