funeral home cemetery crematorium
“I found your service staff very considerate and could only praise your choice of employees. They showed compassion and understanding and comfort and made everything much more easy to bear�
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ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS Chairman’s Report
4
CEO’s Report
5
Trustees and Governance
10
Management and HR Reports
12
•
Funeral Home
12
•
Customer Service
12
•
Site Operations
13
•
Finance and Administration
13
•
Marketing 14
•
Human Resource Management
14
ESMP Organisational Structure
18
ESMP Map
19
ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
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CHAIRMAN’S REPORT The Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park (ESMP) is a financially independent, publicly-owned entity which is administered by a Board of Trustees with the responsibility of ensuring that the Park meets the diverse and changing needs of the community we serve. As Chairman and on behalf of the Board of Trustees, management and staff, I can report that the successful implementation of ESMP’s ongoing strategic planning process is delivering excellent results as the benefits of our most recent strategic investments are starting to be realised with more to follow. The funeral home and condolence centres have completed their first full year of operation, providing families with the convenience of ESMP’s professionally managed services, taking care of all of their funereal, cemetery, cremation, memorialisation and related needs, all in the one location. The opening of Stage 1 of the new Crypts and Vaults section has created pre-sale revenue streams and more sales opportunities throughout 2011-12. The second stage of this development will be commencing shortly in additional to another important strategic investment, being the development of the Asian Gardens which is well into the planning stages. The ongoing planning and review of these and other strategic projects, including particularly, the seeking of additional burial land, have been significant items on the Board’s agenda this year. I am indebted to the professional contributions of each Trustee member, with special mention to Deputy Chairman, Russell McLay and comittee chairmen Stelios Coudounaris and Rod Neville. It is with sadness that I record the recent passing of Ron Greenstein, a long-serving Trustee who joined the Trust in 1986. Ron passed away in May after a short illness. Our condolences have been extended to Mrs Therese Greenstein and their son Dr James Greenstein and family. The Trustees and I have been grateful for his long service to the continued development and improvement of the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, a tradition we intend to carry on for the benefit of our communities. I once again acknowledge the exceptional work of our CEO, Mr George Passas, and his entire staff and the professionalism in which ESMP is managed and operated. Their commitment, dedication and combined expertise, I am proud to say, provides our community with an excellent service. In summary, we have enjoyed a successful year with new, innovative and strategically important projects either in planning stages or being implemented for the benefit of current and future generations. ESMP is focussed on being a leader in the funereal industry, striving for excellence and continuous improvement and I am confident that we have the people, infrastructure, processes and strategies to achieve this goal.
John Douglas Morrison OAM JP
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ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
“ESMP is focussed on being a leader in the funereal industry, striving for excellence and continuous improvement”.
CEO’S REPORT I am pleased to report that 2010-11 has been another highly successful year for ESMP. Once again, ESMP has continued to work with community groups to plan, develop and introduce new products and services that are aligned to the cultural and religious needs of our diverse society. This has included the opening of our new Crypts and Vaults section which incorporates many innovative designs, materials and features. The adjoining Glade area has been redeveloped to offer families a beautiful new section in which to memorialise within close proximity to our magnificent rose gardens and crematorium. The creation of our Asian Garden area is a very exciting project and is currently well into the design and planning stages. We are consulting with many sections of our Asian community to ensure that it will provide a unique burial and memorialisation offering that is sensitive to the religious and cultural needs of this important group within our community. The Board of Trustees of ESMP have maintained their commitment to corporate governance and to the highest standards of behaviour, professionalism and the practices necessary to maintain the confidence in ESMP’s integrity and position within the community it serves.
Opening of Stage 1 of the new Crypts and Vaults Stage 1 of the new crypts and vaults section is now completed making available 320 additional crypt spaces and two family vaults, each with space for 12 interments. They have been progressively sold from the plan since 2008 and have proven popular with families within our community who prefer the above-ground interment option. The contemporary design offers a stylish and dignified ambience set within beautifully landscaped paving and planting, offering families, friends and visitors a serene and artistically finished burial area of great beauty. They have been built on solid rock foundations and are made of high quality concrete with polished granite panels in different colours. Custom designed Vigil lights are being fitted, made of polished cast bronze and fine sand-blasted cast glass. The vases are being manufactured from deep-drawn alloy, designed to symbolise flowers, the regeneration of life, and the burning of an eternal flame. The design incorporates the Stations of the Cross which are being cast in bronze for the additional spiritual enjoyment of families.
ESMP has continued to pursue additional interment space for the community as we are rapidly running out at current interment rates. Throughout the year we have followed-up on the proposal we have lodged with the Department of Lands to be assigned a portion of the adjoining Crown Lands, currently used as market gardens, under permissive occupancy. We have been diligent in our efforts to achieve this outcome, especially with the change of Government in March this year. We anticipate that, following support of our detailed proposal, we can work with both the Department and Randwick City Council on this much-awaited project to the benefit of the community.
Asian Memorial Gardens Planning and Development ESMP’s Asian Garden development is proceeding on schedule with advice and input from the Asian community throughout Sydney. Argo Projects Pty Ltd have been appointed to refine and detail the concept design, including the temples, water features and represented Gods/Buddhas in consultation with community leaders. Argo’s Group Managing Director and Principal Architect, Will Marcus, who is in charge of the project, is a Feng Shui Master with many years of experience in designing and building cemeteries and memorial parks for the Asian community, both in Australia and overseas. The amended concept plan will be shortly lodged with Council for approval and the construction of the first stage of the project is expected to commence prior to January 2012.
Redesign of the Glade Section The redesign of the Glade section provides families with memorialisation options amongst new garden beds and plantings in harmony with the stylish crypts and vaults complex in the background. The Glade caters for all denominations within our community and provides an open and inviting area with convenient proximity to the main car park and crematorium office.
ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
5
Financial Highlights The 2010-11 trading results demonstrate improved revenue from growth in all facets of the business. Increased development costs reduced the overall surplus from the prior year’s achievement, however this was within budget expectations and strengthens the Park’s future revenue potential. 2010/11 $000’s
2009/10 $000’s
Change %
Cemetery
6,095
5,296
15.1
Crematorium
2,835
2,761
2.7
747
170
339.4
Total
9,677
8,227
17.6%
Operating Expenses
8,493
6,750
25.8%
Operating Surplus
1,184
1,477
-19.8%
Revenue from Investments
545
358
52.2%
Overall Surplus
884
1,277
-30.8%
ESMP Profit and Loss
Revenue from Operations
Funeral Home *
* Commenced operations in November 2009.
ESMP Major Operating Expenses 2010-11 Product 13% Employment 35%
Operating 8%
Development 7%
Administration 20% Maintenance 17%
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ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
Financial Reserves ESMP’s Retained Infrastructure Reserves have underpinned the ongoing investment in strategic projects that are prioritised to meet the current and future needs of the Eastern Suburbs and surrounding community.
ESMP Retained Infrastructure Reserves 2001-11 $12,000,000
$10,000,00
$8,000,000
$6,000,000
$4,000,000
$2,000,000
$2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2002-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
ESMP’s Capital Expenditures are prioritised, allocated and budgeted in accordance with the future projects outlined in the ESMP Strategic Plan. The most significant planned expenditure throughout 2011-12 will be the Asian Garden development which is expected to commence this calendar year.
ESMP Accumulated Capital Expenditures 2001-11 $20,000,000
$18,000,000
$16,000,000
$14,000,000
$12,000,000
$10,000,000
$8,000,000
$6,000,000
$4,000,000
$2,000,000
$2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2002-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
7
ESMP Products & Services
Meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse society requires innovation and foresight. To this end, we are committing to progressively expanding ESMP’s array of services, respecting cultural diversity, providing convenience and professionalism.
Funeral Home
The visitation program promoting the Funeral Home directly to community groups, referral networks and stakeholders and the ongoing community education and awareness campaigns have been very successful in supporting the growth of this new community service. The convenience of our professional on-site funeral home and adjoining secular chapel are recognised as a significant benefit by many families throughout our community. Arranging a funeral service is a difficult time for most people and our excellent funeral home service is being appreciated by many families who are sending us their letters of gratitude and appreciation. Throughout the year, our highly skilled and experienced funeral home consultants have assisted 260 families and I am anticipating that the funeral service will continue to grow as our awareness and reputation is further strengthened throughout the community. The Questions and Answers community program in the local press continues to generate many excellent questions and serves to educate our community on the many issues associated with funerals and after-funeral care.
Crematorium and Cemetery
Throughout the year we have invested in new equipment and services at the crematorium’s chapels to provide families and funeral directors with a professional service that incorporates the latest technologies in AV and digital equipment. Our complimentary DVD recordings and the appointment of an on-site Chapel Concierge have been well received by families throughout the year. While cremations are the preferred choice of the majority of families, burials are, and will continue to be, required by significant numbers of people throughout our community for cultural and religious reasons. This remains a pressing concern for ESMP as we continue our commitment to secure additional land to meet the future burial requirements of our diverse and growing society.
ESMP Burials & Cremations 2010-11 (63.5% cremations and 36.5% Burials)
Burials 661 Cremations 1,152
Memorialisation
Memorialisation has continued to increase and exceeded the budget by 11% this year. This excellent outcome has been achieved with: • Ongoing training and commitment of our dedicated customer service team • ESMP’s successful investment in new memorialisation products • Implementation of our product and pricing portfolio strategy The following chart shows the proportion of cremations that memorialise at ESMP.
Memorial Centre
Patronage of the café, florist and condolence centre at our Memorial Centre has steadily increased throughout the year. The centre has been successfully managed by Pelema Retail Pty Ltd who is a valued and experienced partner of ESMP. Families of all cultural and religious backgrounds can utilise the centre’s professional catering services and visitors can relax and enjoy the indoor and outdoor café facilities.
ESMP Cremations 2010-11 (51.6% not memorialised and 48.4% memorialised)
Memorialised 557
Not Memorialised 595
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ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
Acknowledgements I acknowledge the efforts of, and sincerely thank, my Chairman John Morrison, my Deputy Chairman Russell McLay and the Board for their direction and ongoing and unfettered support of both myself, my management team and staff. I am very fortunate to have a progressive, diverse and community-driven Board to support the implementation of ESMP’s Strategic Plan. I commend the excellent dedication and contributions of my managers, Gavin Mulgrew, Customer Service, John Vogel, Funeral Home, Tony Brown, Operations and John Cottee (of Step Ahead Business Solutions), Finance and Administration, together with their respective supervisors, throughout the year. My sincere thanks also goes to all ESMP staff members and to the many other supporters of ESMP’s business who have provided professional assistance throughout: Peter Kaye (of Consultgroup), human resources, Kevin Chester and Robert Eyles (of Grey Matters Pty Ltd), Phoenix customer service system, Discovery Technology Pty Ltd, information systems, Hugh Williams (of Marketstrat Business Advisors Pty Ltd), marketing and Alexander Bailey (of Living Experience), OH&S compliance and hazard identification. It is truly a collective of enthusiastic and knowledgeable people who are results-driven. Of course, at all times, I am superbly supported by my Executive Assistant, Tammy Templeman, who ensures that my office and its dealings with the Board and our stakeholders is able to function smoothly in order to fulfil ESMP’s diverse agenda. In conclusion, ESMP has had another highly successful and strategically fulfilling year. Rest assured we won’t be slackening off in our efforts to bring further exciting products and services to our customers, particularly the new Asian Gardens. I look forward to reporting on this, and other projects, in the near future. I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank all of our customers, families and funeral directors alike, who contributed to our success. We welcome and appreciate, your continued feedback and custom.
George H. Passas FAICD FCIS FCPA Chief Executive Officer
ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
9
TRUSTEES AND GOVERNANCE The current Board has completed the second year of their 5 year reappointment. The role of the Trustees and employment within the Trusts carries with it a particular obligation to the public interest, requiring standards of professional behaviour that promote and maintain public confidence in the management of the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park. All Trustees and employees carry the responsibility of implementing the policies and decisions of the Botany Cemetery and Eastern Suburbs Crematorium Trusts in an impartial manner and comply with any relevant legislative, industrial and administrative requirements. The Board comprises seven Trustees, each appointed by the NSW State Cabinet following nominations by The Hon. Minister responsible for Crown Lands. The term of the appointments is for five years. The Chairman and Committee Chairman are elected by the full Board each year at ESMP’s Annual General Meeting. Ideally, the Board Chairman cannot also be Chairman of a Committee. The Board is responsible for reviewing and approving the strategic direction of ESMP and for overseeing and monitoring its business performance and affairs, including the maintenance of sound corporate governance. The Chairman is responsible for guiding the Board, ensuring that its activities are organised and conducted efficiently, and for making certain that the Trustees are properly briefed for meetings.
An Annual Report of the financial performance of ESMP is forwarded by the Board to the relevant overseeing government department, currently the Crown Lands Division of the Department of Primary Industry and to all other stakeholders. The Board is maintaining its ongoing commitments to professional development and keeping abreast with contemporary governance practices. A register of Pecuniary Interests and/or Conflicts of Interest is kept and is available at all Board meetings. Potential conflicts are reported to the Board and, if deemed necessary, Trustees will be excluded from discussion of the relevant matter and will not vote on the matter. The Board has established a Code of Conduct which applies to all Trustees and employees. Its charter reflects the highest standards of behaviour, professionalism and the practices necessary to maintain the confidence in ESMP’s integrity and position within the community it serves. The Trustees are committed to maintaining this model in moving forward with the ongoing stewardship of the Park’s facilities. They work collectively to provide the CEO and his management team with the means by which to implement the strategy outlined in the ESMP Strategic Plan.
The Board has established a very sound and effective governance model with the following features: • Five year Strategic Plan supported with an annual business plan and operational budget. • Defined set of organisation values with identified verifiable indicators. • Community and stakeholder reporting and consultation on major works and projects. • Governance policies and governance manual, with 42 policy areas identified and 21 finalised thus far. • Board remuneration and expenses policy being applied with a high level of objectivity and transparency. • An annual performance assessment (both Board and CEO), using a comprehensive set of criteria and being independently assessed and reported. • A risk management framework customised to ESMP’s operations and risk management and crisis management policies introduced and implemented. • Director’s education and professional development policy • Succession policy and renewal policy being implemented via the management-business continuity plan. • The procurement, maintenance and use of Trust resources. Whilst the Board reviews approved business plans and monitors available resources, major capital expenditures and corporate initiatives, the day-to-day management of ESMP’s affairs, and the implementation of the strategic plan and policy initiatives is formally delegated by the Board to the CEO and, in turn, to senior executives. In monitoring the financial performance of ESMP, the Board reviews and approves both the half-yearly and annual financial reports. The policy of the Board and Finance and Audit Committee is to appoint an external auditor who demonstrates professionalism and an understanding of ESMP’s operations and independence.
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ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
“Very impressed with the improvements made over the last 2 years”
John Morrison
Russell McLay
Rod Neville
Ron Greenstein
Elizabeth Fitzsimmons
Jack Walker
Stelios Coudounaris
Meetings Attended During the Year Board
Planning & Works Committee
Finance & Audit Committee
Leave of Absence
John Morrison OAM JP
11 of 11
3 of 3
3 of 3
-
Russell McLay BComm
10 of 11
-
2 of 3
-
Rod Neville
6 of 11
-
1 of 3
4
Stelios Coudounaris
10 of 11
3 of 3
-
1
Elizabeth Fitzsimmons
7 of 11
1 of 3
-
2
Ron Greenstein PhC*
8 of 11
-
2 of 3
-
Jack Walker JP
11 of 11
3 of 3
-
-
George Passas FAICD FCIS FCPA
10 of 11
3 of 3
3 of 3
1
Trustee/Director
Chairman
Deputy Chairman
Chair, Finance and Audit Committee
Chair, Planning and Works Committee
Secretary and CEO
*Deceased May 2011. Replacement not appointed as at 30th June 2011.
ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
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FUNERAL HOME
CUSTOMER SERVICE
JP Manager, Funeral Home
John Vogel
Gavin Mulgrew
With the completion of the first full year of operation, I am pleased to report we have provided service to 260 families, of which, 170 were funerals and the remaining 90 were pre-paid and pre-arranged funerals.
2010-11 has been another very successful year for the Customer Service team, highlighted with cremation memorialisation sales 11% above budget, almost 60% of the new crypts and vaults section presold and being ahead of budget in most other revenue categories. This success is attributable to the excellent teamwork and commitment of all staff and the introduction of new products and services.
2010-2011 has been a year of developing trust, brand awareness and relationships with clergy, aged care facilities, welfare groups, hospitals, professionals and the community in general. It is testimony that we are a part of the community and with our transparency we are able to provide the most important thing in a relationship, and that is trust. Many families have commented how comfortable it is to know that there are no hidden fees or other charges. Families particularly like our openness in including the price of items such as coffins which removes the awkward unease of ‘I like it, but can I afford it?”. In keeping with our community education and awareness campaign, I have extended the informative questions and answers segment in the local Southern Courier and Wentworth Courier. This successful community service has dispelled the myths and has presented families with topical and relevant information to help with the decisions and difficulties faced when a death occurs. This material is also available on our website www.esmp.net.au. With such a diverse community we are privileged to have been able to assist so many different religions and cultures. To name a few we were able to service Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Buddhist and Mahikari families. With the planned opening of the Asian Gardens section next year, we are currently exploring opportunities to work with Asian communities to ensure that we can provide a service that fully meets the requirements of their respective religious and cultural traditions. The success of our services and the strength of our relationships within our community is progressively building our awareness and community networks which, in turn, is generating increased referrals, repeats and walk-ins. Acknowledgement of this success has been the many warm and appreciative letters we receive from families, commending our funeral consultants for their caring and personal service. The frequency and sincerity of these letters are a great boost to the team, rewarding them for their attention to detail and their genuine commitment to providing each family with the support they need in this very difficult time. I would like to acknowledge the professional dedication of my team and thank them for their commitment to providing families with the best possible service. Throughout the year we have implemented ongoing professional development and training covering pre-paid funerals, fund management, mortuary skills, bariatric care, grief and bereavement. We have provided the community with the services of our professional and caring funeral staff in Fabienne Rovida and Shannon Cullen who bring almost 30 years’ experience to the team.
Manager, Customer Service
Throughout the year, I have continued to work closely with each member of my team, providing one-on-one training/guidance and support using a consultative approach, respecting their individual styles to attain our shared goal of achieving the best outcome for each family. We have introduced an open-plan layout in our administration office area which has led to better communication and greater teamwork. The new uniform styles are very popular amongst the team, creating a sense of pride and professionalism. Our increased sales in cremation memorialisation have been achieved by introducing a more personalised service to families. Each family is invited to take a full guided tour of the whole gardens with one of our Customer Service Officers. This typically takes an hour and a half to complete and provides the families with the opportunity to make an informed and considered decision with the help of my trained and experienced staff. Most families tend to select a memorial on the day of their visit and my team are trained to follow-up with those who have not made a decision at an appropriate time. I have also worked closely with Tony Brown, Manager Site Operations, to jointly put in place a very effective working relationship between our respective teams. This has proved to be particularly beneficial in organising site inspections prior to a burial and thereby achieving smoother preparation and coordination of each service. We have expanded the services we provide to families and funeral directors at the crematorium chapels. The most important of which, has been the appointment of Fiona Stace to the position of Concierge. She has been able to provide assistance to families and funeral directors alike with the setting-up and running of services at both chapels. This includes operating and displaying of DVD’s and Power Point presentations and similar material and attending to the needs of families and friends attending the services. In recent months, we have been upgrading our audio visual software and equipment at the chapels. This has improved the quality of the service and we can now provide families with a personalised DVD recording of the service. These are presented in a beautifully designed cover with the name of the family’s loved-one printed on the DVD. The Customer Service team has had a very successful year with the presales of the new crypts and vaults with 109 of the 189 places already sold. This represents 69% of the double crypts and 36% of the singles with only 40 doubles, 37 singles and 2 twelve-person vaults still available. The design, quality and presentation of these fully furnished crypts and vaults have been very popular amongst interested families. We have commenced our research and increased engagement with the Asian community in preparation for the construction and opening of the new Asian Garden section in 2012. We are looking forward to including this exciting new range of products and services in our offering which we will start presenting throughout the next 12 months. In conclusion, I would like to acknowledge the excellent teamwork, initiative and professionalism of the Customer Service team and thank each of them for their willingness to “go the extra mile” in providing families and visitors with helpful assistance and support.
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ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
SITE OPERATIONS Tony Brown
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION John Cottee,
Manager, Site Operations
B.Bus CPA Manager, Finance and Administration
In 2010-11, we continued with our program of progressively refurbishing many sections of the Cemetery and Crematorium grounds. This is providing families and visitors with easier access, more seating, greater safety, more options in which to memorialise, and new facilities to enjoy when they visit the Park.
The financial highlight for ESMP this year has been the increased revenues derived from the increase in Crematorium Memorialisations and the consistent growth of the Funeral Services Division. With the Cemetery volumes being maintained, overall revenues increased by 17.6%.
In October/November 2010, we restructured the garden maintenance section by bringing this in-house. We employed a supervisor and 5 gardeners to take over the work and I am very pleased to report that this has been an excellent decision on a number of levels. Most importantly: • The presentation of the gardens has been vastly improved. • A very effective working relationship has been established with the Customer Service team. • We have been successful in implementing a more successful memorialisation strategy by stripping-out old trees and shrubs and replacing them with plantings that are much more suited to memorialisation. Other significant project initiatives that were completed in the year include: • Refurbishing the Glade memorial garden area, creating over 2,000 new memorial placement positions. This was achieved by extending and replanting the existing gardens and constructing 4 new general gardens and 9 new family gardens. • Completing the building of Stage 1 of the crypts and vaults section with 480 crypts and 6 vaults. • Replacing paths throughout the old sections of cemetery, thereby improving of over 5 kilometres of pathways. • Enlarging additional niche wall cavities to fit the new larger urns. • Implementing third interments into a grave, a program that has been accepted by families. • Training all ground staff in OH&S, confined spaces, first aid, excavator, front-end loader and fork lift operation.
Annual expenditure rose 25.8%, reflecting the higher volume of business being sourced through the Funeral Services Division and an increased emphasis on grounds development and maintenance. The resultant surplus was above budget projections and has further strengthened the financial stability of the Park. Completion of the first stage of the Crypts and Vaults complex will provide further revenue potential for the Park throughout 2011-12 and beyond. The planned establishment of the Asian Memorial Gardens in 2011-12 will significantly boost the product capacity of the Park. The growth in infrastructure reserves enabled an increased allocation to meet future maintenance requirements while providing sufficient resources for the immediate developments planned for the Park. The result is a reflection of the strong budgeting and planning controls and streamlined administrative systems employed by ESMP. The energy and commitment to excellence of Karen Messenger (Senior Finance & Administration Officer) is greatly appreciated and has significantly contributed to our administrative efficiencies. We look forward to another successful year for ESMP.
Other planned development programs that are scheduled for completion in 2011 are: • Completing the Asian burial and memorial section. • Commencing Stage 2 of the Crypts and Vaults. In conclusion, I would like to thank and commend the excellent work of all my team leaders and staff and I am particularly pleased with the way in which our 6 new gardeners have become such an accepted and effective part of the team.
ESMP’s revenues increased by 17.6%
ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
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MARKETING
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Hugh Williams
BComm MBA Director, Marketstrat Business Advisors Pty Ltd
Peter Kaye
Throughout 2010-11, the focus has been to promote the funeral home and the rebranding of the Park’s profile across all communication platforms. This has proved to be highly successful in attracting significant increases in enquiries, revenues and activity resulting in: • Continued growth in Funeral Home enquiries and revenues. • Increased memorialisation throughout the Park, exceeding budget targets. • Greater participation at ESMP’s Open Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas Services.
A day in the life of ESMP’s grounds and gardening staff …. 6.30 am gardening staff and at 7.30am grounds start their day. Attending to our 230,000 graves, 157 hectares of grounds, presentation gardens, 110,000 memorials, 54km of paths and 4km of roads and 6 main buildings.
These outcomes have been achieved by updating and/or rebranding the content, layout and presentation of ESMP’s communication resources to a uniform and professional standard. This has included: • Designing and producing a fully indexed colour ESMP Park map. This incorporates all of ESMP’s branding and makes it easier for visitors to navigate their way throughout the Park and find a particular grave or memorial section. It also shows the new buildings, Park features and services that are now provided to the community, including the funeral home, café, florist and condolence centre. • Creating new formats for the Memorialisation and Park brochures, promoting the features, services and sections of the Park with colourful visual images. • Branding the packaging and labelling of the DVD’s used to record services held in the Crematorium chapels. These are given to families as a complimentary service. • Producing the ESMP Park Video which is linked to the Web site on YouTube. The cost of producing the material was included in the Sensis On-Line advertising package. • Creating new artwork for signage used to promote ESMP events throughout the year. • Progressively refining the Funeral Home branding to create a unique positioning, promoting the range, convenience and professionalism of the services in a very competitive market. Throughout the year, the ESMP web site has been promoted with targeted Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Pay-PerClick (PPC) campaigns with comprehensive monthly reporting and analysis. This campaign has been supported with limited Yellow Pages advertising, targeting the local community. Ongoing newspaper advertising and advertorials in community media have continued to build awareness. The highly successful Q & A community information program featured in the Wentworth and Southern Couriers promotes ESMP’s expertise and generates community goodwill. ESMP’s profile has also been expanded with sponsorship of local events such as the 2010-11 Randwick City Business Excellence Awards, St Spyridon Charity Golf Day and membership of the Maroubra Chamber of Commerce.
Principal, Consultgroup
On this day, there will be 7 chapel services, 9 cremations and 4 burials to schedule. The team are experienced and they are quick to take on board the work allocation for the day. “We get to work in the outdoors. It’s peaceful and we have beautiful gardens and a caring organisation. It can’t get any better than that!” (ESMP Gardens team member). Our 14 grounds and 6 gardens team are highly trained with 3 specialist gardeners, 14 skilled at preparing for and attending burials, 6 staff are able to manage the crematorium operations and everyone is able to mow, drive, weed, mulch, clean and attend to minor repairs. “We know that what we do makes a sad occasion a bit nicer to cope with”. During the day the team will work closely with, or alongside, funeral directors, including ESMP’s Funeral Home and Customer Service teams, stonemasons, visiting families, builders working on the crypts or the new Asian Memorial Gardens and over 35 regular contractors such as cleaners, plumbers, electricians and suppliers. “A nice group of people to work with, from the CEO to the Receptionist. Everything here is done professionally and responsibly”. This one day comes to a close at 4.00pm but builds into a year where the team quietly go about preparing 1,200 graves, 300 memorials, plant 18,000 flowers and shrubs and mow the equivalent of 130 hectares. Our team of 22 ground staff employees are proud of their work. Our staff have 10 remuneration increments that they can earn by increasing their competence and demonstrating increased ability to work with autonomy as well as in a team. We continue to use ongoing feedback from customers and visitors, the Mystery Shopper service monitoring and feedback from suppliers. This provides objective input to challenge us to continually improve our level of customer service through training, systems improvements and product features. “A great place for getting new skills and improving your career!” Located on the coast our Park provides open space and is used for passive recreation by the local community. With this in mind, we ensure a pleasant and safe environment is maintained for both customers and local visitors. “I like working at ESMP as we are good at helping families and giving back to the community”. Our Collective Agreement for Grounds and Gardening staff was revised and successfully completed and registered. The constructive and positive contribution from the staff covered by this Agreement was tremendous. “Supportive and flexible workplace…very family friendly”. The annual performance appraisal and subsequent training plan were again successfully completed with very strong performances being recorded by nearly all staff and no one being evaluated as low performers. “ESMP looks after all staff and are good at communicating with us”.
“I like working at ESMP as we are good at helping families and giving back to the community”.
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ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
In 2011, there were 8 reports on minor injuries not requiring any recuperation or leave. There were 3 staff injuries where time off was required for 30 days and 1visitor injury that required ongoing medical attention. OH&S induction, ongoing OH&S training, safe practice training and ongoing external review of work practices, all contribute to maintaining a safe work environment.
ESMP’s management and organisation structure includes the engagement of specialist personnel on a contract basis. This enables ESMP Board and Management to make cost effective use of highly skilled specialists in the fields of Financial Management, HR Management, Governance, Marketing and Information Technology.
2010/11
(FTE)
2009/10
Female
Male
Total
-
4
4
5
6.6
0.6
7.2
5
Funeral Home
1
1
2
2
Grounds & Gardening
-
22.9
22.9
17
1.7
-
1.7
1.6
Regular Casuals
-
7
7
3.4
Injuries Reported
-
5
5
1
Staff Resigning/ Retiring
1
4
5
2
Staff CEO & Management Customer Service
Administration
(FTE)
“Supportive and flexible workplace…very family friendly”
ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
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Tony Brown
Gavin Mulgrew
John Vogel
Tammy Templeman
John Cottee
Karen Messenger
Fabienne Burns
Megan Reisenleiter (Senior CSO)
Lorraine Aitken
Jasmyne Brown
Raylene Engert
Toni Hamlin
Connie Pandelis
Fiona Stace
Our people are our greatest asset.
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ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
Shannon Cullen
Darren Williams (Supervisor)
Emerico Kreisz (Leading Hand)
Jeff Damke (Leading Hand)
Ben Slater (Leading Hand)
Daniel Alder
Wally Conforto
Nicholas Conti
Barry Cooley
Steve Edwards
John Gallulo
Paul Larssen
Peter Larssen
Craig Simmons
Patrick Slater
Larry Smith
Michael Smith
Stan Smith
Allan Toomey
Grounds Staff
Garden Staff
David Halliday (Supervisor)
Allan Wrigley (Leading Hand)
Jeremy Jennings
Jason Malos
Dale Atkinson
Aaron Bradshaw
ESMP 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT
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Grounds Staff Gardens Aaron Bradshaw
Grounds Staff Gardens Jeremy Jennings
Asian Gardens Staff Future position
Asian Gardens Staff Future position
Grounds Staff Patrick Slater
Grounds Staff Larry Smith
Grounds Staff Michael Smith
Grounds Staff Stan Smith
Grounds Staff Allan Toomey
Grounds Staff Wally Conforto
Grounds Staff Nicholas Conti
Grounds Staff Barry Cooley
Grounds Staff Steve Edwards
Grounds Staff, Crem John Gallulo
Permits Officer # Paul Larssen
Grounds Staff Garden Dale Atkinson
Grounds Staff Craig Simmons
Grounds Staff Daniel Alder
Grounds Staff Gardens Jason Malos
Leading Hand Gardens Allan Wrigley
Supervisor, Gardens David Halliday
Leading Hand Jeff Damke
Leading Hand Ben Slater
Chief Executive Officer George Passas
Trustees/Board of Directors
Funeral Consultant Shannon Cullen
Customer Service Officer Jasmyne Brown
Peter Larssen
Records & Grounds Officer
Chapel Concierge Fiona Stace
CSO-Reception Connie Pandelis
Customer Service Officer Toni Hamlin #
Customer Service Officer Raylene Engert
Senior Consultant Fabienne Burns
Team Leader, FH (vacant)
Manager, Funeral Home John Vogel
# Part Time role
Phoenix Database Management Grey Matter Solutions
Information Technology Discovery Technology Pty Ltd
Finance & Admin Officer Vacant
Karen Messenger #
Strategic Marketing Marketstrat
Human Resource Management Consultgroup
Snr Finance & Admin Officer
Manager, Finance and Admin John Cottee
Executive Assistant Tammy Templeman
Customer Service Officer Lorraine Aitken
Senior CSO Megan Reisenleiter
Manager, Customer Services Gavin Mulgrew
Leading Hand Emerico Kreisz
Supervisor Darren Williams
Manager, Site Operations Tony Brown
Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park Organisation Structure
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ADMINISTRATION OFFICE FUNERAL HOME CONDOLENCE CENTRE CAFÉ AND FLORIST CREMATORIUM
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Administered by: The Botany Cemetery & Eastern Suburbs Crematorium Trusts
Member of: Cemeteries & Crematoria Association of NSW Australasian Cemeteries & Crematoria Association Australian Funeral Directors Association 12 Military Road, Matraville NSW 2036 P | (02) 9661 5655 F | (02) 9311 3654 www.esmp.net.au
e | enquiries@esmp.net.au