Hi Alan! Thanks for the great feedback! We agree that funeral directors should be a big part of the planning process, to help explain to families that these extraordinary experiences are available to them, and they don’t have to have the cookie cutter traditional funeral they have always known. However, we disagree that a funeral has to be a somber affair. A funeral is a unique opportunity to celebrate a person’s life, and we have seen a strong trend in families choosing to have memorial celebrations that honor a loved one in an upbeat, celebratory way, rather than the dark, somber funeral that their grandparents had. And thanks to the internet, many families are going online and researching these forward-thinking options for themselves before they even speak to a funeral director. Funeral directors no longer can wait for families to come to them to learn about their services, they have to market the value of what they do to today’s online consumer who is actively seeking out information and education.

Thanks for the article but disagree with a part of it. You said, “Families want a different experience. They want multiple options for their services and different location choices. You go on to say, “they want a service that is modern, casual, distinctive and flexible. They want a funeral service that is bigger than their grandparent’s funeral. Families want options, customization, and place that can support every want and need they can imagine.”

In my experience working with funeral directors, planning a funeral is not like planning a wedding. It certainly feels that way in the paragraph above. It’s not a happy time in life. Funerals are often somber affairs and pre planning at best is a responsibility.

In fact, most families never think of a funeral home unless they have an immediate need. I have had funeral directors that have told me families have drove by their building for years and never saw it until they had to make arrangements. When a loved one passes, most families (certainly not all) are in a state of deep grief and confusion, customization, different location choices and a service bigger than their grandparents funeral are usually not front and center on their minds.

I 100% agree with the fact that our industry is changing. Declining traditional services and declining traditional religion at the forefront. However, today’s funeral director needs to guide the family into the various options available to them. I don’t believe the majority of families know what they want; rather it’s up to the creativity of the funeral director to explain the many options available to them. And yes; There are many new ideas available to families than the traditional methods so widely offered today.

You say today’s families want a different experience. I disagree with that. I feel today’s families would be open minded to a different experience but need the help of a funeral director to explain those forward thinking options to them.

Actually, this can be done! Several people have had wishes to attend their own funeral: https://bit.ly/1QqMgER You may be surprised by the amount of personalization options that are available for your funeral service. If you have a specific request, it’s always best to put your wishes down on paper or pre-plan with your funeral director! 🙂

Thanks, Paul! We’re glad you enjoyed it!