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Marie-Élaine Arbour

Technological Revolution in the Funeral Industry: BeWave's Success Story

Accompanying clients in their technological evolution by helping them choose the solutions best suited to their needs – that’s what makes the BeWave team of specialists particularly proud every day! That’s exactly what we did when a funeral complex company came knocking on our door for advice, as part of a project to modernize and improve the overall customer experience at its Montreal South Shore branch.

A Modernization Project at the Longueuil Branch

Wishing to innovate in order to remain THE reference in its field, the company planned to transform its Longueuil branch by equipping it with the latest technological tools. One of the main objectives was to deploy an integrated system of screens linked to a central control unit that would display various information and images throughout the complex, from reception to private rooms.

In coming to the experts at BeWave for help, this client wanted first and foremost to receive impartial advice and sound counsel from a trusted company recognized for its expertise and independence from major technology providers.

Client Choices: Between Proprietary and Open Source Software

This customer had just received a quote of over $50,000, just for an annual license to access a centralized screen system with closed-source software whose source code remains the property of its developer, limiting the choice of compatible devices. Faced with such a hefty bill, we wanted to validate with BeWave that this solution was indeed the best suited to our project.

BeWave's Tailor-Made Solution: Flexible and Cost-Effective

With a clear preference for the “Open Source” software option, which is owned by the customer and gives access to a range of devices of different brands and price points, BeWave proposed to its customer to design stand-alone computer boxes at $30 each, and connect them to a central unit in the Cloud. More importantly, this solution proved to be much less expensive than the first, as it did not require an annual license.

Open Source Development: The Power of Raspberry Pi

In concrete terms, we developed an Open Source solution tailored to the needs of the Complex. With a simple Raspberry Pi, we have the option of four screen modes to display:

  • A type of advertising message, video, promotion, presentation of services.
  • A type of welcome message for the Complex, presenting the day’s activities.
  • A type of message for each showroom door, presenting the deceased and the showroom’s hours of operation.
  • A type of message that presents the montages of families celebrating the deceased.

As an added bonus, this system is compatible with several types of data (photos and videos), and images can even be passed from one screen to another within the same room.

Integration of a Digital Presentation Tower

Not stopping there, BeWave suggested enhancing the project with the integration of a presentation tower at the entrance to the private rooms. This is equipped with a tablet allowing visitors to sign the digital register and enter their contact details. This register is then given to the deceased’s family in place of the traditional paper document.

Significant Impact: Project Success and Expansion

From the initial idea to the realization of this project, BeWave accompanied its client in the design of an innovative system that could easily be adapted to its most precise needs. The launch of this platform proved so successful that the formula was deployed in the company’s other branches, which are now automated!