How to make the work of cemetery administrations simpler and more efficient while improving collaboration with partners for various trades? The foundation for such improvements is provided by friedhofsplan.de.
Benefits for the cemetery administration
The digital cemetery map is the tool that significantly simplifies workflows in cemetery administrations. Just by quickly and easily locating grave and deceased data, administrative processes can be greatly improved. Graphical analyses provide new perspectives on cemetery data and serve as a solid foundation for the strategic direction of cemetery planning.
friedhofsplan.de is available on any device, making it accessible not only in the administration office but also on the cemetery grounds with mobile devices (smartphones and tablets). With the integrated task management and photo functions, friedhofsplan.de is an ideal tool for improving communication between the administration and the staff working at the cemetery.
Benefits for external users
More than 20 cemetery administrations in Germany already publish their digital cemetery plans online. Many more are expected to follow in 2023.
For the cemetery administrations, this step represents a significant relief, as inquiries about graves and deceased individuals previously had to be manually answered by staff during working hours.
At the same time, this greatly enhances the service quality of the cemetery administration, as inquiries can now be made and answered 24/7. Cemetery visitors and bereaved individuals can scan a QR code at the cemetery to open the digital cemetery plan and navigate to the desired grave.
This is especially advantageous for contractors, who regularly need information about cemetery occupancy and the location of specific graves.
Public private partnership
Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), also known as Public-Private Partnerships (ÖPP) in German, come in a wide range of forms. These are long-term, contractually regulated collaborations between public clients and private contractors. These models are also becoming increasingly popular for cemetery operations. Many memorial forests, for example, are already being operated under this model. In this model, privately organized companies take over the technical operations, while the official, civil duties remain with the public administration.
Online Grave Reservation and Marketing
Through online grave reservation and marketing, funeral directors can, for example, provide advisory services and help bereaved families reserve an appropriate grave for the deceased relative. This can be done at the funeral director’s office or directly on the cemetery grounds. The task of the cemetery administration is to first make the reservable graves available online.
The reservable graves represent a subset of the available graves, as it cannot always be assumed that all available graves will need to be filled. After the reservation is made, the cemetery administration receives a notification of the new request. The funeral director, in turn, receives an email summarizing the reservation request, which they can then pass on to the bereaved as a confirmation.
Sharing of Data
With the PBSGEO applications, it is now also possible to share a specific area, such as a cemetery, for management with a private commercial organization. This allows for the digital representation of a Public-Private Partnership.
Furthermore, it is possible to manage just a single grave field, or, with similar permissions as the cemetery administration, support the overall management of all cemeteries.
The private commercial organization can then take over the marketing of the grave areas for the released section and handle the sale of the graves. Through friedhofsplan.de, the burial offerings can be published online. Additionally, extra services beyond the burial itself, such as:
- Planting,
- Ongoing grave maintenance,
- Or a gravestone, can also be sold online.
Communication with the Cemetery Administration
The cemetery administration and the private organization can communicate about specific graves via friedhofsplan.de. This can be done through the online task management system or shared notes and documents.
By digitally involving both parties in the online grave reservation process, information can be exchanged and forwarded without delay. This ensures that both the civil registry office and the technical cemetery administration are on the same page.
Conclusion
Public-Private Partnerships will continue to expand in the future as more private organizations collaborate with public cemetery administrations. The services provided by friedhofsplan.de can support this collaboration – for the benefit of the customers and the bereaved. Processes become more transparent for citizens, and the involvement of the bereaved, from grave reservations to booking additional services, becomes easier. The improved offerings enhance service quality for citizens and relieve the cemetery administration through automation and delegation.
Source: Friedhofskultur, June 2023
