Ask the Owner

Written By Jen Graziano, Licensed Funeral Director, Attorney, Founder: RememBar Collection As the saying goes, “you only have one chance to make a first impression”.  How true these words are and the death care realm offers no exception.  As professionals in this sacred space, we are tasked with selling our services, our funeral homes, our memorial products, ultimately even ourselves, in those critical moments of the “first call”.  The “first call”, or the initial encounter is more than securing a client or sale.  Often we are speaking to an emotional caller, one who was reticent to even make the call, or one who likely wishes they were calling any other place but a funeral home or a cemetery.  Some may call with preconceived notions that we, collectively, are scammers looking to take advantage of the most vulnerable or that we […]

Written By Jen Graziano, Licensed Funeral Director, Attorney, Founder: RememBar Collection People often look “outside” to find whatever it is they’re searching for.  Whether outside of their living situation to find a new home, outside a relationship situation to find a new partner, or outside a business situation to find a new idea; there’s a human tendency to look outward.  The irony is what we’re searching for is so often right in front of our eyes. On that note, let’s talk about our funeral home(s), not as business entities but rather, the brick and mortars, themselves.  In our endless quest to offer something new, are we neglecting to look within to see how we can improve what we already have? We take for granted walking through our doors each day and going directly to our respective desk, office and chapels.  […]

Written By Jen Graziano, Attorney, Licensed Funeral Director NY/CT Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home By now anyone who’s had a read of my articles will detect the (not so) subtle theme that labor shortages are crippling our industry.  The result is mounting owner frustration, excess burnout and even premature exits from the business. But maintaining good labor, if you’re blessed to already have it, is key to remaining in this game.  If you are lucky enough to have strong players on your team, dedicated to supporting and advancing your funeral home and brand, cherish them….and make sure they are happy and hoping to remain on board. A simple, “check in” to “check up” on your employees will go a long way.  Weekly “roundup” meetings to address any issues or concerns are a good way to take the temperature of your […]

Written By Jen Graziano, Attorney, Licensed Funeral Director NY/CT Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home Independent funeral home owners are facing unprecedented challenges which can force their hands into a premature exit. Labor shortages coupled with declining service revenue margins and increasing overhead costs cause many owners to ponder whether it’s time to hang their hat. Another contributing factor is the decline of generational continuity in the family business. After all, our children have watched us leave the dinner table far too many times to take a death call. The decision to not enter the funeral business has subconsciously been made for them. There is a collective frustration that has permeated the headspace of so many funeral home owners. Repeat families that call upon us often fail to repeat their prior service and merchandise selections. The rising generation of funeral planners […]

Written By Jen Graziano, Attorney, Licensed Funeral Director NY/CT Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home Recent headlines were made in the State of Indiana regarding a “death doula” and a question of her infringement on the stringent rules and regulations that govern the death care industry. As funeral directors are aware that we are bound by both federal and state regulatory guidelines that affect our ability to discuss funeral arrangements with families.  The mere mention of “cost” or “price” trigger a cold and callous passage of price menu into the client’s hands.  (That’s a conversation for another day).  Despite the federal and state confines we’ve long been placed under, which dictate how we charge, what we can charge for and how we can present said charges, in comes the “doula” with free-flowing discussions on these same topics.  It’s a quandary, but […]

Written By Jen Graziano, Attorney, Licensed Funeral Director NY/CT Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home If funeral directors were surveyed and asked how many times they’ve heard a family call say, “I’m just looking for a simple cremation” the numbers would be astounding.   These calls seem to come with far more frequency these days.  Funeral directors often find themselves in a tug of war, fighting to keep the family yet also fighting to protect their bottom line.  To all those who have longed looked with envy upon our industry for its inherent “recession proof” nature, rest assured, we are fighting for our life every day in the battle against a new consumer, a consumer with no regard for the sacred nature of our work. While volume may rise each year for a funeral home, revenue margins per case are noticeably shrinking […]

Written By Jennifer Graziano, Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home There are many seismic shifts that have rattled the foundation of funeral service in recent years.  The funeral consumer has changed; it’s all about getting the most while paying the least.  Couple this with industry challenges; a dire shortage of labor and a steady decline of qualified candidates seeking entry into the field, and the situation grows grimmer.  The challenges we face on both the consumer and labor fronts are not readily solvable but there are steps we can take to mitigate the impact. Among them, employing a cooperative and combined approach amongst funeral homes and working together to rebrand the industry by setting new norms and standards. On the consumer front, we can attribute this latitudinal shift behavior to the post-Covid societal trends of the world we live in.  Everything […]

A Crisis of Misunderstood Purpose: Why Funeral Homes Must Innovate to be Relevant and Attract Talent Written by Diann Anderson, formerly of Anderson Funeral & Cremation Services Is Your Website’s “About US” Tab Serving a Purpose? The funeral profession and most funeral home businesses are steeped in a rich history. If you take the time to click on the “About Us” tab on most funeral home websites, you will be able to read all about the history of that funeral home business. What you will be told is who started the business and how it has been handed over to the succeeding generations or how the business progressed with adding to the facilities and purchasing other funeral homes. You will read of the longevity of the business, conveying the message of stability; however, a history lesson doesn’t tell a potential […]