November 15, 2017
Published by 
Dan Isard on November 15, 2017
Dan Isard on November 15, 2017In the funeral business, change happens slower than snails traveling though peanut butter. In fact, many of our colleagues still operate in 20th century mode as they refuse to use technology, still employ arcane operating practices and even still advertise in the Yellow Pages. Is it that the deathcare environment is not conducive to creativity and there is no talent for innovation? Or are we simply just stubborn and resistant to change? Not much has changed in the funeral profession and supporting industry. There are new gadgets, upgraded buildings and vehicles and such, but the basic functionality of the business remains. Funeral directors care for the dead, with a final disposition of either burial or cremation. What does it take to be innovative and creative enough to come up with new ideas? I suppose there are people among our ranks […]
November 15, 2017
Published by 
Stephanie Ramsey on November 15, 2017
Stephanie Ramsey on November 15, 2017The last year and a half presented a series of ups and downs for funeral service owners and managers dealing with employee compensation costs. The on-again, off-again saga of the revised Department of Labor (DOL) overtime rules which were supposed to be implemented on December 1st, 2016 has confused and frustrated business owners in every industry. However, the funeral industry is particularly impacted by any proposed change to the overtime rules or the reclassification of the exempt categories due to the nature of services provided. Frequently, first-calls occur outside the normal business hours of 8 AM – 5 PM, as do visitation hours. Let’s not forget the families who want to hold chapel or memorial services on weekends to accommodate more family participation. The Trump administration proposed rewriting the overtime rules in court on June 30, 2017. The U.S Department […]
October 20, 2017
Published by Dan Isard on October 20, 2017
Dan Isard on October 20, 2017Considerations to help you prepare for a family seeking discounted pricing. Dear Dan, My funeral home is on the Cape. That means I deal with Yankees every day. I don’t mean the baseball team; we love our Sox here. I’m talking about stubborn, frugal people. I get requests all the time to match my competitor’s price. How would you recommend I handle this? That Guy From Nantucket Dear That Guy, I love the Cape, having just discovered it last year. I wish I had received your letter sooner so I could have expensed my vacation. As I sat at a crab shack with some of those slimy things you guys eat, I would have said to the waitress, “Hey, Red Lobster sells these gross, gooey globs for half of what you sell them for so I would like you to […]
October 20, 2017
Published by Dan Isard on October 20, 2017
Dan Isard on October 20, 2017Price Shoppers and Payment Issues Dealing with shoppers is a matter of training, and the easiest way to make certain families have the assets at the time of death is to provide the assets for them with prefunding. Dear Dan, I run a 200-call, two-location business. I follow your column and read every article. However, I don’t think you know my market. I don’t know what happens in your market, but here in Lake Country, we get one price shopper per day. Our community has a large population of retirees and many people of limited means. Please tell me how to handle price shoppers. Signed, Mistake on the Lake Dear MOTL, Today, there are so many societal changes that impact the operations of funeral providers. You do not have to be a funeral home owner/manager in a retirement community […]
September 22, 2017
Published by Dan Isard on September 22, 2017
Dan Isard on September 22, 2017Why is it that consumers don’t revere caskets and urns like the vast majority in the funeral profession? Undoubtedly, caskets and urns are elements of a funeral. But, unless there is some form of spectacular customization, both are containers for human remains. Marketing by the big casket companies shifted focus away from services to their manufactured products, thus attempting to make caskets and urns the centerpiece of a funeral. Unfortunately, while this brilliant marketing was taking place, the price of caskets skyrocketed and prices for services stagnated. The tragedy is many professionals drank the Kool-Aid. Their own service charges lagged, thus contributing to the now-lackluster funeral home profit margin of around 7 percent. For those that do not know, there was a time I worked for a big casket company. Thus, I have firsthand knowledge regarding products, contracts, marketing and […]