Are they able to handle any question that may be presented to them, or do they just wing it and take a good guess at their answer? Does that family really understand, and do your employees really understand what Direct Cremation means? Probably not. I recently had a family that wanted Direct Cremation with burial of the cremated remains at sea. I took the time to get know about the decedent, job(s), interests in fishing, sports, etc., and I offered quite a few suggestions on how we could memorialize this gentleman’s life. By the end of the arrangements, the Direct Cremation with burial at sea, became a full service cremation with a visitation prior to the service in our chapel that included military honors with burial of a solid bronze military urn in Arlington National Cemetery. I made suggestions. I didn't talk them into anything they didn't want. They just didn't know they could do what we did.
Recently, a friend and colleague visited 150 funeral homes and posed as a family member who was there to make arrangements for a loved one. The results were amazing. Among other issues they had with the funeral home employee, the biggest issue was that almost every funeral home apologized for the cost of cremation.
Why do funeral homes apologize for being on call 24/7/365 anymore? Today it takes longer to make arrangements with a cremation family than a burial family. Make sure you have practice sessions with your employees on handling phone shoppers and families that want nothing but Direct Cremation. Have them trained, knowledgeable, and ready to be as sharp with a cremation family as they would be with a family that called and asked how many copper caskets you have on hand.
Provide your staff with the skills they need to drive success and help increase profits. Remember, it’s costs you nothing to be nice to your employees. A simple, “Job well Done” can go a long way in helping that employee feel that what they are doing adds value to the company and gives them the confidence they need knowing they have the support of their Boss.
