Jun 05, 2012
ASD is Now a Preferred Partner of the OFDA!
ASD – Answering Service for Directors is honored to be named a Preferred Partner by the Ohio Funeral Director’s Association.The OFDA’s endorsement of ASD is a testament of their commitment to their members. We are highly impressed by the level of research the OFDA devoted to this decision. ASD was among many answering services evaluated by the Member Services Committee and we are thrilled that the OFDA recognized the value ASD can offer to funeral professionals.
For more information about our new partnership, visit the programs page on the OFDA website.
Meet Our Newest Supervisor: Renee Mancer
You’ve probably heard her voice a hundred times, whether verifying your on-call information or empathetically expressing her condolences to one of your families. Over the past 18 years, Renee Mancer has fielded over a half million calls for funeral homes and over 50,000 First Calls. Renee began working at ASD in 1994 and was promoted as a trainer in 1998. Since then, Renee has proven her dedication to the company time and time again, both through her exemplary work and outstanding attendance. She has trained many of ASD’s long-standing employees and is a frequent Outstanding Service Award Winner.
Renee began working as an ASD Assistant Supervisor after ASD moved to our Media headquarters in 2007. We are proud to announce that Renee was promoted to our Supervisor staff this month where she will continue to demonstrate her model work ethic. Renee looks forward to continuing her service to the funeral community by providing the highest level of customer service and support.
According to Renee, “Since I began working at ASD, I got married and have raised three children. ASD has always been supportive of me and my family by providing me with flexibility when I needed it. That was a big part of why ASD became my career.”
This June, ASD Is Coming To A City Near You
ASD will be in 7 different cities and in every corner of the country as we travel to funeral home state conventions in Arizona, Texas, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Vermont/New Hampshire, Virginia and California! After every convention, ASD team members return with a better perspective on the challenges facing funeral directors today and ideas for how to improve your experience with our service. It has been incredibly rewarding for us to meet and get to know our clients face-to-face and collect so much feedback to share with our staff. We hope to see you in the coming months! Be sure to check our blog and facebook page for updates on ASD’s convention schedule and booth numbers.
First stops:
Arizona Funeral, Cemetery and Cremation Association’s Annual Convention
June 6-June 8th in Scottsdale, AZ
Texas Funeral Directors Association 2012 Convention
June 10-June13th in Corpus Christi, TX
Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association 131st Annual Convention & Expo
June 12-13th in Grantville, PA.
Outstanding Service Awards
Each week, ASD recognizes four employees with an “Outstanding Service Award.” This special recognition is given to the ASD Staff who exhibit the sensitivity and attention to detail that set ASD apart from other answering services. Here are some recent “Outstanding Service Award” winners:
►Training Specialist, Sean, determined that a caller who was asking about the cost of an autopsy was actually calling to report a recent passing.
►Senior Call Specialist, Darlene, calmly defused a gentleman who called after hours saying he was on his way to the funeral home to purchase burial insurance.
►Staff Writer, Jessica Fowler, patiently handled a First Call from a gentleman who had very poor cell phone reception.
►Training Specialist, Melissa, retrieved contact information from a caller who was reporting an imminent death and initially didn’t want to leave a message.
Click here for last week’s Outstanding Service Award Winners
June Anniversaries
This month, 9 of ASD’s employees will ring in their official ASD Anniversary. Many of our employees began working for the company part time and have since made ASD their careers. Statistically, the average ASD employee has been with the company for six years or more. We are thrilled that such a large percentage of our staff have remained with ASD for so long.
Congratulations to:
Jennifer, Supervisor, hired June 6, 2000
Mary, Training Specialist, hired June 14, 2005
Lorenzo, Training Specialist, hired June 24, 2008
Sherry, Supervisor, hired June 21st, 2009
Kimberly, Advanced Call Specialist, hired June 6, 2010
Mary Ann, Project Coordinator, hired June 21, 2010
Heather Sitaras, ASD Call Specialist, hired June 28, 2010
About The Author
Jess Farren (Fowler)
Jess Farren (Fowler) is a Public Relations Specialist and Staff Writer who has been a part of the ASD team since 2003. Jess manages ASD’s company blog and has been published in several funeral trade magazines. She has written articles on a variety of subjects including communication, business planning, technology, marketing and funeral trends. You can contact Jess directly at Jess@myASD.com