Caroline and Kyli from our team recently had the chance to visit Gentle Water Cremation and talk with Holly Sutton. Caroline is the Head of Merchandise and Kyli is a Customer Support Specialist. (Fun fact – Caroline and Kyli are sisters and life-long Floridians.)
Interviewers: Caroline Andree and Kyli Knupp
Interviewee: Holly Sutton, Co-Founder of Gentle Water Cremation
Caroline: Hi Holly! Thanks for sitting down with us today. Can you start by telling us a bit about your background?
Holly: Absolutely! My name is Holly Sutton, and I’m the co-founder and Managing Funeral Director of Gentle Water Cremation. I’ve been in the funeral profession for about 15 years. I started out in Atlanta working in flame crematories, then moved to Oregon for a traditional funeral directing role with SCI. I started at Lincoln Memorial Park and eventually became the location manager at another SCI firm, Finley Sunset Hills. Eventually, my wife and I decided to move closer to our families in South Florida, where I started my own trade embalming and consulting service. That experience led me to co-found Gentle Water Cremation.
Caroline: That’s an incredible journey! Why did you choose Parting Pro for Gentle Water Cremation?
Holly: From the start, we wanted to be a paperless operation. Steve, my partner, had already identified Parting Pro as the ideal solution. The platform integrates everything we need into one system—case management, an e-store, and e-commerce capabilities. It has allowed us to be more efficient and serve families without the complication of traditional paperwork and in-person meetings.
Kyli: How do you use Parting Pro in your daily workflow?
Holly: As soon as a family contacts me, I get their name and email to send them a proposal through Parting Pro. I’ve been lucky enough that 90% of the people I’ve sent proposals to have used our services. Once they engage, I take a more personalized approach, balancing the automated features of Parting Pro with direct communication. This platform lets me provide a caring, concierge service by minimizing paperwork and streamlining processes.
Kyli: What features do you find most valuable?
Holly: Definitely the ability to send information quickly and the customizable forms. The platform makes it easy for families to start the arrangement process online, which turns many inquiries into actual customers. The automatic fee calculations for out-of-area transport are also a big help, avoiding awkward pricing conversations. Additionally, the upload feature for ID’s ensures we get the necessary documents without difficulty.
Caroline: How has using Parting Pro impacted your business goals?
Holly: It’s significantly increased our merchandise sales since families can see and purchase items directly from our site. More merchandise visibility has led to higher sales and added revenue. Families appreciate how easy and efficient the paperwork process is, often thanking me for it. This ease translates to better family satisfaction and a smoother overall experience.
Kyli: It sounds like balancing automation with the personal touch is crucial. How do you manage that?
Holly: It’s all about timing and sensitivity. Even though many processes are automated, I still make sure to have those important conversations with families. Parting Pro makes me look good by making the entire process seamless and efficient, which in turn helps me build better relationships with my clients. People think I’m super technologically savvy because of how smoothly everything runs, but it’s really Parting Pro doing the heavy lifting.
Caroline: You mentioned earlier about wanting to be paperless. Can you expand on how Parting Pro helps with that?
Holly: Correct, from the beginning we did not want paper files. We want paper-LESS files. Over the course of a case, you’re going to collect certain pieces of paperwork, like the removal sheet from the transport company. I hold on to stuff like that and then just scan it into Parting Pro. I keep literally all of my case documents and every single form that pertains to that particular case or decedent within Parting Pro.
Kyli: Can you give an example of how Parting Pro streamlines your processes?
Holly: Sure, it really helps with transportation fees. When a family enters the address for the place of death, the system automatically calculates if it’s outside our area and adds the extra fee. This way, families immediately know about any additional costs.
Instead of having those awkward back-and-forth conversations where I’d have to look up addresses and calculate mileage manually, the system handles it all. It gives us a polished and professional way to manage and communicate these charges without the complexity.
Caroline: What are your future plans for Gentle Water Cremation?
Holly: Our future plans are to continue making water cremation accessible to Florida residents, educate the community about our services, and provide accurate information about the water cremation process. We aim to offer a compassionate and eco-friendly alternative for families concerned about their environmental impact. Ultimately, we want to give people another choice during a difficult time in their lives.
Caroline: Holly, it’s been a pleasure talking with you. Your insights and experiences are truly inspiring. Thank you for sharing how Parting Pro has helped Gentle Water Cremation succeed.
Holly: Thank you! It’s been great chatting with you both.