May 2020

Page B11 MAY 2020 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on B MEDIA,PA— With more than 90% of staff current- ly working from home, ASD – Answering Service for Directors has taken steps to greatly expand the company’s remote capabilities in response to the CO- VID-19 outbreak. In previous years, ASD took steps to ensure the majority of its workforce could handle calls from their homes in the event of a major weather event. These advanced preparations allowed the com- pany to transition seamlessly to a remote office model, ensuring that ASD’s funeral home clients received reli- able telephone support through the pandemic. On Friday, March 6, ASD’s owners received word that several people in the local area had tested positive for coronavirus. Upon learning of the COVID-19 spread to its county, ASD immediately began operating with an abundance of caution in an effort to protect the health and well-being of the company’s employees as well as their families. ASD’s owners instructed all em- ployees with a home computer to begin working re- motely for the foreseeable future. The company also immediately cancelled a funeral home training event it had previously scheduled for Thursday, March 12. In the weeks that followed, ASD’s Technical Team worked around the clock to expand the company’s remote capabilities. Previously, the company provid- ed home computers to any person who had been em- ployed for 9 months or longer. After learning of the coronavirus outbreak in the local area, ASD began de- ploying home computers to any employee who had been with the company for 6 months or longer. These efforts quickly brought ASD’s home user count to over 200 employees. All Call Specialists’ home computer stations are equipped with a 37-inch curved monitor that displays a large amount of funeral home data for real-time use. ASD Supervisors are scheduled around the clock to help clients make any necessary updates to their ac- count and to monitor staff working remotely. By reg- ularly calibrating staff, reviewing client concerns im- mediately and using ASD’s stealth mode to evaluate calls for quality assurance, ASD’s supervisors ensure the company’s level of service remains consistent. The transition has been seamless for ASD clients. Since ASD exclusively works with the funeral profes- sion, clients have not experienced the long hold times and communication disruptions commonly affecting other answering services that work with medical doc- tors and healthcare organizations which have been overwhelmed during this pandemic. While more than 90% of ASD staff is working remotely, the company’s physical location has remained opened for new em- ployees and those in training. ASD anticipates its call volume could possibly increase and therefore will con- tinue to hire and train new employees while following social distancing guidelines. On March 20, Pennsylvania State Governor, Tom Wolfe, ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses in PA to close their physical locations. However, these restrictions did not apply to ASD due to the crucial role the company plays in death care services. The governor recognized ASD as a critical supplier of the funeral industry and the company was given authori- zation to continue to provide life-sustaining services for its clients. From a letter sent to ASD from the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office: “[ASD] plays a critical role in the manufacture and supply of goods and services neces- sary to sustain life and may continue to operate at the physical location identified in the application.” ASD keeps a log of the company’s daily statistics and call volume. When comparing the latest call sta- tistics with data from before the pandemic hit, ASD COVID-19 INDUSTRY RESPONSE ASD – Answering Service for Directors Expands Remote Capabilities to Support Funeral Homes has found that funeral homes are receiving 6% more phone calls currently. On average, more than 95% of all incoming calls handled by ASD have been answered by the fourth ring. In an effort to help support funer- al homes that may be experiencing telephone difficul- ties, the company is offering a free, 30-day trial with a quick, simple set up process. To learn more about ASD’s Free Trial, visit www.myasd.com/free- trial. In addition, the company is also offering existing cli- ents a free trial of its collaborative texting tool, Mo- bileFH ® Texting through the remainder of 2020. With funeral directors needing to text with families more than ever right now, this solution allows users to send and receive a text message using the funeral home’s main business number. Text messages are stored securely within the ASD Mobile app, making it Coasson, Inc. announces Butler Coach appointment as Representatives Ron King CARBON,IN— Coasson, Inc ., manu- facturer of the unique Coasson funeral coach, recently announced that Butler Coach has been appointed a sales agent for the Coasson Funeral Fleet Manage- ment Network. Coasson is an innovation leader in fu- neral fleet vehicles, having received an Innovation Award at the 2019 National Funeral Directors Convention in Chica- go. The vehicle features sleek automotive styling built on an aluminum frame, fi- berglass body, large slide-out flower tray, and slide-out deck. The Coasson is manu- factured in Wakarusa, Indiana and paint- ed to automotive standards to match any fleet color. It is designed to be drawn by another vehicle and provides significant cost efficiencies to fleet owners. Coasson also produces and sells the UrnArk and the Credle , patented products designed to contain costs and increase revenue in to- day’s changing funeral profession. Ron Stoll , Coasson CEO, comment- ed “We are very pleased to have Butler Coach join the Coasson team. We have reached a point in our growth and mar- ket penetration that necessitate a clos- er and more involved relationship with the market. Butler Coach is a well-estab- lished leader in the funeral vehicle busi- ness and their high degree of customer contact and responsive approach to cus- tomer service is very impressive. According to Ron King of Butler Coach, “We see a clear market for the Coasson and we are pleased to add their products to our portfolio. After visiting the plant and meeting the management team we are confident in the integrity of the company and the products. That is very important to us and we are very ex- cited to offer the Coasson to the emerg- ing niche market where it adds value and flexibility. We are proud of our heritage and history and therefore very careful with decisions impacting our customers.” Butler Coach is a premier family-owned professional car dealer founded in 1936 and is located in Carbon, IN. For more information call 1-888-876-0857. easier for funeral home teams to keep track of their mobile communications with families and other con- tacts. To learn more about this feature, visit www.bit. ly/asdtexting. “With all of the logistical challenges and difficult decisions funeral directors are facing now, one thing they won’t have to worry about through this pandem- ic are their telephone lines,” says ASD Vice President and Family-Member Owner, Kevin Czachor . “ASD is running strong! We will remain a reliable and dedi- cated partner to the funeral homes across the country who are counting on our service for telephone support through this crisis.” Family owned and operated since 1972, ASD blends state-of-the-art technology with an extensive, 6-month training program focusing on compassionate care. The company’s custom-built communication systems and sophisticated mobile tools were designed solely to meet the needs of funeral professionals. By offering fu- neral directors unmatched protection for their calls, ASD has redefined the role of an answering service for funeral homes. For more information, visit www. myASD.com or call 1-800-868-9950. Online Directories Updated Daily PO Box 5159 • Youngstown, Ohio 44514 • 800-321-7479 • kim@nomispublications.com Go To Your Real Source. Anywhere. Anyt ime. L kin g For a Funeral Home, Trade Service or Supplier on your Computer, Tablet o r Cell Phone?