Comments on: These 5 Statistics Are The Secret To Keeping Your Funeral Home Alive

By: 3 Funeral Services to Look Into When a Loved One Passes - HazelNews

3 Funeral Services to Look Into When a Loved One Passes - HazelNews — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:39:45 +0000

[…] recent decades, funeral home services have changed significantly. While seeing the deceased and upholding centuries-old traditions was important in the past, many […]

By: Arnold Walker

Arnold Walker — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 21:17:14 +0000

What you have said is one of the reasons cremations have gone up.Most people are not in a position to pay the high coast of a ttraditional funeral.

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 16:10:26 +0000

The cost of a funeral is also affected by how much the state collects on sales tax and what the family desires on cash advance items.
There are times when we might have a funeral that costs 2500-5000 without burial or a lot of merchandise.but people don’t realize what goes into that price break down.
There is cost of delivering the body to the facility, refrigeration, if a family wants to have a final viewing then the body needs to be prepared for the viewing. The preservation of the body until the family decides what they want to do. Cost of filing with the state and county for permits, Insurances and taxes on the the overhead of the facilities. Salaries need to be paid to the administration and operations staff. If there is a cremation, the cost of the natural gas to fire up the chamber. Then there is the cost of disposition… if the person is being cremated, are they being scattered at sea? returned to the family residence? or interred in a niche or buried?
I love how people immediately feel funeral homes are a rip off without analyzing the true cost of providing the services that no one really knows how much time , effort and energy goes into helping a family deal with a loss of a loved one. Yes, there might be a mark up on merchandise.. but what business do you know of.. (auto, clothing, food, electronics.. etc) isn’t there a markup on the merchandise.
Live the life of a funeral director for one week and you will quickly realize it is not as glamorous as most people think.

By: Arnold Walker

Arnold Walker — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 11:46:04 +0000

I WORKED IN THE FUNERAL BUSINESS FULL TIME FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS AND I UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE THINK FUNERALS ARE A RIP-OFF BECAUSE I KNOW WAHAT THE FUNERAL HOMES PAY FOR THOSE CASKETS AND VAULTS AND WHAT A HUGE MARK UP IT IS IN A CASKET AND VAULT. THOSE MARK UPS CAN RANGE FROM A 110 PRE CENT AND UP. IF PEOPLE REALLY KNEW WHAT A 10,000.00 DOLLAR FUNERAL COST THE FUNERAL HOME THEY WOULD BE OUT RAGED AT THE PROFIT THE FUNERAL HOME WAS MAKING. MOST FUNERAL DIRECTORES LIVE IN FINE HOME DRIVE FANCY NEW CARS AND SUV”S AND LIVE A VERY HIGH LIFE STYLE.

By: Jeff Harbeson

Jeff Harbeson — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 18:52:53 +0000

Rochelle:

This is an excellent post and certainly should be a wake up call for many in our profession, however most are unlikely to do the work necessary to address the obvious consumer trends. Unfortunately, although the data is good, it’s old (2014)…in essence the numbers a year and a half later are certainly higher negatives. But, as the mantra goes for most “we’ve always done it this way” and their outdated business model will continue to decline. Good work! #thefuneralcommander

By: Rilee Chastain

Rilee Chastain — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 19:37:27 +0000

In reply to Allan Stearns. Allan, thanks so much for the thoughtful comment. It sounds like you are providing a much-needed, invaluable service to your families. Thanks for doing what you do :)

By: Allan Stearns

Allan Stearns — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 15:43:59 +0000

As a Certified Celebrant, I fund myself doing more and more celebrations/memorials each month. I have worked with our directors emphasizing the value of a service – to the survivors, and friends who do wish to pay homage and respect. I have also dropped the word “funeral” from my presentation to families at the family conference I always have. The word “funeral” is dark and leaves the impression of the cookie cutter events we have all been to in the past. I tailor each service to the individual we are honoring. I work with our directors to explain the honorarium that is expected – to their client families. As an independent contractor for providing these services, I spend hours in preparation, well before the presentation. I also create a takeaway item(s) for presentation to the families as a remembrance of the event. The business is indeed changing. Cremations outnumber burials now in most localities, but this does not in any way circumvent the value of a celebration of life (not a funeral). The business must continue to evolve, because the clients have choices.