We received a joint press release from both Tukios and Batesville last week that made this statement, “Tukios, a leading provider of website technology solutions for the funeral profession, announced today that it has acquired the funeral home website hosting services from Batesville, a trusted leader in the North American deathcare industry. Effective immediately, the acquisition includes Batesville’s Website Hosting Services, Floral Select, AI Obit writer, and sympathy tree offerings.”

 

You can read the press release yourself by clicking here.

 

The press release goes on to mention that Tukios and Batesville have worked together for 12 years and now can concentrate on their core areas of expertise as explained with this quotation from the press release, “This transaction unlocks new opportunities for innovation, enabling both companies to make strategic investments aligned with their core areas of expertise, ultimately delivering better products and services to the deathcare industry.”

 

Curtis Funk, Founder and CEO of Tukios made this comment about the transaction, “We are laser-focused on creating the best website platform in the funeral profession, and we are honored to carry that mission forward with Batesville’s website hosting services. . .”

 

Chris Trainor, CEO of Batesville also made a prepared comment in the press release which included, “Through targeted investments, we are strengthening our leadership position in Burial products, broadening our Cremation portfolio, and delivering integrated Technology Solutions that simplify operations and enhance the planning experience for families.  Our goal is to equip funeral professionals with the tools and resources to support their business and help position them for long-term success.”  

 

Funeral Director Daily take:  I think this is a good move for both companies.  In this day and age, I think a laser “focus” on your main or core products is a necessity to keep up with the competition and move your business forward.  I’m guessing that website hosting by Batesville was not their main product category and for Tukios it is.  Tukios can take the Batesville platform and work it into their own process while Batesville can continue to provide technology software solutions to enhance the Tukios products.

 

For Batesville as CEO Trainor mentions this divestiture of web hosting services allows them to build on and focus on their successful leadership positions in burial products, cremation portfolio, and integrated technology software for funeral homes.

 

For Tukios this agreement allows them to broaden their website hosting business and bring in more clients for their suite of enhanced products.

 

My story — Our family funeral business grew from my great-grandfather’s immigration and establishment of a cabinet building shop in 1872.  Out of that start two businesses were developed — a funeral home and a retail furniture store.  In 1989 we decided to sell the furniture business to another retail operator and lease them the building that business was located in.  At the same time, my brother who operated the furniture business joined me in the funeral business.

 

It was somewhat of a scary proposition because we were selling over 75% of our combined sales volume.  However, the funeral business was more profitable and our new “focus” on that business proved that we could make it even more profitable.  And, not having to worry about a furniture business provided us the “focus” that we believe our funeral clients wanted and needed.

 

Our funeral home market share grew with this focus and at the end of the day leasing the furniture building to the new operator allowed us to gain value appreciation in that building while the tenants paid the building’s operating costs.  After 34 years of leasing to that company we finally sold the building for that appreciated value.

 

All in all, I believe “focus” is a major component of customer satisfaction.  It’s interesting that I make that statement because I also believe that “Optionality” in service offerings may be a major factor in gaining volume in the retail Death Care business for traditional funeral homes.

 

And yet, “focus” has proved that it can be profitable in retail Death Care over the past 30 years by those firms that specialize in retail cremation.

 

It all proves that Death Care is an interesting and multi-faceted profession with more than one way to present your business to your clientele.

 

More news from the world of Death Care:

 

• Funeral director begins a new chapter as head of acquired firm.  The Business Desk.com (Great Britain)
• Let’s make death a local body election issue.  Scoop Regional (New Zealand)
• Are taxpayers funding a cost of dying crisis?  BBC News (Great Britain)

 

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