Consumer Truths Driving the Future of the Funeral Experience
July 24th, 2019
It’s no secret that your families are what drive your funeral business forward.
And to go a step further, your families are driving the trends in the funeral profession, too.
What can this teach us?
No matter the industry, we all must adapt to be able to meet and exceed customers’ expectations. And, the funeral profession is no exception to this rule. Consumer trends are greatly impacting today’s funeral experience.
The overarching theme of these trends, according to Rob Shane at ICCFA this past year? Digital technology. Read on to find out more about these digital consumer truths that are driving the funeral business forward:
1. Consumers expect digital resources to be available online.
Consumers today depend on technology to help them “get life done.” In fact, 70% of consumers hold the expectation that digital technology should be a part of the funeral arrangement process. That means that your families are depending on digital resources to help accelerate and seamlessly facilitate the funeral planning process.
2. Consumers want transparency when looking for deathcare services.
We all know online and mobile shopping are on the rise. This concept applies to the funeral profession as well. Consumers want to be able to easily research available options and understand the details of services. Going even further, they want to be able to get an understanding about pricing of these services as well. That means making your pricing transparent and available, as well as listing your services in an engaging way for your families is key to the new digital world.
Pro tip: Choosing the right website platform, such as f1Connect, will offer you the perfect platform to do all of this and more, in a beautifully designed website format.
3. Consumers crave better understanding of the funeral planning process AND want access to digital information.
Because transparency hasn’t always been a key tenant of the funeral profession, the majority of families are uninformed about the funeral planning process. They often feel frustrated, uncertain, and overwhelmed when beginning to plan a funeral. Technology can be leveraged to provide families with informational resources in the steps to planning a funeral.
Also, in today’s world, families are more dispersed. Digital technology can be implemented to connect dispersed family members and streamline the process using online resources.
Pro Tip: Using a pre-planning tool like the one below on your website will help families navigate through the process with more ease and less stress.
Check out the live version of this pre-planning tool by clicking on the image.
4. Consumers are no longer looking for a traditional service. Expectations for personalization are key.
Digital technology opens up opportunities for personalization, which we all know has been a huge trend. Even before meeting with the you, your families can leverage digital apps and technology to help gather information and personal data from a family to get a jumpstart on planning a unique and personalized end of life ceremony.
Pro tip: Start with engaging questions like these and see how you can merge these ideas with technology!
5. Consumers don’t want to use technology to replace face-to-face interaction but instead to augment it.
The number one point of dissatisfaction for many families during the funeral process is the arrangement conference. How can we improve this experience? We learned during this talk at ICCFA that face-to-face contact remains important to consumers, even with the addition of technology.
So, by utilizing technology AND in-person tools such as impeccable listening and wonderful communication, you can help family members who have lost a loved one feel more prepared, organized, and informed.
Read more: How To Be A Better Communicator with Your Families [Slide Deck]
Final words
Our profession is adapting to changing consumer desires and expectations. Digital technology is shaping end of life planning and services. How is your business using digital technology today?
If you want to stay a few steps ahead of your competitors in the realm of technological service to your families, check out f1Connect, the funeral profession’s leading all-in-one website platform. Click here or give us a call at 1-800-798-2575 to talk to one of our Website Success Specialists today!
How else are you embracing technology at your funeral home? Tell us in the comments below!
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