Transforming Cemetery Services with Business Intelligence

Introduction

Our client, a prominent funeral, cremation, and cemetery services provider, recognized the imperative need to optimize operations and elevate customer service in the face of rapid expansion across North America. With a portfolio of over 300 properties, the client embarked on a transformative journey, seeking a robust Business Intelligence (BI) solution to streamline processes and extract invaluable insights from its operations.

Background

Starting with six cemetery properties in Toronto, Ontario, our client experienced significant growth, leading to a need for streamlined data management and analytics. To address this, the client opted for App Maisters, selecting their expertise in a custom software development project. App Maisters, with over 10+ years of programming experience and a wealth of knowledge in the funeral and cemetery industry, was the chosen partner to tackle this evolving challenge.

Project Objectives

 Azure DevOps Integration (Engagement 1): Seamless integration of Azure DevOps, the chosen development environment, was paramount to showcase the team’s efficiency within the client’s environment.

FACTS AN Funeral Default Templates (Engagement 2): Close collaboration between the client and the development team defined the scope of the FACTS AN Funeral Default Templates project, facilitating accurate cost estimates for subsequent development phases.

Detailed Project Proposal (Engagement 3): The final phase involved crafting a comprehensive project proposal, acting as the blueprint for the BI solution implementation, outlining scope, timeline, and resource requirements.

Solution

The decision to implement a BI solution was grounded in the necessity to centralize and analyze data from the extensive network of properties. The selection process focused on key factors:

  1. Scalability: Given rapid growth, scalability was paramount to seamlessly handle increasing data volumes and new property additions.

  2. Customization: Recognizing the unique operational aspects of the funeral and cemetery industry, the BI solution needed to be highly customizable to meet specific portfolio needs.

  3. Integration: Non-negotiable was the requirement for seamless integration with existing systems, including Azure DevOps and client-specific software, ensuring data consistency and operational efficiency.

  4. User-Friendly Interface: Prioritizing ease of use and accessibility, the BI solution aimed to empower individuals across the organization in making data-driven decisions.

Results

  • Streamlined operations through Azure DevOps integration, enhancing team efficiency.
  • FACTS AN Funeral Default Templates project scope clarity, enabling accurate cost estimates and streamlined development
  • A comprehensive project proposal, providing a detailed roadmap for the BI solution implementation.
  • Enhanced data centralization, scalability, and customization, addressing the unique needs of the funeral, cremation, and cemetery industry.
  • Improved data-driven decision-making across the organization, thanks to a user-friendly BI interface.