ASD Logo

Rising to the Occasion: Why Success Is Easier to Achieve with Help


Jul 12, 2013

In order for a company to progress, it must be willing to examine areas that can be improved or expanded. At ASD, we believe an open mind and listening ear should be central to every change we make. We are constantly seeking ways to enhance the level of service we offer to funeral homes. Embracing feedback from you and from your callers makes this possible.

At ASD, we are often the first point of contact for people who are at their most vulnerable moments. One of the first lessons Call Specialists learn during ASD’s 6-month training period is the range of emotions they may encounter on a daily basis. Developing the communication skills necessary to speak to funeral home callers requires a certain level of exposure to those who may be agitated or upset on the phone. ASD Call Specialists are often required to step into a diplomatic role in order to calm down callers who are dealing with a high level of emotional stress.

Speaking to an impassioned caller provides Call Specialists with an opportunity to strengthen their call taking abilities by turning that person’s attitude around with kindness. While these calls are certainly difficult, they help ASD Call Specialists to polish both their speaking and listening skills while learning how to soothe frustrated callers. Every week, ASD spotlights Call Specialists who handle particularly challenging calls with patience and accuracy. This provides an opportunity to dissect difficult calls so the ASD staff can use the transcript as a model going forward.

For our Customer Service department and technical team, the feedback and constructive criticism received from funeral homes have resulted in countless new developments at ASD. Supervisors speak with funeral directors every day about ways to tailor their account in order to resolve specific problems. While ASD accounts are highly customizable, many funeral directors are not aware that their preferences, contacting criteria, on-call list and more can be updated 24/7. Welcoming feedback provides our Supervisors with an opportunity to educate our clients about how their account can be customized to reflect the funeral home’s specific standards.

When more serious issues are reported, ASD’s Technology team is responsible for brainstorming technical features and mobile solutions to enhance communication for funeral homes. A few years ago, many directors remarked that it was time consuming to listen and respond to messages leading ASD to develop text messaging and email messaging solutions. When directors commented they would like to connect to at-need callers more quickly, ASD developed patching options and invented our patented First Call Connect  feature. After many directors requested an iPhone and Android app to take their ASD account on-the-go, we began work on a portable communication center that would become ASD Mobile.

From day one, analytical thinkers have driven change and solutions at ASD. Barbara Czachor, ASD’s Co-Founder, describes herself as a perfectionist and was the first to admit it is both a blessing and a curse to think in such detail. Not everyone has the ability to see things on such a micro level and rather than turning away those with strong opinions, ASD relies on their unique skill set to help us perfect our systems and training.

Whether speaking to an upset caller or assisting a client with specific needs, remaining open to feedback challenges us to locate areas in need of improvement and develop more individualized solutions. Our unique CareTracker feature allows you to send us a compliment, concern or comment for every call we answer for your funeral home. We learn a great deal from clients who share their input with us and give us an opportunity to rise to the occasion.

Please do not hesitate to share your feedback with us. We’re always here to listen!


 

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


Loading Conversation

About the Author

Share
Share
Share

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Table of Contents:

More Like This: