May 21, 2021
Published by 
Dan Isard on May 21, 2021
Dan Isard on May 21, 2021Making sure the investment is worth the return. As a business owner, I’m sure, you feel very proud of your firm. You might even assume that everyone in your community knows about your business and watches every time you mow the grass or paint the outside. And there’s no doubt they will contact you within minutes if you raise your prices, right? The reality is that most people call on a funeral home only when there is an emergency or an imminent problem; they rarely know about price changes, painting or lawncare. In fact, despite investing your money in or inheriting your business, you might have discovered that many people come to your firm thinking Ol’ Man Jones is still in charge. Well, you chose to control your own destiny. You made the decision to be a business owner because […]
May 12, 2021
Published by 
Foresight on May 12, 2021
Foresight on May 12, 2021In what was undeniably the most transformative time in generations, The Foresight Companies conducted a study of consumers to put empirical data behind the speculative trends about how COVID-19 will impact the funeral and cemetery profession, both in the short-term and the long-term. None of us could have imagined that almost one year after debuting this groundbreaking study, we would still be faced with the challenges of the pandemic. In 2021, the consumers were still talking, and we were listening! Our follow-up 2021 Funeral and Cemetery Consumer Behavior Study not only builds upon many of the key insights that we shared in 2020, but it also delivers new and fascinating findings into the mind of the consumer as we start to move beyond the pandemic. It will also address the opportunities that lie ahead in funeral service including reinstituting consultative […]
May 10, 2021
Published by Foresight on May 10, 2021
Foresight on May 10, 2021New experiences, technologies, and changing expectations have even the oldest Americans embracing non-traditional ways of mourning Phoenix, Arizona – May 10, 2021 – As a result of the global pandemic, consumers have experienced new ways of mourning the loss of their friends and family, and that has permanently changed the way they mourn, this according to The Foresight Companies 2021 Funeral and Cemetery Consumer Behavior Study. Nearly 1/3 (32%) of survey respondents say their attitudes have changed as a result of new experiences, including using new technologies and adopting non-traditional approaches to celebration. The global pandemic has necessitated adoption of new technologies and behaviors to the highly traditional funeral and cemetery business, and the FCCBS survey, now in its second year, continues to show that consumers are re-examining even the most fundamental ways consumers mourn. This includes even those groups […]
April 22, 2021
Published by 
John McQueen on April 22, 2021
John McQueen on April 22, 2021Technology has taken the world by storm, especially in the areas of communication. Today, we have a multitude of ways in which to connect with our customers, from email to text to instant message to FaceTime and more. Yet, the number one form of customer contact is still the telephone. Although 82% of our communication is done telephonically, it is also the single largest means of communication that lacks staff training. Professional telephone etiquette can impact a positive first impression, influencing a customer’s behavior and actions toward a business. As my father always said, “you never get a second chance to make a great first impression!” If the first interaction most customers have with your firm is over the phone, should you dedicate ample time to train your team to make that impression the best one possible. According to the […]
April 21, 2021
Published by Dan Isard on April 21, 2021
Dan Isard on April 21, 2021In many states, you have combination funeral/cemetery businesses; but in some states, you do not. Many cemeteries have tried to stay in their lanes offering only interment options. Most funeral homes have stayed in their lanes, only dealing with the funeral and care of the body, without any interment options. As fewer bodies are interred and only a fraction of cremated remains are permanently inurned in a cemetery, this means cemeteries must take a different path to maintain their relevancy and their cash flow. When allowed by law, the solution could be establishing a funeral service business that focuses on direct cremation services. Semantics Is More than Just Words Semantics, from the ancient Greek, is the study of words and their meanings. Often, the words in our business and life provide a limited image of what we are trying to […]