As funeral directors know, families will go to great lengths to honor their loved ones. It can be challenging for funeral professionals to meet the needs of families during such a stressful time. However, it’s important that funeral homes understand what families care about most and work to meet those needs.
LendingUSA recently conducted a survey with funeral professionals to learn about the challenges that families face during the planning process. Here’s what we found is most important to families, according to funeral professionals:
Transparency
When asked what matters most to families going through the process of planning funeral services, 44% of funeral professionals said that families want transparency and to understand all available options in the process.
As cost continuously grows as a major factor for families planning funeral services, families want to understand every available option to them, from service preferences and pricing to payment options. As a result, it’s important that funeral professionals are able to thoroughly explain the details of their services upfront. Additionally, it’s helpful to be able to clearly communicate the value of those services and what families are receiving in return.
Simply put, clear communication and transparency can help a family place their trust in your funeral home and allow for a smoother planning process.
Personalized Services
31% of funeral professionals said that a personalized funeral service matters most to families. Personalization might be in different forms, but for most families, it is more complicated than picking the favorite flowers for the service.
As a result, it’s important that funeral directors take the time to talk with the family and get to know them and their loved one. Offering personalized touches can create a more positive experience for the family as well as a special memory.
Easily Accessible and Favorable Payment Options
Funerals are intimate, emotional events, yet they require making complex financial decisions. Funeral professionals know that many families opt for more affordable options, even when it is not what they actually wanted to choose. In fact, 31% of funeral professionals said that families choose cremation over burial because it is a more budget-friendly option.
It is an unfortunate reality when families are torn between exceeding their budget or giving their loved ones more traditional funeral services. Many do not have preneed or life insurance policies in place to cover the cost, and therefore may resort to less-than-ideal payment methods, like credit cards.
Most families are not prepared for unplanned funeral services because of the high cost associated with the process, and paying for funeral services can be a massive burden for them. Aside from life insurance and preneed policies, 35% of funeral professionals said that families use credit cards to pay for the service. This might solve the financial burden in the short-term, but families are still left with high interest rates and the dread of paying off their credit card debt over the next several months or years.
Download the full ebook about these survey results that you can apply to transform your funeral services today.
Learn more about LendingUSA funeral home financing.
