If you’re in the deathcare industry, you know that accessible, compassionate service is crucial for families and loved ones going through an emotional time. But how do you maintain a high level of service 24/7 without overburdening your staff? Many mortuary professionals turn to tools like an answering service for improved efficiency and customer care, all while keeping costs in check. In this short guide to using a funeral home answering service, we’ll explore the multiple benefits of utilizing specialized answering services, offering insights from both the funeral home and client perspectives.
Do People Use Answering Services in the Mortuary Profession?
Yes, many funeral homes use a mortuary answering service for their business. In fact, an answering service is not only practical, but also invaluable for funeral homes that aim to provide compassionate care for their clients. Running a funeral home is no simple task. There are many details to handle, documents to prepare, and families to assist—all often under time pressure. Leveraging a 24/7 answering service to field calls around the clock provides many benefits for both mortuary staff and clients.
How Does a Live Answering Service Benefit Funeral Homes and Their Clients?
The main benefits of a live answering service are 24/7 availability, cost savings, efficiency and focus, and high-quality customer service. Let’s take a look at each of these benefits from the funeral home and client perspectives:
24/7 Availability
- Funeral Home Perspective: Death doesn’t operate on a 9-to-5 schedule. Families and loved ones often need immediate assistance at odd hours. Using an answering service allows your staff to rest and recharge. Rather than employees needing to be on high alert for every call that comes in, an answering service can screen and prioritize after-hours calls, only contacting staff if absolutely necessary.
- Client Perspective: An answering service provides timely and critical support during their most difficult moments. 24/7/365 phone coverage is often impossible for smaller funeral homes to achieve on their own, so knowing that every time a client calls there will be a compassionate, helpful human on the other end is a huge relief.
Cost Savings
- Funeral Home Perspective: An in-house, full-time receptionist to provide around the clock coverage is extremely cost-prohibitive—just one salary costs around $3,000 a month. Using a provider like Answering Service Care, plans start at $25 per month. Even the options with more features, like the Pro Plan at $289 per month or the Enterprise Plan at $599 per month, are extremely affordable.
- Client Perspective: There are many expenses associated with the death of a loved one. A funeral home that keeps its overhead low can pass those savings along to clients without compromising on the level of service that is provided.
Efficiency and Focus
- Funeral Home Perspective: Funeral home professionals have many responsibilities and provide in-person care to many grieving individuals—a phone call shouldn’t interrupt a sensitive conversation. Having an answering service handle routine tasks, like providing a memorial service times or scheduling a funeral arrangement meeting, enables staff to operate efficiently and effectively.
- Client Perspective: Speaking with a skilled answering service agent whose entire job is answering the phone means clients have the full attention to get their questions resolved. When at a funeral home in-person, your staff can be completely dedicated to assisting clients and won’t be pulled away by non-urgent phone calls.
High-Quality Customer Service
- Funeral Home Perspective: Customer service is crucial in the funeral industry. Providing a consistent, compassionate response to each and every inquiry helps establish and maintain your brand’s reputation for excellence. With Answering Service Care, every call is not just answered, it’s answered well, seamlessly conveying your funeral home’s high standards for client care.
- Client Perspective: In a time of grief, speaking with someone who is both empathetic and efficient can make all the difference. Knowing that clients are talking with a trained professional, who handles each call with the utmost care and respect, significantly eases stress.
Is an Answering Service Worth It for a Mortuary?
Yes, absolutely. Leveraging a professional answering service like Answering Service Care not only offers practical benefits like 24/7 coverage and cost savings, but also contributes significantly to the well-being of your employees and clients. Your staff can focus on what they do best—providing in-person, specialized care. Clients are enabled to navigate a difficult situation with dignity, receiving the care they deserve. Our skilled agents are an essential part of your team, helping you fulfill your commitment to your clients.
What Is the Best Voice Answering Service for a Funeral Home?
Here at Answering Service Care, we’re proud to be known as the best answering service for a small business like yours. With our specialized, 100%-U.S.-based agents, your funeral home is in excellent hands. We offer a range of customizable options to meet your funeral home’s specific needs. From our cost-effective pricing to our compassionate, high-quality customer service, we offer the exact resources your mortuary needs to succeed. When you choose Answering Service Care, you’re choosing a dedicated partner committed to supporting both your business and the families you serve. Visit our site to get started for as little as $25 per month.
