What does risk look like for cemetery, crematory or funeral home operators, what are the potential impacts, and what can we do to avoid them? Let’s take a quick look at some of the most common ones:
Space
Space, (somewhat inevitably), is one of the biggest risks faced by cemeteries.
Where opportunities for expansion are limited and land availability a challenge - how can cemeteries limit the risk and remain sustainable?
A good place to start is ensuring that you know exactly what you have, where you have it, and the rate at which you are running out of it.
A lack of visibility of your data may seriously limit your ability to effectively manage your inventory and maximise the space that you have. Up-to-date, interrogable information, linked to ‘true’ digital cemetery maps is key to helping you forecast accurately and plan for the future.
Legacy systems
Consider the wealth of information that you hold. What would happen if that was to be lost - either to time, or an unforeseen event such as water or fire damage?
Think also about how long it takes to pore over that information to find what you need. How does that impact both your time and that of your customers?
Older, disjointed systems - even those that aren’t paper-based - often mean that data comes from various sources, running the risk of conflicting information, and the increased chance of errors.
Consider then, the benefit of a single, integrated system with linked data and records, updated in real time, backed up and accessible by everyone in your organisation.
Unsupported software
And while we’re talking about backed up information - did you know that running old, unsupported software not only poses risks in terms of data security, but can also limit your future growth? When the time comes to upgrade your hardware, you may simply not be able to run your old software on it, costing you valuable time and money.
Not only this, but software crashes can have a massive impact on your daily operations - without access to data, you’re running blind - increasing the chance of mistakes, slowing productivity and increasingly the likelihood of unsatisfied customers.
These are just some of the risks that can be mitigated by using a technology partner who operates a cloud-based Software as a Service model.
Safety
Cemetery spaces pose a number of health and safety risks to both staff and the general public. Hazards such as toppled or unsecure monuments, overgrown flora, downed trees or overhanging limbs and cracked paths, to name just a few, can pose very real and literal risks to individual safety, and if overlooked or missed, may even expose deathcare providers to legal action.
It’s therefore imperative that you have everything you need to ensure that the physical space in which you occupy is as safe as possible. That means carrying out regular safety checks, risk assessments and keeping on top of your memorials management.
Ask yourself if your teams have everything they need. Do you have the right processes, procedures and workflows in place to ensure tasks are completed efficiently and in good time?
Litigation
Double sold plots, mislocated burials, wrong graves opened for burial, and installing a marker or monument at the wrong grave are just some of the many risks that can lead to the real possibility of litigation.
There have been numerous reports of families visiting the wrong graves for years - even decades - causing untold grief and distress, but also potentially millions in lawsuits for the cemetery operator.
It’s imperative therefore that records are accurate, and matched exactly to the plot locations on cemetery maps. This can be a challenge with records and maps stretching back many years, and information pulled from a number of different sources.
It’s clear then, that deathcare providers can mitigate all of these risks by having a cemetery management system that provides a ‘single source of truth’ - one which gives confidence in the accuracy of the information they hold, and allows them to get ahead of any potential issues.
For more, visit: www.plotbox.io
