How Well Does Your Funeral Director Know You?

          When a death happens, the first step is to contact your local funeral home or cremation provider. Generally, the funeral home makes preparations to remove the body from the place of death, transport your loved one to the funeral home and set an appointment for an arrangement conference.

          For families, they have a scheduled appointment and maybe even the funeral director's name. The funeral director, in turn, has the basic information about the deceased and the next-of-kin. Sounds pretty simple, right? Question is, how much more will he or she know about you by the time you arrive for the arrangement conference?

          I know of one funeral home, where the manager is a former police officer. And as a licensed peace officer, he is still entitled to certain information that most of us are not privy to. Before he assigns a apecific funeral director, he checks the family name through various databases. This proves to offer an endless supply of information. He can find home addresses, property values, job titles, the type of car you drive and economical data about your particular neighborhood.

          Based on the information that is available, he can then properly assign the right funeral director. Also, he will talk to the funeral director prior to the family's arrival. He will probably offer pointers for the amount of money  the family "should be able to spend." Once you arrive for the conference, the presentation will be specifically tailored to your pocketbook.

          Before you walk through those doors, remember, funeral directors often pay close attention to zip codes. And for those of you who use social media, they have probably already checked your Facebook page as well.

The Truth About Funeral Home Casket Sales Tactics Sparks New Idea

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          I recently found a quote, concerning casket sales tactics, from a student attending mortuary science college in Texas. Sadly, it is the same college that I attended so many years ago. She said:

          "You always try to show the customer the most expensive casket first," explained Vachael Starks.”  A graduate of Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service She explained that students at the school receive full instruction in the pricing and location of caskets. "By showing them the most expensive one first, that's the one they remember."

          This quote, along with the death of funeral consumer advocate R. Brian Burkhardt, made me realize the importance of accurate consumer information and education. Of course, this blog is dedicated to behind the scenes topics and memories and will remain focused in this area. However, in an effort to keep R. Brian Burkhardt's vision alive, I have put together a blog which will focus on consumer education. I will talk about caskets, vaults, preneed funerals, sales tactics and affordable alternatives and related subjects.

          I would like to invite you to join me at Funeral Consumer Advocate, along with your visits here.