Families Choosing Cremation Urns - Are You Prepared?
The Cremation Association of North America reports that in the 1980's cremation rates started increasing at an average 8% per year. For the year 2005 it was at 30.88%, year 2006 it increased to 33.61%. 2007 up to 34.89 %, see the trend here?
In 2010, it is anticipated to be 39.03% of American deaths will be cremated. If you are a funeral director and you notice these trends, it might be a good idea to take a step back and look at your business model and make some adjustments.
Cremation - Why Is Cremating On the Rise?
Cremation is increasing and it's here to stay. How can you serve your cremation families better? Cremation is no longer being seen as an inferior option to burial, it is now a standard alternative.
People may choose cremation for a variety of reasons:
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We live in a mobile society, people and families relocate more often now than before. Families want to be able to bring their loved ones and their grief with them.
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Cremation urns are mobile devices for grief. Cremation is preparation for memorialization; it is a commemorative means suitable to grievers.
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Cremation allows for more time and flexibility in planning for funeral services. Memorial services can be held at any date any time of the day.
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Cremation allows multiple family members and friends to be a "keeper" of the disposition; a burial is just a single place; urns can travel many places in many hands.
Cremation got you down?
I've personally heard many funeral directors talk about the large overhead expenses of running a funeral home and that the increase in cremations has put their business on a decline.
The solution is to get on board - take pride in your cremation urn displays and show your families that you care about cremation services. Your urn display room should meet the demands of today's families by providing wood urns, keepsakes, vials, globes, cremation jewelry & pendants, urns, urn vaults, monuments, spirit boxes, etc.
Offering Crematory Services to Grieving Families
Here are some pointers on how to offer respectful and dignified cremation services for your families:
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Maintain your paperwork; a cremation authorization should be signed for every cremation
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Double check the person with the power to make arrangements, are all family members in agreement?
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Adhere to a strict identification process, all deceased should have some form of identification throughout the entire cremation process
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Maintain dignity and respect in the care of the deceased, wrapped nicely in a shroud or sheet at all times.
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Maintain an honest, caring and hardworking team; take care of your staff. Tired and overworked funeral staff can lead to a hazard to them self or the public.
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Offer plenty of cremation urn choices. Your casket showroom has over a dozen caskets on display; your urn display should too. Let the families decide on their own time if they want to purchase an urn.
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It is recommended instead of using the word "cremains" to use the words "cremated remains" to give the families a more human connection
- Offer varieties of alternate services. Don't just offer "direct cremation", "simple disposition" or "direct disposition" on GPL. Explain the different types of services that can assist with memorialization. You know how to provide meaningful services for the benefit of family and friends - both before and after the cremation process takes place.
- Embalming is not required by law.
Be Proud and Be Detailed! Your next cremation arrangements
When you are in the arrangement office with your next family and they mention cremation; open up and tell them everything they need to know. Explain the cremation procedures, take pride in the identification process and explain in detail the professional services your funeral home has to offer.
Your families deserve to be treated with dignity no matter what their choice is. Your choice should be to expand your cremation offerings and embrace all the options.
Talk about it with your suppliers, fellow funeral director friends, and the cemetery. Share your ideas and hear what’s working for others in the industry. Advertise your professional cremation services; let the world know you care about cremation.
If you succeed in meeting the needs of cremation families it should result in an increase of your funeral home’s revenue. Afterall, no need to worry about the overhead..