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U.S. Patent Office Issues Patent for ASD's First Call Connect 
On Tuesday, June 18, the United States Patent Office issued ASD a patent for our First Call Connect feature ( Patent No. 8,467,515). First Call Connect is the only answering service tool that allows funeral directors to serve clients in "real time" regardless of location or time of day.
We invented First Call Connect so our clients could be available instantly to serve loved ones in their time of need. Receive a text message or a push notification through the ASD Mobile app the moment our Call Specialist begins to gather First Call information. This provides you with time to find an appropriate location to handle the new First Call. Once you call in, you can choose whether to listen in on the call or join in just as if you were picking up an extension at the funeral home.
To activate First Call Connect, dial the number sent to your mobile phone and select among these options:
- Press 3 to enter the call immediately
- Press 1 to listen to the call in a muted mode
- Press 0 to speak with the call specialist prior to joining the call
- Wait to obtain call details and call the family back.
This range of options gives you the ability to decide how to handle a first call based upon the situation at hand. First Call Connect delivers control to your fingertips, proving business can be conducted anywhere without sacrificing quality.
"First Call Connect makes it seem to the family that we're right there because we can connect right in to the call, no matter what time of day it is.
This feature also allows you to hear what the caller is saying and gives you a sense of their emotional state first so you can better react with them."
-John Paletski, Director of Frank J. Bonin Funeral Home
To learn more about ASD's recently issued patent, click here.
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 Today, many funeral homes rely on a Transport Company to handle removals from a hospital, nursing home or residence when a death occurs after hours. Every funeral home and removal service has its own specific procedures that must be followed depending on the nature of the death and where it occurs.
Did you know that ASD has developed customizable solutions to assist funeral homes and Transport Companies with coordinating removals? Investing in adaptable technology that can be updated onsite allows ASD to meet the needs of every client. Our sophisticated systems allow us to:
- Gather specific information the removal company must know before picking up a body.
- Contact a specific on-call person depending on whether the death occurred at a facility or a residence.
- Notify the on-call director and removal service of the passing simultaneously so the director may connect with the family while the removal is made.
- Contact a specific on-call person depending on the day and time the death is reported.
- Relay information to callers about what is needed in order to coordinate the removal.
These are just a few of the customizable solutions ASD has developed for Transport Companies and funeral homes that utilize a Transport Company. By designing features and software that caters to the individual preferences of every client, ASD can greatly reduce the possibility of any miscommunication occurring during a removal.
Click here for more information.
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Funeral Directors Share Favorite Activities with ASD
 | | Larry and Carol Schildmeyer at the Cincinnati Reds' Spring Training in Goodyear, Arizona. |
Name: Larry and Carol Schildmeyer
Funeral Home: Tufts Schildmeyer Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Centers
Location: Blanchester, Goshen and Loveland, OH
Favorite ASD Features: The ASD Mobile App for Android and First Call Alert.
Favorite Pastime: Larry and Carol are lifelong Reds fans. They began following the Reds as kids and have continued to follow their favorite team for many years. Larry and Carol have attended the 1975, 1976 and 1990 World Series and many playoff games.
 | | Larry and Carol visiting Carol's sister in Colorado and taking in a Reds vs. Rockies game. The Schildmeyers attend approximately 25-30 games every year. |
ASD's "Favorite Pastime" Series We would love to share more photos of funeral directors enjoying their favorite pastime. Send us a photo of you engaged in your favorite hobby or activity for us to share and to show others what you love to do when you're not doing outstanding work at your funeral home! Please email all photos or inquiries to [email protected]. |
 With so many funeral professionals now using ASD Mobile, we wondered what other apps might help funeral homes conduct their business more efficiently. We recently conducted a survey to find our answer and received responses from more than 300 funeral professionals nationwide.
Here are some of the most popular apps chosen by your peers:
1) LogMeIn Ignition: LogMeIn allows users to control their desktop computers from their mobile device and access documents remotely from any location. You can also share or transfer files and back up your vital documents in case of an emergency. If a family calls late at night looking for information and you need to access paperwork while out of the office, LogMeIn can deliver that information to your fingertips in a matter of seconds. 2) Evernote: We first heard about Evernote when a Funeral Director explained how he shares data from ASD's Android app to his Evernote app. The director mentioned how useful the app is for his business, providing a centralized location for him to capture and store photos, websites, lists and more. Information can be accessed from any computer or mobile device and individual documents can be found easily with the app's Search tool. 3) Google and Apple Maps: Funeral Directors are often on the road and must drive to unfamiliar locations, so we were not surprised that so many survey respondents named Google or Apple maps as their go-to mobile app. While some users may opt for a handheld GPS system instead, those who regularly rely on their Smartphone are likely to find using a GPS app more convenient when on the go. 4) JotNot: Transform your mobile phone into a portable scanner with this app. Using JotNot, you can convert images scanned by the phone into a PDF file. Correct photos and documents instantly and share them without delay, saving time and reducing unnecessary paperwork. JotNot is also integrated with other apps like Evernote, allowing you to sync the apps together so that JotNot automatically corrects images added to Evernote.
Click here to read 4 More Mobile Apps Every Funeral Director Should Try.
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ASD Becomes "Endorsed Provider" of the Texas Funeral Directors Association
 We're pleased to announce that ASD was just selected as an Endorsed Provider of the Texas Funeral Directors Association. The TFDA's endorsement of ASD is a testament of their commitment to their members. We were highly impressed by the depth of research the TFDA devoted to this decision. During the 2013 Convention in Austin, ASD Vice President and Family Member Owner, Kathy Kelley, and Project Manager, Lauren Kress, presented information to the TFDA on how ASD's custom solutions can help Texas funeral directors protect their reputations for excellence. We are honored that the TFDA recognizes the value ASD offers members of the funeral professionals.
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To remain available to the community 24/7, funeral professionals must spend a great deal of time travelling on the road. To provide support to directors on the go, ASD has added a new mapping feature to the ASD Mobile app. This tool helps you navigate to addresses that are given to our Call Specialists over the phone instead of having to manually enter the location information into a GPS. Simply click on any address to see the location mapped out on your phone's GPS app. This is just one more way ASD helps funeral homes remain highly vigilant in serving the needs of families.
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 Meet Assistant Supervisor Bill Pitcher
When ASD Assistant Supervisor, Bill Pitcher, first came to ASD, he already had a strong understanding and appreciation for the work of funeral directors. Bill started working at funeral homes in his hometown during high school and then studied Mortuary Science in college while working part time at a local funeral home. Bill's knowledge of the funeral profession helps him to understand the needs of every caller and the importance of compassion and patience. This month, he was promoted to an Assistant Supervisor position where he will mentor to other Call Specialists and assist clients with the highest level of customer service. We are proud to feature Bill in this month's Employee Spotlight.
Can you share a little about your background and education?
I grew up in Beaver Falls, PA which is located just outside of Pittsburgh. I studied Mortuary Science in college and plan to go back for computer networking administration at the moment.
How does your experience in the funeral industry influence your work at ASD?
It's helped me to understand certain terminology that funeral directors use. It also has helped me understand the urgency of calls, to know if I should contact a director or not during certain situations.
What was one of your most difficult calls and how did you help this caller?
A woman's husband had just committed suicide and I could tell right away that she was not in the right state to answer any questions. Instead of pressing her for details, I only gathered her name and number so the director could assist her personally. Later, the director left a nice compliment for me stating that it was the best call he'd ever heard.
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Funeral Planning in the Age of the Handheld Device
The funeral industry has traditionally been slow to adapt to change. There are still funeral homes without a website. To those of us whose livelihood is based online, and better still spend the greater part of our working day 'plugged in', the notion of life without the Internet just seems...well, unimaginable today.
Although many funeral professionals have adapted to technology as part of their personal and professional lives, we do still speak to funeral directors who will proclaim "people do not look online for a funeral home."
We shake our heads and smile because we do know that people turn to the Internet to find a funeral home and plan a funeral. In fact, now that the Internet can be accessed so easily from smartphones and tablets, the reach of the Internet has only widened.
The Age of the Price-Conscious Consumer
We live in a consumer society today. The funeral industry had sustained as a trade where people shop first and ask the price later -- but no longer. Times have changed. The economy has changed for one thing, and we as consumers have changed. The World Wide Web at our fingertips has provided us with easy resources to compare prices before we even step out of our door! Yes, the funeral industry was resistant to this change at first. It was not that difficult as most funeral homes did not even publish prices on their websites. But then a change started to occur several years ago.
Price Comparison From the Margin to Mainstream
In 2001 Everest - a funeral price comparison and concierge company - was set up to offer Americans the opportunity to access an easy 'PriceFinder' report on funeral homes. For a small fee ($29.99), a 7-page report comparing up to 8 funeral homes can be generated.
Click here to continue reading.
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Sara Marsden-Ille
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Words have always been a passion for Sara Marsden-Ille and she enjoys writing in many different contexts. As editor-in-chief and content marketer at US Funerals Online and DFS Memorials, Sara's role is to research the behaviors and needs of today's families, death-care culture & the profession and present them through educational content. When she is not working, she loves to read, travel and discover new things, new people and new places. Click here to read more articles by Sara. |
  Preplanning a funeral can be a difficult step to take for many people, especially whenthere are concerns about how others in the family might react. This week our Call Specialist, Eboni, answered a call from a woman who wanted to make prearrangements for herself, but did not want to leave a phone number because she was worried her husband would answer. This is a scenario when ASD's Patching feature helps us to reassure callers that a director will be on the line shortly. It also allows our clients to connect with callers who need their attention, but may not have a number where they can be called back. Eboni is this week's "Sensitive Save of the Week" for recognizing the caller's need for discretion and immediately patching her through to the director. |
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ASD Clients Have Received More Than $65,000 in Rewards Credits
Start sharing in the savings and
reduce your answering service cost by 50% or more!
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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 recently became an Endorsed Provider
 | | 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 Summer Special.
1-800-868-9950
[email protected]
   
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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 Hultgren Funeral Home in Wheaton, IL. The photo shows the graves of a Catholic woman and her Protestant husband who were not allowed to be buried together. Upon researching this grave, we found that the couple, J.W.C van Gorcum and J.C.P.H van Aefferden, were married in 1842. After being married for 38 years, the colonel died in 1880 and was buried in the Protestant part of the cemetery against the wall. His wife died in 1888 and had decided not to be buried in the family tomb, but on the other side of the wall which was the closest she could get to her husband. The grave is located in Het Oude Kerkhof, Roermond, the Netherlands. Click on the photo to see an enlarged version on the funeral home's facebook page.
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ASD's Facebook Receives 1,000th Follower!
On Sunday, June 5th, ASD's Facebook page received it's 1,000th follower! We just wanted to take a moment to thank you all so mu
ch for your engagement with our Facebook page and other sites. We truly appreciate all of your support!
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ASD on the Road
National Sales Manager, Jason Bathurst, and Supervisor, Kristine Soderland loved spending time at the Ohio Funeral Directors Association Convention. ASD is a partner of the OFDA and it was a pleasure to meet so many directors from our neighboring state. Congratulations to Funeral Director, Bruce Neely, at Hanson-Neely Funeral Home in Ada, OH on winning the iPad mini ASD raffled off at the show.
We had a wonderful time visiting funeral directors in our home state at the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association Convention in Grantville. ASD Family Member Owner, Kevin Czachor, and Team Members, Jason Bathurst (LFD), Stephanie Bradford and Will Chicola enjoyed talking to funeral directors at our booth about ASD's new website and recently added ASD Mobile features. Congratulations to Randall DeBoard from Kearney A. Snyder Funeral Home in Lancaster, PA on winning the iPad Mini ASD raffled off during the convention.
ASD Family Member Owner, Kathy Kelley, and Project Manager, Lauren Kress, enjoyed meeting funeral directors and discussing the latest trends affecting the profession at the Texas Funeral Directors Association Convention. Congratulations to Funeral Director, Alejandro Villarreal, on winning ASD's Raffle prize-an iPad mini! It was also great to be booth neighbors with the National Funeral Directors Association. Thanks to Michael Watkins from the NFDA for sending us the photo above.
Thank you to everyone at the Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky Convention for giving ASD New Client Specialist, Sue Fritz, and Assistant Supervisor, Anne O'Reilly, such a warm reception in Louisville. Congratulations to raffle winner, Sarah Yates from Fern Creek Funeral Home on taking home an iPad mini!
STOP BY IN JULY
Virginia Funeral Directors Association's 125th Annual Convention
July 7-9 in Virginia Beach, VA
Florida Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association's 2013 Annual Convention
July 25-27 in Naples, FL
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ASD in the News
ASD Clients in the 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 [email protected]
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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 [email protected].
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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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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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