Funeral Consumer Survey

Yesterday
The Egyptians were sun-worshippers. Osiris was their god of the underworld and judge of the dead. They attributed a divine origin to the soul, and believed that throughout life one was engaged in a struggle with good and evil. Osiris was the final judge who rewarded the de-serving with eternal happiness, and doomed the condemned to eternal misery. Central to the Egyptian concept of life after death was the belief of resuscitation of the body. Although at death, the various elements of the dead person were thought to depart, it was believed that they could be brought together again through a series of ritualistic actions. The body itself was therefore to be preserved in natural form incorrupt and entire. To this end, the art of embalming was employed and reached an amazing state of perfection. Greek and Roman burial customs and practices are also discussed and their influence upon modern usage’s evaluated. The Roman libitanarius is called “the direct ancestor not only of the undertaker, but of the funeral director as well.” He provided embalming, supplied and hired mourners, mourning costumes, and arranged services to ease the grief of the bereaved.

The dawn of Christianity projected a new influence upon funeral behaviour. Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate to turn over the body of Jesus to him so he could arrange for the burial of Jesus. Pilate granted Joseph’s wish. Part of the preparation for burial was the provision by Nicodemus of more than 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes. The two men took Jesus’s body and wrapped it in linen cloth with the spices, which was a Jewish custom for preparing the body for burial. Jesus’ body was laid in a new tomb, which had been hewn into the rocks. Joseph of Arimathea today is referred to as the patron saint of funeral directors. Early Christian, Hebrew and Scandinavian burial practices included the funeral procession, the wake and the practice of cremation. At first, these were carried out by relatives of the deceased under direction of the clergy, and were marked by simplicity. Later the rites became more elaborate and costly. After the fourth century, the church assumed control and organised the pattern of burial ceremonies. During the Middle Ages, the shroud in England changed from linen to wool, and the sexton emerged. He is described as an under officer of the church responsible for the care of church property, the ringing of bells and, frequently, the digging of graves. However, until the

Consumers yesterday & today
Early Renaissance, the tasks of funeral directing were absorbed by the officials of the church. Not much embalming was carried on during this period; however, what was done was taken over by the surgeon and anatomist as a secondary function. Their main object was to remove those parts of the body subject to rapid decay in order to retard decomposition. In the 16th century, coffin burial came into vogue among the upper classes. Before this it was customary to bury the dead, wrapped only in winding sheets. Stone coffins were the first to be used. These were cut from a solid block, tapering from the upper end, with a hole in the bottom for drainage of the fluids of decomposition. In 1600, rising standards of living in England put coffins within the reach of all classes. Members of the labouring classes, who could not afford the cost of funerals, formed burial clubs and contributed regular dues to a common fund. The activities sponsored by these clubs created odd occupations. There was one functionary who did nothing but invite people to funerals by rapping on the doors of their homes with the key to the house of the departed. Another, the bellringer, marched through the streets, calling out the names of the persons upon the first anniversaries of their deaths and requesting prayers for them.

It is significant that by the middle of the 17th century the barber surgeons of London were going to law in an effort to defend their exclusive rights to embalm. Limited, modern funeral directing was born in America during the 19th century. It was developed from specific funeral tasks previously carried out mostly by other occupations. These included tradesmen undertakers, who were in some way involved with the dead in connection with other lines of business. Furniture and cabinet makers, upholsterers and livery stable operators were some of the most common types of “tradesmen undertakers.” The first half of the century saw all the basic funeral service functions being gathered and organized under a conventionally recognized name, the “undertaker.” The clergy played an important role in the occupation, because he supplied the funeral sacred ritual and gave spiritual comfort to the bereaved.

In the 1870s, undertakers began the practice of embalming the bodies for those they were asked to conducted services. The embalming was still done in the homes. In the early 1870s, the first true sheet metal casket was unveiled by Crane, Breed & Co. The body was of sheet metal made over iron flanges at bottom and top. In the process of shedding weight, the lighter sheet metal For Funeral Homes gradually came to replace the heavier For Funeral Homes of cast iron. Also in the early 1870s, wooden coffins were built permitting cement to be poured around them forming a vault. The first cremation society in America was founded in New York in 1874. Baron Joseph Henry Louis Charles De Palm became the first person cremated in America on Dec. 6, 1876, at the facility owned by an eccentric medical doctor from Washington, Pa., named Julius LeMoyne. Refrigeration in corpse preservation attained popularity between 1830 and 1870. In the meantime, experiments in the production of embalming fluids were being carried out by physicians, anatomists and chemists. By 1890, numerous embalming fluid companies had entered the commercial field. In the 1880s, funeral homes started to appear in America. The undertakers of the day performed this duty as a sideline with some other business. Most funerals and visitations were conducted in the home although some funerals were held in churches.

Matthews’ Consumer Cremation Research: Some Unexpected Answers
Editor’s Note: Beginning in 2003, Matthew's Cremation Division (MCD) conducted an intensive consumer research study on all aspects of cremation. The study focused on six major topics:

• Arranging a Cremation
• Gatherings & Services
• Cremation Merchandise
• Final Disposition
• Crematories
• Pet Loss Services

This article is the first in a series. Future articles will look at each of the remaining topics.
BY STEVEN SCHAAL

When Matthew's Cremation Division looked at the process of arranging a cremation, we learned that there are really three major “buying decisions” involved. The first is the family’s choice of cremation itself. The next is the selection of a provider. Finally, there is the choice of TODAY which products and services will be used. All three decisions have a profound impact on our business, so we looked at each one in detail.

The Path of Least Resistance
As we talked about the reasons for choosing cremation, the responses we received varied dramatically from “a loved one’s wishes” and “family tradition” to “financial necessity.” What surprised us during the discussion was the idea that cremation represented “The path of least resistance.” The choice of cremation offered no real estate to buy no monument to choose and no sales pitch to endure. Our consumers described it as a one-step/one-stop transaction that keeps pace with modern life. Through the eyes of the cremation advocate, cremation represents the following attractions:

• The fewest major decisions
• No planning ahead
• Simplicity
• The luxury of time

The luxury of time was an important benefit because it removes the possibility of making a hasty decision. Coping with the emotional loss of a family member was challenging enough without the race for meeting a deadline. The luxury of time provides family and friends the opportunity to rearrange their schedules and control the cost associated with immediate travel. Especially in today’s society where families are scattered across the country, having time to prepare is an attractive feature that if properly positioned, can be a real asset for funeral homes to conduct services… just later.

Resenting A Loved-one’s Wishes
We also learned that many of our consumers weren’t happy when they were forced to follow a loved-one’s wishes for direct cremation. They talked about feeling empty and even resentful when a loved one, especially a parent, dictated that there is no service or ceremony. Some wanted a viewing, others wanted a memorial, but it was clear that all of these consumers wanted more. Their loved ones had forced them into a false economy, while these people were telling us that the money was less important to them than having a proper way to say “good-bye.”

Choosing A Provider
The discussion of “who do you choose” for cremation services provided some thought-provoking insight. Funeral homes remain a resounding choice because of their market visibility and the all-important first call for removal. When the question was asked about cemeteries, there was no connection for them handling cremation services. The typical response was “Cemeteries do that? Is this something new?” With Cremation Societies, the word “society” carried a connotation of extra good will. Even though almost none of our consumers had actually used their services, consumers felt that a Cremation Society would be more “non profit” and a “specialist” in the field of cremation. Without doubt the name we use to define our cremation services has a strong influence in people’s perception.
Where they could touch the merchandise and feel the quality for themselves. It’s just that some consumers were willing to give up that extra information and sup-port just to protect themselves from what they feared would be a manipulative, high-pressure environment. The opportunity here is clear: most consumers want to have their cake and eat it, too. They want the personal touch of a funeral home and the no pressure feel of the internet. It’s a solution that can easily be delivered by any funeral home – as long as it is approached with the right mindset and merchandising tools.

The Arrangement Experience
The “buying experience” is closely watched in every retail business and it became clear that it should be no different for the funeral industry. Our discussions of the arrangement experience quickly pointed to a number of missed opportunities in the traditional approach to funeral arrangements. We featured a merchandising setting that used familiar retail modules, high resolution story board graphics, plenty of signage, clear pricing, broad selection of products and fractional For Funeral Homes. We had dozens of experienced cremation consumers who had arranged cremations in every region of the country.  Surprisingly, we kept getting responses like, “I’ve never knew” or “I wish I had seen this.” These plainly represented a wasted opportunity by the funeral homes that had served these families before,
Because many of our consumers responded with surprise to such common offerings as keepsake Funeral Options and columbarium installations. Either their funeral directors didn’t present these options, or the environment was so stressful that no one remembered them. Either way, our industry loses.

Improving the Environment
The position of the arranging environment strongly influenced the attitudes of the participants. We consistently heard comments such as, “This is nice, I don’t feel like I’m doing something terrible” or “When I’m here, I feel like I would make the right choices” or “This is cheery and bright, very comfortable.” Our consumers noticed, and appreciated a more familiar, retail-type set-ting. We also learned that the arrangement setting can defuse the perception of high pressure selling. Creating an environment where the merchandise sells itself without the funeral director having to “pitch” was seen as an important benefit. It also offered an important tools to compete with the comfort and low-pressure benefits of the Internet The freedom to browse on their own – the “No, thanks. I’m just looking” shopping mentality - is common in every retail setting. It’s also what our consumers were looking for when they turned to the Internet. Offering that freedom inside the funeral home would clearly be an important competitive tool.

A Fresh Perspective
As we worked through this research we quickly realized that there would be earning opportunities all the way through the process. Through the attitudes of these consumers we have developed a fresh perspective on out industry, and identified some exciting new opportunities. 
AFD 
Steven Schaal is the Division Manager – Sales and Marketing for the Matthew's Cremation Division. He can be reached at sschaal@matw.com.

How Baby Boomers Will Change Our Tune
BY THOMAS J. BARNARD

The massive stones of Westminster Abbey shoulder centuries of tradition. For more than 900 years, the sovereigns of England have been crowned beneath its soaring pinnacles. Tombs and memorials of famous British subjects crowd its vaults. The Abbey is a monument to the dignified pomp, the worthy leaders and the venerable traditions of Britain.
But on Sept. 6, 1997, the walls of tradition gave way to accommodate a world of baby boomers grieving for one of their own — Princess Diana. Elton John, Tony Blair and Diana’s brother Charles, the ninth Earl Spencer, paid tribute to the sudden death of the famous, flawed princess who was deeply loved across the world.
If Westminster Abbey and the power of British tradition paid tribute to the baby boomer generation, how much more will baby boomers affect the American funeral home. What is in store for our industry as the boomers take over?

The Coming Boom
After the Second World War, the population of the United States grew as never before. From 1946 to 1964, the “baby boom” produced the largest generation in the history of the world. In the United States, some 76 million children sparked an explosion in education, as schools and colleges sprang up to accommodate them; in building, as their parents took them to suburbs where they could ride their bicycles on tree-lined sidewalks; and in industry, from clothing to transportation to fuel, to feed their demands. Immigration raised the number of boomers, and today we count them at 78 million — more than double the size of the previous generations. As these people age, the death care industry will face a demand we have never seen before. Imagine a tidal wave heading for our shores: we will be remembered by how we prepare for the sheer number of people we will serve.

Live Long and Prosper
Demand will grow not only because of the numbers of people, but also be-cause of increasing life expectancy. A century ago, average life expectancy was less than 50 years. Perhaps as many as one in five people died in infancy or childhood; those who made it to adulthood faced a host of diseases. But modern medicine has conquered the sicknesses that killed children and controlled many of the ailments that shortened adult life. Today, U.S. life expectancy stands at 75 years: for the first time in history, the average baby born today will live to a ripe old age. As a result, demographers project a steady rise in the number of deaths, from today’s annual level of some 2.25 million to a peak above 3 million after the first quarter of the next century. The demand for our services will be unprecedented. But let me rephrase that: the demand for death care services will be unprecedented, but it’s up to funeral directors to make sure that we provide the services our future customers will want. Just as unprecedented, however, will be the services that boomers demand. Baby boomers are defined by the values they share with each other, not with their parents. Though they grew up in places as far apart as Maine and New Mexico, though their cultural traditions vary, this generation shares values that cut across geographic and cultural differences.  To understand what the new generation will want, let’s look at what works today — and why. 
Most of today’s funerals are for people over 70, the World War II generation. These people grew up in the Depression. They learned the value of a dollar. They learned to put money aside for a rainy day, because they could never rely on the sun. They fought a good war and won. And when their days come to a close, how do they want to leave the world?

The Generation That Values Tradition
First, they like to know that they’re doing it right, following the customs accepted by their religious or social traditions, because this generation values authority. The familiar rituals, the involvement of the funeral home, the services, the flowers and casket — these define what a funeral means for the World War II generation. Relying on acknowledged experts, they don’t care to know the inner details of the funeral service profession. They value the decorum and dignity with which we conduct our work. For a few more years, we will be able to continue unchanged. Today’s customers like what we have done in the past; their positive reinforcement makes us question the need for change. But our great opportunity lies in serving customers who will not want what their parents wanted. Look at the car industry. For the World War II generation, the ultimate status symbol was a massive, angular Cadillac or Lincoln. Their children, on the other hand, have always favoured foreign cars — VWs when they were in college; Hondas when they got a job; Volvos or bigger Japanese cars to ferry the family; and a BMW, Mercedes or Lexus as the ultimate driving machine. The countries that lost the war won the hearts and wallets of the warriors’ children. In the same way, baby boomers have revolutionized every social institution they have encountered. From the barefoot, tie-dye wedding to the Lamaze birthing experience, baby boomers have changed the rituals of every lifecycle event. Already, baby boomers have brought new approaches to end-of-life issues. Costly medical wonders, compassionate palliative care and even physician-assisted suicide are choices that previous generations never faced. In funeral service, unique and individualized ceremonies are already on the rise. Baby boomers are going to make the unusual usual. Fortunately for us, we are the last industry to serve this group, and we can learn from history to face the future.

What Boomers Want
Growing up in the post-war economic boom, baby boomers learned to take prosperity for granted. They learned that hard work brings rewards, that education pays dividends, and that early investing yields large re-tFuneral Options. For them, the world has been predictable, a place that each person can control. Their
parents always feared the sudden turn of fortune’s wheel; the children climbed a steady ladder to success. This left boomers free to focus on themselves, and as they age and mellow, their focus has not
shifted. That’s why the self-improvement industry is so successful. Boomers don’t like to settle for less: a pill will cure their ailments; diet, exercise, and plastic surgery — the boomers’ invention — will reshape their bodies; therapists will soothe their stress and help them build relationships; a combination of education and assertiveness training will advance their careers. For each problem, somewhere there is a mechanic who can fix it. Boomers have enormous expectations about the potential of life and their ability — their right, really — to enjoy it. Boomers also possess a strong sense of entitlement. They have grown up with the great social programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and the far-reaching legislation of civil rights. In this world, poverty, sickness and intimidation are not merely bad luck, but forms of injustice. In short, what boomers want is just what they’re entitled to — every-thing!

Have It Your Way
Knowing that boomers will change the death care industry, and knowing something about their values, now we can tackle the really tough question: how can our industry serve their needs — even if we are personally uncomfortable with the changes they will demand? Here are three points to remember.

1. Don’t make them come to your funeral home. This may seem a heretical statement. Certainly I have heard from some funeral directors that their customers will always want to come to their place of business. But in some of Fortis Family’s objective consumer re-search, over 52 percent of prospective prearrangement customers did not want to come to a funeral home to prearrange. We must become creative about distributing our services. Boomers are not interested in walking into an established institution, be it a funeral home or a public library. They want something that’s made for them. A shopping mall is a good start. An Internet outlet is increasingly important. Such changes may violate our sense of propriety, but the “me” generation will need us to come to them. Our research shows that boomers are more willing to consider purchasing some funeral services from alter-native distribution systems. Among people 75 and older, the World War II generation, 70 percent would expect to buy preneed funding from a funeral director; clergy and cemetery sales reps scored 40 and 32 percent respectively. This group expects funeral services to be handled by funeral service professionals. But boomers are open to alternatives. They may listen to financial planners, insurance agents, lawyers and employers — imagine funeral associations in the workplace — alternatives which their parents would barely consider. For boomers, we will have to bring our services out of the institution.

2. Don’t talk like a funeral director: listen. You’re proud of your profession and your abilities — rightly so. But don’t expect the boomer to share your pride or to show much interest in your work. Members of the “me” generation want to hear about them-selves — or rather, they want to talk about themselves. That’s why our listening skills will serve us well. We will have to find out from each boomer what he or she wants: they will tell us, if we listen without telling them that we know what they need or telling them what a funeral should be. 

3. Don’t limit their choices. Boomers are used to comparing different options before they make a choice. They have grown up in a country where goods are readily available in a variety that astonishes the rest of the world. Supermarket aisles as long as a swimming pool and as high as a basketball net offer them dozens of cereals, jellies and breads — and that’s just for a cold breakfast. In this forest of choices, two landmarks guide the boomer. One is the price point: they classify different products by their level of quality and approximate cost. Sears made it easy with “good,” “better” and “best” products. Supermarkets guide us with their no-brand, own-brand and premium brand cereals. The second guide is the brand name. Hoping to win repeat customers, today’s marketers try to brand the buyer’s brain with a recognizable logo and a memorable name. A celebrity brand such Ralph Lauren carries a certain personality. Others bring about “attitude” to goods and services from CDs to cola, from air travel to retirement funds. Could other designers develop funeral packages, with co-ordinating flower arrangements, picture frames and acknowledgement cards? In the casket showroom, we can show more For Funeral Homes, group them into meaningful areas — perhaps by price point — and give each casket a name, not a number. Once the customer finds the price point, cost is no longer an issue. Since casket brands are not widely known, displaying information about the manufacturers may give the  merchandise the personality that will help buyers make their choice.

Challenging Tradition
British royalty wanted a private funeral for Diana, but power and tradition had to bow to the boomers. So the mourners in Westminster Abbey listened to Elton John, born in 1947, as the Baby Boom began; Tony Blair, born in 1953; and Charles, the ninth Earl Spencer, born at the end of the Boom. Whereas duty drove the generation that fought World War II, their children are guided by love. Elton John’s profession and lifestyle would score no points in traditional circles, but he was Diana’s colleague in the compassionate struggle against AIDS. Prime Minister Tony Blair celebrated Diana’s life with the words of I Corinthians 13: “and the greatest of these is love.” Diana’s brother pledged to save her children from the burden of their heritage “so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition but can sing openly.” Boomers understand each other’s need for open self-expression. Let us
hope that when they demand it of us, we too will be understanding and de-liver the service they need in the way they wish. If we prearrange and provide a personal, meaningful funeral that remembers and celebrates a life, we will be satisfying a boomer’s final need for self-expression and closure.
If we stick with our old traditions, we won’t provide a satisfying funeral event, and our customers will go elsewhere. The choice is ours, and the time will quickly be upon us.

Taken from American Funeral Director
March 1999

Meet Today’s Consumer -What Funeral Directors Should Know
BY EDWARD J. DEFORT
Every now and then a news item will appear saying that according to a consumer survey, funeral directors rank among the top 10 most trusted professionals. Invariably, a news item will also appear
(usually during sweeps weeks) exposing the darker side of the profession such as a funeral director that has been charged with taking someone’s preneed funds. Every time one of these items appear in the newspaper or on a news program, funeral service’s image takes a TriState-sized beating in the minds of consumers. The media in those special sweeps week “exclusives” takes funeral service to task. This happened most recently in February 2004 when CBS’s “The Early Show” included funeral service in its week-long series, “Taking Advantage.” With the help of a number of disgruntled consumers, the program discussed what it referred to as “common rip-offs that grieving people can face,” which included preneed scams, overpricing and even one suggestion by a consumer advisor that “when you go into a funeral home, the first thing you should ask is to use the restroom. Check the toilet paper – if it is single-ply toilet paper, leave.”

In another instance, a CBS News correspondent re-ported that one consumer was sold an expensive “sealed” casket that promised would preserve her father’s body for 75 years. Apparently, just before the casket was placed in the family mausoleum, the woman asked to see the body one more time — only to find that it had already decayed.

How deeply do reports such as these sink into the public conscious? Do they have any real impact in shaping the perceptions and plans of consumers? 

In a random survey of consumers spread across the United States by American Funeral Director in July 2004, we sought to find out exactly what is on the minds of today’s consumers. Have they made their final arrangements yet? Are they thinking of doing so any time soon? If they are, what specifics do they have in mind? What are their perceptions of you and the entire profession?

Finding out what is on the mind of today’s consumer is what will shape the role of tomorrow’s funeral service professional. Will tradition win out? Will funeral directors become event planners? Is white glove service what consumers want?

Consumer Perceptions of the U.S. Funeral Industry
The results of this survey suggest that the consumer generally believes that funeral service is a vital part of the grieving process. Respondents believe that their funeral director is helpful and consoling, but outside their familiar territory there are less scrupulous members of the profession driven by profit and preying on the bereaved. There is trust and comfort in familiarity as well as in information. Many respondents to this survey want to preplan their funeral but they haven’t as yet. They know they want some kind of service but are not exactly sure what kind. This point is illustrated when consumers were asked to elaborate on their thoughts and many of them simply replied, “don’t know.” Consumers don’t want an assembly-line funeral, they have heard about and seen personalization in services they have attended recently, but they want to know more about what other options are available to them.

In general, the survey points to a glaring need for more information and education from the profession. This has been an ongoing issue and this survey helps once again to illustrate that point. More important, it raises the question to the profession — What is funeral service doing about it?

Who did we ask? Of those consumers randomly surveyed, a majority, 61 percent, were female. Further a majority of the voices heard in this survey, 66 per-cent, were from funeral service professional’s prime target audience — folks 45 years of age and older.
Specifically, 39 percent were ages 55-64, 27 percent were 45-54, 14 percent were 35-44, 8 percent were 25-34, 10 percent were 18-24 and 1 percent were 18 and under.

When asked about the final disposition of their body, 36 percent of respondents would prefer to be cremated. This is significantly higher that the 2002 statistics presented by the Cremation Association of North America, which reported 27.78 percent of death in 2002 ending in cremation.

In fact, the numbers for this cross section of survey respondents is closer to the CANA 2010 forecast of 35.9 percent of deaths resulting in cremation.

Looking inside the numbers, broken down by age groups within the funeral service professional’s prime target areas, consumers 35-44 and 45-64, 39 percent of respondents in each group said they will opt for cremation. Of those survey respondents expressing their desire to be cremated, 25 percent wish to have their remains scattered and 11 percent want their remains kept in an urn. Cremation bested earth burial as 34 percent plan to be buried. This figure supports CANAL contention that while the percentage of ground burials will decrease in the future, the actual numbers will remain relatively flat. Ground burial was most popular with survey respondents under 35 as 37.5 percent said they wanted ground burial.

Substantial Opportunities
Significantly, the survey reveals a substantial market for educational opportunities for funeral service professionals to better inform the families they hope to serve — nearly one-third of survey respondents either don’t know what they want done with their body or they simply don’t care. Broken down by age group, predictably it is the under 35 segment that remains most ambiguous as to their plans. However, 20 percent of those 35-44 and 20 percent of those 45-64 still don’t know.

What does this mean to the funeral service profession? It means that they have to get the word out quickly to consumers to help shape their preferences. Consumer can’t choose what they don’t know is available. Funeral service professionals should make known what can be done for the families long before an at-need conference so statements like; “I didn’t know you could do that” won’t come up. Going out to meet the public is the new method of operating for the funeral service professional, rather than waiting for a phone call or walk-in traffic.

The point is further illustrated in the survey. The re-search finds that funeral service professionals still have a ways to go with their preneed sales to reach families and insures their business survives. A staggeringly low 3 per-cent of those surveyed said they have preplanned and prepaid for their funeral, while another 7 percent have preplanned, but not prepaid for their funeral. Of the remaining 90 percent of respondents, 30 percent said they plan to preplan and prepay for their funeral, and 21 per-cent said they want to preplan but not prepay for their funeral. This 51 percent represents a significant opportunity for funeral service professionals to reach consumers to talk about preplanning. Just like it is the undecideds who decide an election, the undecideds in the survey will decide the direction and survival of your business. Admittedly, the remaining respondents may be tough sells for funeral service professionals — 26 percent said they have no intention to preplan their funeral, and 15 percent do not want a funeral, period. But that could change with education.

So who are the tough sells? A look inside the numbers reveals that 31 percent of respondents under the age of 35 have no intention of preplanning. While arguably the under 35 market still generally feels bullet-proof and may be a tougher sell for preneed, it is never too early to shape opinions. Some 29 percent of those surveyed aged 35-44, and 24 percent of those 45-64 are not planning to prearrange. These numbers represent prime market potential. So, since the average life expectancy of all people in the United States is 77.2 years, the survey suggests that funeral service professionals have at least 30-40 years to change the minds of these consumers.

Turning to the funeral it-self, it comes as no revelation that the days of the traditional funerals are gradually declining. While the survey finds that there will still be a number of traditionalists, the number of those seeking such a service are getting smaller within each group. What this re-emphasis of this well-known trend does suggest, is that funeral service must anticipate the new direction by finding out what today’s consumer will want. If your business is to survive you must act and anticipate these new directions.

More respondents seem to want to eschew some of the traditional services in favour of more personalized events. When asked to describe what they want for their own funeral, only 29 percent selected a “traditional funeral with memorial service.” Of the 71 percent of respondents that did not opt for a traditional funeral, 19 percent want a “celebration of my life (non-traditional funeral),” 17 percent want a personalized funeral with a memorial service, 14 percent want the survivors “to throw a party in my honour,” and 15 percent do not want a funeral at all.

While the older respondents to the survey, predictably, would choose more traditional send-offs, the funeral service professional’s prime marketing groups, consumers 35-44 and 45-64, are out front with personalized memorials. Nearly two-thirds of the 34-44 group wanted some kind of life celebration or party with a non-traditional, personalized theme, while almost half of the 45-64 group would opt for the same. Further, slightly more than half of the under 35 group would also opt for a non-traditional funeral. What does non-traditional mean? There is only one source to find out the answer to that question — your families. By extending their reach into the communities either by holding luncheons or support groups, the funeral service professional can keep their finger on the pulse of the community. It works two ways, consumers will not know what services are offered unless they ask, and a funeral service provider will not know what the consumer wants until he/she asks.

Recent Experience
Consumers were asked what best describes the most recent funeral they had attended. Some 58 percent said the service memorialized the deceased with some personalized moments. Additionally, 19 percent called the last service they attended “outstanding, truly a celebration of the deceased’s life,” while another 19 percent said the last service they attended was “routine, it could have been anyone in the casket.” Respondents to the survey seem to indicate they want the best of all worlds at their funeral — a mix of religious tradition augmented with some personalized styling. Some religions may have a problem with some of the requests they will be receiving so it may be up to the funeral service professional to be the diplomat/peace maker. There have been some cases already reported that the traditions of a church may not be willing to allow some elements of personalization. One recent example is in the Diocese of Newark, N.J., where the archbishop has put the kibosh on eulogies at catholic services at diocesan churches. According to the survey, 53 percent of respondents would like some type of religious service at their funeral, but nearly as many want a personalized feel for the funeral. Some 48 percent of respondents said they would like personalized music, and 47 percent wanted speakers/eulogies.

In a society where even the business world is in dress down mode, today’s funeral service clients want that trend to continue for eternity. The traditional perception of the industry is that the deceased lies in the casket in their best suit and tie or dress is dying. However, according to the survey, 40 percent of respondents want to be buried in casual attire. Most people are unaware that this is even an option. This is an area where funeral service professionals need to present options to families. Just as the business world is finding out that employees are responding well to comfortable, funeral service professionals may learn that their families and visitors might respond similarly to casual attire. One funeral director told the story of a family he recently served that instructed him to have the
body dressed one way for the afternoon visitation, in different clothing for the evening visitation, and in pajamas for the funeral. The family also requested in the obituary that visitors come in casual attire!

At the visitation, 34 percent said they preferred an open casket while 24 percent would insist on a closed casket. A photo collage at the funeral home and personal mementoes displayed in and around the casket met with the approval of 34 and 31 percent of respondents, respectively.

Among the comments offered by respondents on what they want done at their funeral included:

• “No funeral, just a party, lots of photos and video.”
• “A wake, happy thoughts and a party.”
• “I’m dead, don’t care — whatever suits my survivors.”
• “Life celebration — celebrate my life.”
And some responses lead one to conclude that more education is in order:
• “Won’t be aware of what’s going on, will I?”
• “What difference does it make?”
• “Don’t know, don’t care.”

The survey indicated that a significant number of consumers are squarely on the fence about what shape they want their memorial to take. Of the 57 percent of respondents who indicated they are considering having some type of personalized memorial product such as a cemetery marker or urn, only 26 percent are certain that they want one, 19 percent are pretty sure they want one and 12 per-cent
occasionally think about having one, and 16 percent don’t think about it all, “but I should.” This 47 percent comprises a significant target audience for funeral service professionals to educate consumers and to market their wares. About a quarter of those surveyed, 28 percent, are the tough sells. They don’t think about it at all or don’t plan to. 

Just Scatter
Turning to cremation, 36 percent of those surveyed want to be cremated. But funeral service professionals should take note that 21 percent said they don’t care one way or the other that presents another education opportunity for funeral service.  Of those who said they want to be cremated, 49 per-cent want their cremated remains scattered somewhere with no visible marker or memorial — not good news for the supplier segment. However, it should be noted that aftercare providers believe that not having a tangible place to grieve and mourn does significantly impact survivors — a message that deserves passing on to the community. Meantime 33 percent want of survey respondents want some sort of marker, while and 18 percent don’t care.  Only 17 percent would want the remains interred in a cemetery; 9 percent want their remains kept in an urn at home, and 5 percent want their remains in a columbarium. This statistic invites funeral service professionals to be more creative and develop ceremonies and services designed around scattering. It also will send them back to the books to find out what are their particular state’s regulations concerning the scattering of cremated remains. How consumers address the subject of memorialization within cremation is still nebulous, but the survey revealed that a majority of respondents who will choose cremation, 60 percent, indicated they did want some type of a memorial service. However, of those, exactly half indicated they want the body present during the memorial while the other 30 percent said they did not want the body present. And 18 percent said they did not want any type of memorial service at all.

Helpful and Honest vs Manipulative and Exploitative
In the section of the survey focusing on consumer attitudes about funeral service and their dealings with funeral service professionals, it seems that the sensational, sweeps-week reports of unscrupulous funeral practices such as the recent one on CBS does seem to impact on consumers. The survey suggests that an overwhelming number of consumers that have worked with funeral directors give them high marks for being helpful and caring. But the bad news is that those consumers who have never used a funeral director instead have their opinion of the profession shaped by the media making them less likely to select the services of a professional in the future. In the era of 300-plus television channels, there are too many outside sources attempting to shaping your families’ views of the profession outside of your control.

As the survey reveals, they like you once they get to know you. For example, when asked to describe the most recent funeral director they had worked with, the report card was glowing — 52 percent called the funeral director “helpful,” 43 percent “caring;” 39 percent “honest;” 32 percent; “consoling;” and 31 percent “flexible” (responsive to requests). From the negative column, only 8 percent of respondents said their funeral director was merely an order taker and did not add much to the conference. The negative words that resonate in tell-all news reports about their last funeral service such as “greedy,” “dishonest,” and “manipulative” only registered with 2 percent of respondents.

However, when asked for their general perception of funeral service, an anonymous question not tied to their last service, a greater number of respondents across the board selected words like “exploitative” and “manipulative,” both registered 12 percent; “greedy,” 10 percent; and “deceptive, 12 percent. This suggests that a good experience breeds a bright reflection of the profession and that those that do not have a frame of reference tend to be influenced by what they hear and read in the media.

Word of Mouth
By and large, when speaking of their last experience with a funeral home, nearly three quarters of those surveyed felt they had received value from funeral service for the price they paid. In fact, 28.7 percent said they had been “well-served” while 45.6 percent said they received “reasonable value for the price.” Only 7 percent felt they did not get their money’s worth and another 7 percent said they felt they were taken advantage of.

Why did consumers choose the last funeral home that they used for a service? For most of them, 34 percent, it was because the funeral home had satisfactorily served the family in the past. Another 21 percent said they chose the funeral home because of its reputation in the community, 15 percent said the funeral home was recommended by a friend/family member, 12 percent said the funeral director was known to be flexible to their specific needs, while only 5 percent shopped around, and 1 per-cent
responded to a funeral home’s ad.

The survey did suggest that the profession as a whole can improve upon its image building. Outside the public’s comfort zone with their own funeral home, consumers did cast a somewhat wary eye on the profession as a whole. The good news is that 44 percent of respondents viewed funeral service as a vital part of the grieving process. Also, 40 percent said that the profession is “helpful” to them in their time of need. However, almost 31 percent said the profession is perceived as “too profit-driven.” This compares with 20 percent of respondents who perceive the profession as “trustworthy.” This is offset by 19 percent who believe that funeral service preys on the bereaved. Other responses to this question yielded comments like “funeral service is a necessary evil” and “some bad apples,” but most of the remarks were “don’t know,” bolstering the notion that funeral service professionals need to continue to help build the reputation and perception of the profession, but also that there is a need for more knowledge and more education by the funeral service professional to the community as to what kind of services are available and also to let the public know what they, the funeral directors, can do to help.

An Open Letter to a Funeral Director

To Whom It May Concern:

You probably don’t know me since I’ve only lived in this town a short time, and I’ve heard many wonderful things about your funeral home so I wanted to touch base with you about my final arrangements. After all, it was a wise man who said to me, the death rate is 100 percent. It was another wise man who said to me that the funeral is an exclamation point on a life well lived. 

I understand that there are great things available for people today to really celebrate a life. To be honest, I haven’t witnessed too many in person but I have read of some sensational send offs. This is something I want in on. I’ve been to too many funerals where the room looks exactly the same as it did for the previous funeral I attended — just a different person in the box. And that’s not all. I have seen clergy come in and recite the same rote remarks about the deceased — you can almost see where it reads “fill in name of the deceased here.” I swear I was at one funeral where the clergyman said, “Our dearly de-parted, may he or she find eternal life...”

No, that won’t do. I have been to visitations where people just show up, scope out their friends and gab about daily minutia. I can almost see the body straining to sit up in the casket to scream, “Hey! What about me!!!” 

I really want my funeral to be a reflection of who I am. For example, if you are going to play music during the visitation, I would like it if you could play music that I would play for myself. You can get these CDs from my wife (she’ll only be too happy to get them out of the house).

I am also a big baseball fan. I have a room full of memorabilia of my favourite team, and I am sure you can borrow some to help decorate the visitation room. I am also a big fan of my alma mater’s basketball team. I have plenty of that memorabilia around the house too. My wife is a bit old school on this, when we’ve had conversations on this topic, she really doesn’t take it seriously nor does she think the funeral home would go along with this. You may have to educate her as to what the possibilities are and maybe prod her to con-tribute some ideas of her own. I would also like some personal items and photographs with me from members of my immediate family. Tell them that I want whatever they give to you to have some thought behind it, a lovely parting gift, so to speak. I even have an idea for a gift for them — since I always gave friends and family members a scratch-off lottery ticket as part of a birthday gift to them, can you arrange for everyone who comes to my service to get a scratch-off lottery ticket?

Now, for the procession I have one request. I am a car guy so I would like my car to follow the hearse. Maybe one of your staff could drive the car in the procession. How can you incorporate my car meaningfully into the service?

As far as the funeral Mass, since music was a big part of my life, I have some definite ideas of the songs I would like played. Before we leave the funeral home, I’d like you to play “Keep Me in Your Heart” by Warren Zevon. Some of the songs are traditional church hymns, but in the spirit of my own sense of humour, I would like Warren Zevon’s recording of “My Ride’s Here” playing as they wheel the casket out of the church. The current pastor
at my parish is an agreeable type and I don’t think he’d offer any resistance. Although we have bishops in the area who have put the kibosh on eulogies from relatives or friends at funeral Masses, so do the best you can. Since I don’t want this scenario to take place for several more decades, I am not sure who will be in charge of the church then and what their stance on pop music and eulogies would be.

We can discuss more of these arrangements in detail when we meet. Keep in mind that this is just an outline, I may need you to help fill in the blanks. I know these ideas are just scratching the personalization surface. I suppose my only question to you right now is, Can you help me?

Edward J. Defort