We hope you and your family enjoyed a fun and exciting Independence Day. Every major holiday, ASD creates a special schedule that includes all of our employees. While our call specialists work shorter shifts, scheduling all of our operators increases the overlap of employees to guarantee the office is never short staffed. 

• 88% of all calls were answered by the 1st ring
• 98% of all calls were answered by the 4th ring

Click here to learn more about how ASD ensures all calls are answered promptly. 

Innovation is central to everything here at ASD: from the development of our Mobile Application to the selection of companies for our Rewards Program. So it should be no surprise that the successor of the NFDA Innovation Award is our Rewards Partner FuneralScreen, which was honored last year for their digital signage systems. FuneralScreen's turnkey packages allow directors to replace outdated directories with digital screens

that display service information and photos in vibrant, high-definition color.

FuneralScreen is the first to install, design and manage a service for funeral homes that offers a Complete Digital Solution. The company's mission is to update the traditional presentation of their clients' memorial in a brilliant new way using modern graphics. From custom-framed displays, built-in wall monitors, wall mounts and stands, FuneralScreen provides a digital alternative to letter boards and impersonal announcements. FuneralScreen will design and manage the signage system with the funeral home's selected customizations and offers nationwide installation. 

As part of our Exclusive Partnership with FuneralScreen, ASD clients receive an attractive discount on Screens, Digital Signage Players, Stands and subscription costs. These savings help directors reduce their expenses while working with two truly innovative companies.

"My FuneralScreen system is now completely functional. Not only does the system exceed my expectations, it has received positive feedback from all the families we have served since we've implemented this system. The system allows us so much flexibility to personalize the wake and funeral services, as well as advertise our willingness to join the 21st century."

-Andrew Ruggiero, Ruggiero and Sons Funeral Home 

Click here to learn more.

The following burdens are not necessarily funeral service specific, but many, if not all, come with this profession.  Those of us who stay in this profession do so because we find serving others in their darkest hour extremely rewarding, yet there are burdens to be borne.  Here's ten.

Lack of Personal Boundaries

The phone rings at 3 AM in the morning with a hospice nurse on the other end of the line telling you that so-and-so has died, that so-and-so's family is requesting your services and that the family of so-and-so is ready for you to come and pick up so-and-so. The phone rings at 6 PM the next day. Someone needs to see so-and-so ... he simply can't believe so-and-so is dead and must come to the funeral home at once to see so-and-so.

Depression.

While those of us who stay in this business do so because we love serving people, the lack of personal boundaries can lead to depression.

Depression, because my son's baseball game was at 6 PM, but somebody in so-and-so's family needed to see so-and-so this very minute.  Depression because the emotional needs of others somehow always trump my personal life needs.  And all of a sudden "I'm not a good father" and "I'm not happy with my life."

Psychosis.

Psychologist Carl Rogers described how he "literally lost my "self", lost the boundaries of myself...and I became convinced (and I think with some reason) that I was going insane".  When we in human service, and death service, become pulled into the whole narrative of death and dying, we can lose ourselves. 

Click here to read more.  

 

Caleb Wilde

ASD loves reading the insightful stories and astute observations shared by our client, Caleb Wilde, on his blog, Confessions of a Funeral Director. Caleb's refreshingly honest perspectives has also rightfully caught the attention of 20/20, Connecting Directors and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Confession of a Funeral Director covers everything from societal issues such as the death of Trayvon Martin, to Caleb's firsthand experiences working as a funeral director, to personal stories about Caleb's family and the recent adoption of his son Jeremiah. Click here to read more blog posts from Caleb. It won't be long before you find yourself laughing out loud or wiping a tear away.