Business

Are you ready for 2021. . . ready, set, Buy!

By Funeral Director Daily / September 9, 2020 /

Over the years I’ve moved from really long-range planning about my business to a method where I plan for shorter durations.  I think my move has coincided with many who have went from developing long range “strategic” plans to plans that are shorter in duration, less set in stone, and allow a business to be…

The Post-COVID future of death care

By Funeral Director Daily / September 8, 2020 /

In the past week we’ve seen news that a vaccine or vaccines against the virus that causes COVID-19 are rapidly advancing in clinical trials.  It’s lead me to think about a post-COVID world and, specifically, a post-COVID world in the future of death care.  I’ve also had the experience of visiting with a couple of…

Weekend Edition: SCI receives economic development aid, a difference of opinion in Winnipeg, a preneed ratings downgrade

By Funeral Director Daily / September 4, 2020 /

It is somewhat unbelievable to me how fast we have moved from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but here we are.  Among the American debate, many schools are opening, the election is soon here, and the one constant is that those in the funeral profession continue to give comfort and guidance to those in need.…

Three Components of an Exemplary Funeral Home

By Funeral Director Daily / September 2, 2020 /

What makes a funeral home exemplary? The funeral profession is filled to the brim with multiple players, but as in any competitive field, only a few businesses rise to the top. These funeral homes embody certain characteristics that elevate them above the competition. Here are the top three components of exceptional funeral homes. Owners Who…

What employee benefits do you give?. . .get?

By Funeral Director Daily / August 28, 2020 /

On Tuesday the Hormel Corporation announced a new employee benefit available to all United States Hormel Corporation employees.  This benefit, that they are calling “Inspired Pathways”, will pay for two-years of community or junior college tuition for all children of the aforementioned Hormel employees. You can read an article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune here…

British funeral pricing policy investigation ends

By Funeral Director Daily / August 19, 2020 /

As you may know, the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) set out to investigate the pricing practices of the death care industry in that country in March of 2019.  They now have concluded the investigation with some findings but also indicated that “further change in the sector is necessary but some of the…

Is the Demographer the most important person in the corporate funeral office complex

By Funeral Director Daily / August 18, 2020 /

I was talking to a colleague about a recent funeral home acquisition and asking what he thought of the transaction.  His comment startled me in that he said, “I hope they didn’t pay too much because no one dies in that community anymore.”  His implication was that the community we were discussing has became known…

Afternoon edition: How COVID is changing funeral services, death in a Columbian cemetery, and more

By Funeral Director Daily / August 13, 2020 /

There is no doubt that COVID-19 and the rules around social distancing are causing funeral homes and cemeteries to do the tasks required of them differently.  Today we share some of those subtleties and not so subtle aspects from Australia and America’s west coast funeral homes. We also have a story on how the disease…

Understand your loans to save money

By Funeral Director Daily / August 6, 2020 /

As a youngster I had it drilled into me that you don’t buy things you cannot afford. . . . .but “affordability” also included the ability to buy things that you didn’t have the money for but you had a solid plan for repayment.  That thought process is known as using and building credit history.…

Proud of our Profession

By Funeral Director Daily / August 5, 2020 /

I’m writing this on Monday morning even though you are receiving it as the Wednesday edition of Funeral Director Daily.  The freedom to do that (write in advance) once in a while is what makes writing a daily article palatable.  I didn’t do a whole lot over the weekend although I did come across this…