Finding the most fitting ways to help a grieving family to commemorate the life of a recently deceased loved one continues to be the top priority for modern service providers in the death care sector. With the increasing adoption of technology in everyday life and ever-shifting attitudes in society, it is no surprise that a sector known for its slo...

When Ferncliff Cemetery, a non-profit and non-sectarian cemetery in Hartsdale, NY, was founded in 1902, it was probably impossible to imagine what life would look like some 120 years later. It's likely the founders of the cemetery would have never envisioned technology playing such a role in day-to-day business. Still, Ferncliff, located about a ha...

Deceased Search Did you know that RecordKeepr has a Deceased Search function available? RecordKeepr provides a unique URL for each site, which enables you to embed a deceased search function into your website. This will allow the public to search for a deceased record on your website. They will only be able to view information you have included in ...

The first cemetery to be built in Sydney in over 80 years is a step closer, with the first sod turned at Macarthur Memorial Park on the 27th of February 2020. Over 80 people witnessed the momentous occasion with key stakeholders, government officials, industry colleagues and community leaders of all faiths in attendance. Traditional Owners Honoured...

Jodie Ryan Australia How long have you worked in your role, and what do you enjoy most? A New York minute! This is my first foray into the world of software technology. I have been with OpusXenta for four months now, has been quite the learning experience so far! What other roles/careers have you previously had? I come from the death care indu...

James Meyrick, Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Northern Metropolitan Cemeteries (NMC), is passionate about implementing innovative technology solutions to create excellent customer experiences across their five cemeteries in NSW. For NMC, James tells us that digital mapping has gone from a 'nice to have' feature to an essential cemetery feature...

There is no denying that technology has helped improve the death care experience, both for the family and friends of the deceased but also for those working in the industry. But perhaps one of the areas where such innovation has been most transformational is in the area of cemetery mapping. Traditionally, cemetery layouts and inventory have been re...

In any cemetery or crematory, having a comprehensive overview of your business is essential to maintaining a sustainable operation. Whether you need a snapshot of your financial position or projections for the year ahead, an indicator of the current state of company assets, or need to ensure regulatory compliance, there are many reasons why bu...

Over the past year and a half, we have seen COVID-19 force massive changes in how people and businesses interact. For funeral directors, working in a profession deeply dependent on interpersonal exchanges, the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic and the reduced mobility of their clients induced sweeping changes in how we conduct funerals, upen...

Records are at the heart of every cemetery and not only provide an invaluable window into the past but are critical to planning and managing its future. In an increasingly tech-driven world, digitization transforms the way we record, manage and track data, and burial records are no exception. Digitizing burial records is not a new concept, and the ...

By Dylan Nells A Funeral Director with over 30 years of experience delivering services for families and communities was asked what he thought about computer systems in the Funeral Industry, and this is his reply. Let me share a story.  Our special treat used to be a meal and stay over at our favorite restaurant in the Lake District. Every meal...

Stephen Carter  Regional Sales Associate, USA Tell us about your death care profession journey and what led you to join OpusXenta?  I haven't had a lot of time in the death care profession. I was pulled to it by my own curiosity for an industry that doesn't get discussed much but is something everyone needs. What do you feel has attr...

Stress is inevitable. It's been a common theme throughout the course of the pandemic and is certainly felt by those in the funeral and death care industry. Nancy Weil, a leading authority on the relationship between humor and grief, offers advice for funeral directors in her recent webinar with OpusXenta. Nancy is the Membership Director for the Or...

You You - the most important person in your life. Shannah Kennedy made this abundantly clear in her 'In Conversation with' webinar this last quarter about The Importance of Caring for Self in an Industry All About Caring for Others. (Make sure to grab your copy of the recording if you missed it.) As caregivers and community supporters, and managers...

How Technology and Digitally Native Consumers are Driving Changes in the Cremation Sector  Cremations are increasingly becoming the preferred option when it comes to funeral planning in the UK, with over 78% of people now choosing this method over a traditional burial. The changing dynamic of modern culture, a step away from more religious pra...

Event planner, counselor, florist, entrepreneur… what role doesn't a funeral director play? As this past year has taught us, funeral professionals are an invaluable and essential part of our public health infrastructure and society. While their tireless, physically, and emotionally punishing work often goes unnoticed, funeral directors and morticia...

Imagine taking a subject most people don't want to talk about—death—and pairing it with a subject many people know little about—climate change. That's the conundrum facing the death care profession as this century advances. The health of the planet is top of mind, but so too is the solvency of funeral homes, crematoriums, and cemeteries amid this g...

The world has changed. We work from home, attend school from home, shop from home, and stream movies at home. Online activities have increased in quantity and popularity. "For all of us everywhere, what we did and the way we did it just twelve months ago is going to look… significantly different today," says John Haley, Customer Success & Acqui...

On 17th February, The FBCA, (Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities) and OpusXenta held the first webinar in our environmental series highlighting the environmental impact of the bereavement services sector. We opened the conversation and looked at what changes that funeral directors, crematoria and cemeteries alike can all make to protect ...

As the need for cremations is rising, it's more important than ever to optimize your crematory to improve your support for the community. According to the National Funeral Directors Association 2020 Cremation and Burial Report, it's expected that COVID-19 will be responsible for another 200,000 deaths throughout 2021, but crematories have limited a...