November 25, 2024
Published by 
Stephanie Ramsey on November 25, 2024
Stephanie Ramsey on November 25, 2024Will you be prepared for the evolving funeral and cemetery professions? Unbelievably, the 21st century marks its 25th year shortly. With 2025 just around the corner, it is a pivotal moment to reflect on the evolving needs and expectations of families, as well as the broader societal shifts impacting how we handle death and mourning. The next few years promise significant changes driven by technological advancements, shifting cultural attitudes, and evolving demographic trends. How can funeral professionals prepare for these changes to better serve their communities and continue to be profitable? Let’s explore the key areas to consider as you formulate your plan. Embracing Technological Advancements The Foresight 2024 Funeral and Cemetery Consumer Behavior Study (2024 FCCBS) highlights several technological trends that are reshaping the funeral and cemetery profession. Embracing these changes is crucial for staying relevant: Virtual and Hybrid […]
September 27, 2024
Published by Stephanie Ramsey on September 27, 2024
Stephanie Ramsey on September 27, 2024Scenario: Meet Jordan Strong, owner of Strong Funeral and Cremation Services. Jordan’s business consists of two locations in the Southeastern United States serving more than 500 families annually. Jordan is very proud of the multicultural aspect of the families he serves, and his staff reflects that ethnic diversity. The keystone to Jordan’s success is his staff and the high-level service that is provided to every family regardless of whether they are choosing cremation or burial. His staff is trained to focus on memorialization and making each funeral arrangement unique for the family. Jordan has strived to create a positive work environment by utilizing effective HR techniques such as employee handbooks and policies as well as team building exercises. Employees are also asked to periodically participate in anonymous surveys to help determine if all is well. Despite all these efforts, the […]
July 30, 2024
Published by Stephanie Ramsey on July 30, 2024
Stephanie Ramsey on July 30, 2024In order to lead well, you must first grow yourself, as any meaningful and lasting change begins within you. “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” – JACK WELCH, AMERICAN BUSINESS EXECUTIVE AND FORMER GENERAL ELECTRIC CHAIRMAN AND CEO Let’s go over some of the challenges and hurdles staring leaders in the face in 2024 (and possibly beyond): Rapidly changing consumer wants and needs (client families are a consumer subset) ✔ Consumer demand for more convenience and greater transparency and use of technology ✔ Finding and retaining qualified talent and staff is increasingly more difficult ✔ Funeral home environments becoming more multigenerational among staff ✔ It’s an inflationary environment in which not only money/cost of capital but everything else is more expensive. ✔ There is […]
April 28, 2024
Published by Stephanie Ramsey on April 28, 2024
Stephanie Ramsey on April 28, 2024Scenario: Kirkpatrick Funeral & Cremation Services consists of multiple locations in the southern United States. Duncan Kirkpatrick started the business with a single location 20 years ago. Duncan is very proud of how he has been able to grow the business over the years and the positive feedback he has received from the communities the business serves. This is a direct reflection of his highly trained and qualified staff. It has been challenging for Duncan to find and retain qualified staff, but he has diligently overcome this obstacle by providing great benefits and a wonderful work environment. Duncan worked with a professional to create an employee handbook and procedure manuals as well as a variety of other applicable HR processes for his entire operation. Employees are introduced to these processes from the day they are hired. Currently, his staff is […]
September 26, 2023
Published by Stephanie Ramsey on September 26, 2023
Stephanie Ramsey on September 26, 2023Scenario: Jacob and Cathy Thomas own a thriving funeral business in the Southeast that consists of multiple funeral homes, a crematory, a pet crematory and a cemetery. Jacob and Cathy employ a large staff who are assigned to work at a specific business, each with their own employee handbooks and standard operating procedures based on the nature of the business. Through the various businesses, they and their team successfully serve approximately 100 families each year. Jacob and Cathy are very proud of what they have accomplished. While dealing with employees can be challenging, they feel they have a strong and talented team that provides exceptional care to their families. Recently, they faced a unique employee situation they were unsure how to address. They had an employee, Gerald, who had been hired and assigned to work at the pet crematory, apply […]