How people choose a funeral director

The way that people choose a funeral director is changing

Imet a school friend recently who I hadn’t seen in a few years. She asked “what are you doing with yourself now?”

When I told her I was working for a funeral director her response was “I don’t know what to say to that!” However, she recovered quickly, and then the questions began. For me, this happens very regularly. I am ‘Generation X’. Born between 1965 and 1980, typical qualities include being tech-savvy and having high expectations with regard to service quality and transparency. Guilty as charged! People my age have a curiosity about the funeral business, and aren’t afraid to ask questions our parents wouldn’t have dreamed of asking. Answering these questions creates a trust which lasts long after that interaction is over.

Thanks to online video platforms and television documentaries, broad information and understanding of our services is increasing. However, when you take this down to a local level, the need to be discreet and respectful can lead to a fear of putting ourselves out there too much. Many small to medium sized funeral directors also have a second business as a regular income source, and this juggling act can leave very little time to think about how we can make our services known to our local community.

Have you ever searched online for your business or for funeral directors in your area? Google has replaced the phone book as the first place to look for a contact number. If you don’t have a Google listing, Facebook page or website, how will people find you? “Everybody knows me” isn’t necessarily true in a generation when many people don’t even know who lives next door to them. Funeral Director Solutions can show you how to ensure that your service will be suggested when a customer searches for a local funeral service provider. An online presence gives you visibility and credibility. It doesn’t have to be extravagant or complicated; you just have to be there. Marcus Sheridan, world renowned marketing expert, says “address the questions of your clients and prospects or someone else will”. Your online presence can be your hardest working and cheapest employee, working day and night on your behalf with very little effort required from you.

Once you have been found and contacted, another very easy way to provide transparency and create trust is to provide a clear indication of how much your services will cost. Breaking these down into the main categories of professional services fees, coffin cost and third party costs will let families know what they are paying for, and how much they can expect it all to cost. They can prepare themselves for how they are going to pay, and make adjustments in line with their budget and wishes. Estimate forms, coffin brochures and company brochures outlining typical third party costs are an easy way to communicate your fees. Families can take these away from their meeting with you, and make decisions based on their own situation and preferences.

Funeral Director Solutions can help you to be found online, and when you have been contacted by a customer, we can help you to communicate a clear pricing structure in a professional way. This creates an atmosphere of transparency, trust and respect. It firstly reduces customer anxieties about the cost of the funeral care and secondly the unease of the funeral director when presenting the bill. We understand your business and we understand how your customers think.

Aine Tuffy Gagarty, Client Manager, Funeral Director Solutions