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  | | ASD Mobile Reviews on iTunes |
ASD became the only NFDA award-winning answering service in October after receiving the Innovation Award for our mobile app last year. Since ASD Mobile was first released in December 2011, we have written several blogs explaining how it can deliver convenience and seamless communication to your funeral home. However, we realize that the best people to explain the benefits of our app are other funeral professionals who rely on ASD Mobile every single day. We wanted to share with you some of the comments we have received from directors explaining how the app helps them to conduct business.
Here are 7 Reasons ASD Clients Use ASD Mobile:
"Death Call In Progress Alerts allow me to contact removal personnel and respond in an expedited manner." -Dustin P. Clark, Valley Lawn Funeral Home in Montrose, CO.
ASD is the only answering service capable of alerting you of a death call as it is taking place. ASD Mobile is the only answering service app integrated with push-notification technology. Together, these two exclusive features can dramatically enhance funeral home telecommunications. Using Push Notifications, you can be notified the second a Call Specialist begins to gather First Call information. The message will be pushed to your phone with a number you can tap to listen in or connect instantly as if you were picking up a second line at the funeral home. Only ASD can offer this level of unmatched immediacy.
"It's so much more convenient than listening and writing down a First Call or message." - Charlie Rimel, Henry Funeral Home in Staunton, VA
With information always at your fingertips, there is no longer a need to carry a pen and paper with you at all times. Not only is information saved on your phone for future retrieval, but you can also forward messages to other staff members with ease. This allows the funeral home to work as a collective whole because every employee is linked to a single communication center 24/7.
"It cuts down the time spent getting your messages. All I have to do is touch the app and it goes to work logging me in and retrieving my messages with just the touch of a finger." -William Rigby, Rigby Funeral Home in Media, PA
After you log in to ASD Mobile for the first time, the app will keep you logged in 24/7 so that you can easily pull up messages without delay simply by tapping the app icon. For directors that manage multiple accounts with ASD, our Fast Login pages allows you to switch back and forth between different accounts without requiring you to log in again. The fast log in page will display all of your ASD accounts with a message counter so you can keep track of multiple locations from one place.
Click here to read 4 more reasons Funeral Directors Love ASD Mobile.
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 When loved ones call to report a passing, their first sentence is often loaded with unspoken cues as to their emotional state. A lot of callers will not come out and state that someone passed away because they are still in denial or simply unable to speak the words. For this reason, when we hear short phrases such as, "I need your assistance" or questions such as, "Do you accept credit cards?" we will gently ask the caller if someone recently passed away. It is essential that the line be answered by a compassionate voice and not an automated system because of the difficulty these callers often have when informing the funeral home of a loved one's passing.
To the untrained ear, many death calls received by ASD would sound at first like any other casual conversation. It is only when we listen for the unspoken that we are able to identify when a person is holding back feelings of grief and loss. This is why funeral exclusivity is of such high importance to ASD's clients-bereaved family members need to speak to someone who is familiar with their needs.
Click here to learn more.
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Funeral Directors Share Favorite Activities with ASD
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Paul Saether and his children, Sarah and Jeff, pose with the family's 1969 Superior Cadillac combination ambulance and hearse. This car was purchased by Paul and his father in 1990 and is frequently spotted at car shows and parades.
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Funeral Home Name: Saether Funeral Home & Livery Service Location: Blanchardville, WI Favorite ASD Feature: Text Message with Reply. Paul likes being able to discreetly respond to his messages by replying to a text without having to make a phone call. Favorite Pastime: Collecting and restoring antique funeral cars and sharing his passion with his children, Sarah and Jeff. Paul's love for funeral cars led him to start his own livery service.  | |
Paul says, "One of the highlights of my Livery life has been purchasing two matching 2013 Lincoln hearses & traveling to the Federal factory in OH with my daughter to pick them up."
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Paul has driven the 1969 Superior Cadillac combination ambulance and hearse all over the midwest, down into southern Missouri, up into Canada and out to Ohio.
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In 2012, to commemorate our 40th Anniversary year, ASD redesigned our logo so we could feature some of the real employees who have demonstrated their commitment to the company for many years. As a family-owned business, we recognize that it is our team-oriented culture and collaborative environment that have allowed ASD to become the answering service trusted by more than one quarter of all funeral homes in the United States. Our employees are our most valuable assets which is why we wanted you to meet the real people behind ASD's logo:  Project Manager, Lauren Kress, started working at ASD in 2002 shortly after graduating High School. While earning her degree, Lauren worked as a Call Specialist until 2003 when she was promoted to work in ASD's Customer Service department after demonstrating her strong work ethic, attention to detail and outstanding communication skills. Over the years, Lauren has proven herself as an exceptionally adaptable employee, taking on many key leadership roles. She is the point person for ASD's FuneralSync program and also works with state and national funeral directors' associations to coordinate ASD's convention schedule every year. Lauren is passionate about networking with funeral professionals and loves traveling to meet directors from different parts of the country.  New Accounts Manager, Stephanie Bradford, has been helping funeral homes develop telecommunication strategies for more than 20 years. Recently, Stephanie has taken on more of a leadership role after recently being promoted to a Sales Manager position. As one of the most experienced staff member in ASD's Customer Service Department, Stephanie works with new clients to determine what customizations and tools would fit the needs of their funeral home while communicating feedback and suggestions to ASD's technical team. She has developed custom solutions for countless funeral homes while providing helpful tutorials and technical assistance to ensure all of ASD's clients can utilize the tools and features available. Stephanie is also a frequent attendant of funeral home trade conventions, helping clients with updates and customizations right on the trade show floor!  National Sales Manager and Licensed Funeral Director, Jason Bathurst, began working at ASD in 2008 as a Call Specialist. Jason worked for several decades at his family's funeral home, but wanted a break from the life of an on-call director. He was familiar with ASD from using our service and wanted to bring his expertise and experience to our company. Within several months, Jason was promoted to work as a Supervisor and frequently taught classes to ASD Call Specialists on important funeral customs and rituals. In early 2010, Jason joined ASD's Sales Department and began working with prospective clients to determine how ASD can meet their funeral home's needs. Jason's perspective as a licensed director helps funeral homes understand how ASD can deliver value to their funeral home. Click here to learn more about the real employees featured in ASD's logo. |
April is National Poetry Month so all month long we have been sharing poetry that encompasses the life and work of funeral directors. We were honored to feature an original poem by Lori Papa whose husband is the director of Brueggeman Funeral Home in East Northport, NY on our blog last week. Lori's poem, " The Mortician" describes how inaccurate the perceptions others have of funeral directors are by describing her husband's compassion and concern for the living. We enjoyed Lori's poem immensely and thought you would as well.
"The Mortician"- An Excerpt
By Lori Papa
For I know a Mortician
He's lived by my side.
My wonderful husband
with whom I abide.
A compassionate man,
Who knows of forgiving.
For his business is busying
himself with the Living.
His smile will calm you
and you'll rest assured
that he will support you
as you must endure.
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Meet Assistant Supervisor Chris
When you listen to Assistant Supervisor, Chris Bevilacqua, speaking to funeral home callers, you can't help but turn your head and smile. Her caring voice and sharp communication skills have been recognizable to funeral directors since Chris began working at ASD in 2003 as a Call Specialist. In 2011, Chris was promoted to work as an Assistant Supervisor, helping clients with account updates and providing the highest level of customer support to funeral professionals.
Chris has a reputation around the office for being one of the most dedicated and hardworking employees at ASD. She is often the first one to offer to help with any task and provides assistance to her coworkers whenever needed. Over the years, Chris has proven her reliability time and time again, volunteering to help during stressful times such as when ASD was affected by major weather events. She camped out at ASD during both Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Irene to help protect calls for impacted funeral homes. We are proud to feature Chris in this month's Employee Spotlight:
What are some things you have learned from working at ASD?
There are many ways people deal with death. It isn't always obvious when speaking to them so compassion in all situations is crucial.
What was one of your most difficult calls and how did you help this caller? I was speaking to a nurse about a young mother who gave birth to a stillborn infant and would not let the baby go. The nurse was very upset about the situation and had me in tears as well because I couldn't imagine how that would feel or what was going through that young girl's head. The nurse needed assistance from the funeral home so I connected her to the director immediately. |
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ASD Clients Have Received More Than $58,000 in Rewards Credits
Start sharing in the savings and
reduce your answering service cost by 50% or more!
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This week our Senior Call Specialist, Shane, answered a call from a representative at an insurance company. The caller was vague about their reason for calling, and rather than assuming that that the call was about insurance or a solicitation, Shane asked the gentleman if his call was related to a recent passing. The gentleman stated that he worked with the funeral home, knew the director personally and wanted them to handle his brother in law's service. Shane's intuition and follow up questions ensured that the funeral director was able to connect with this family without any delay. Shane is this week's "Sensitive Save of the Week" winner.
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The organizations and associations listed below have endorsed ASD as their preferred answering service, supported our company as a business partner or selected ASD for a vendor membership:
ASD is thrilled to become a Supplier Member of the
 | | ASD Supports the IFDA as a Provider of Preference |
 | | ASD is proud to be a Business Member of the OGR |
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ASD is honored to join the ARFDA's Sales Club |
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Find out Why ASD is America's #1 Funeral Home Exclusive Answering Service
 No extra cost for nights, weekends and holidaysFamily Owned and Operated since 1972 90% of all calls answered on the first ring Extensive 6-month Training Program All calls recorded for 100% accuracy Award-winning mobile app for iPhone and Android users One location in the USA - ASD NEVER outsources calls Patent-pending mobile features 24/7 Business Protection
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Contact ASD
Family Owned and Operated, ASD - Answering Service for Directors has been helping Funeral Directors manage their calls and their live since 1972. With a visionary approach to business, ASD has redefined the way Funeral Directors serve families, combining unparalleled levels of training and advanced technology.
Find out why ASD is the most trusted answering service for funeral homes with a 30-Day FREE TRIAL of our service. Be sure to ask about our Spring Special.
1-800-868-9950
Sales@myASD.com
   
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ICCFA Convention Recap
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ASD's Project Manager, Lauren Kress, Treasurer, Kathy Kelley, Vice President, Kevin Czachor, Supervisor, Linda Haas, and Business Development Manager, Mary Ann Carlisle
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ASD would like to extend a big THANK YOU
to everyone who stopped by our Booth at the ICCFA Convention and made our time in Tampa so special. The ASD team had a wonderful time catching up with old friends and meeting new ones while learning about the latest trends affecting the funeral profession. If you weren't able to attend the show, we hope to see you later this year as we travel to more than 20 cities across the United States.
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ASD's National Sales Manager, Jason Bathurst, shows a LIVE demo of ASD Mobile to a funeral director
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ASD was proud to be featured on the ICCFA's New Product Showcase wall for our Smartphone App, ASD Mobile.
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Thank you to ICCFA Incoming President, Nancy Lohman, for spending time at our booth and for sending us this great photo.
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MEET US IN MAY
The Tri-State Funeral Convention - Co-Sponsored by the KS, MO & NB Funeral Directors Associations May 5-8 in Overland Park, KS
The Michigan Funeral Directors Association Annual Convention May 13-16 in Detriot, MI
The North Carolina Funeral Directors Association Conference & Expo May 13-15 in Durham, NC
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ASD in the News
Be sure to pick up the May issue of American Funeral Director Magazine to read an article by Staff Writer Jessica Fowler on how funeral homes can overcome an unexpected crisis.
ASD Clients in the News
Mobile News
We Want to Hear Your Stories!
ASD would love to profile your funeral home for our blog or industry publications. If you have an exciting story to tell, event you are planning or information you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you! Contact ASD's Staff Writer, Jessica Fowler, at jess.fowler@myasd.com
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ASD has featured the writing of funeral professionals such as Caleb Wilde, Lauren Polanski and others in the past. We believe that the funeral writer has the authority to address a wide range of subjects, both somber and humorous, from a perspective no other writer can offer. If you're a funeral professional who also enjoys blogging and writing, we would be happy to feature your work on our blog. To learn more about guest blogging for ASD, contact jess.fowler@myASD.com.
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Take Our Virtual Tour:
Explore ASD's facility from the comfort of your chair!
For many years, we have wanted to show our clients the technology and infrastructure we have in place here at ASD. We're excited to share with you a high-definition, Virtual Tour of our facility. Use the arrow keys to move from room to room or zoom in on anything you would like to see in closer detail.
Click on any of the photos below to start your tour:
Click here to start tour from ASD's Operations Center
Click here to start tour from ASD's Reception Area
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Past Issues of Funeral Communications Today
2013
2012
2011
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Photo of the Month
Each month, ASD will select a photo we love, shared from a client's Facebook page or Twitter, as our "Photo of the Month." This month's photo was shared on Facebook by Fisher Family Funeral Home in Logansport, IN. The image shows the funeral home's flag flying at half-staff as a sign of respect for the victims of the Boston Marathon Explosions. This is a great example of when an image can capture more emotion than a thousand words.
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ASD's Pledge to Clients
Our top-quality service maintains the highest degree of professionalism with extensive training, careful monitoring and cutting-edge technology that tracks and records every incoming call. We understand that our voice may be the first impression a family member has of your funeral home and continually review your calls so that every time your phone rings, an experienced and compassionate operator will be there to answer.
Sincerely,
The Czachor Family
ASD Founders & Family-Member Owners
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