WWith new innovations in technology emerging daily, the way we communicate has drastically altered over the past decade. The internet has become such a prevalent tool of communication that words like "google," "mouse potato," and "spyware" were among the 100 words added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary earlier this month. Handwritten letters and phone calls have been replaced by e-mail, newsletters and instant messaging programs.
While many of our personal lives have benefited greatly from high-tech trends in communication, the business world has seen a dramatic facelift. The funeral industry is no exception. By expanding our services to the World Wide Web, Allen Mortuary has been able to extend our quality of care and connect loved ones across the globe by offering online condolences.
Within months of launching allenmortuary.com, the site's online condolences feature has become one of its most frequented pages. Internet users from across the United States are taking advantage of this service with family members from 24 of the 50 states leaving condolences. The page has had visitors from several foreign countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, India, Germany, Canada and Mexico. And these numbers continue to grow on a daily basis.
The frequency with which online condolences are left and the distance between those utilizing this service serve as a testament to its value. Family members separated by distance now have the opportunity to close the emotional gap by instantly sharing their memories, well wishes and sentiments after a loved one has passed.
While advances in technology have certainly made communication faster and more convenient, its critics might argue that it lacks the personal touches of a phone call or a handwritten letter. What we have found since the inception of this service, is that those who would be less likely to send a handwritten condolence are actually utilizing the internet to pay their respects. In recent months we have seen an increase in the number of condolences left by younger children. Last month a 10-year old grandson left his sympathies after the passing of his grandfather. Another family's former Bible study group from Texas sent individual condolences after hearing of the passing of a Turlock native.
The daily influx of condolences such as these conveys a true sense of the personal, immediate support from what might be considered an unlikely source.
When my grandfather William Allen founded Allen Mortuary over five decades ago, the internet had yet to reach even its conceptual stages. Today, the internet has become a vital means of communication for the families we serve and we understand they rely on it daily. We are pleased to extend our professional and compassionate care through the next generation of communication. We invite you to offer online condolences sent through our website by visiting our Upcoming Services page.
Michael Allen is president of Allen Mortuary and a licensed funeral counselor. Allen has worked in the funeral industry for more than a decade. For more information phone Allen Mortuary at 634-5829.