February 2017

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Page A25 FEBRUARY 2017 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A
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The Millennial Consumer of Funeral
Services
can encompass organic food, carpooling,
a small gathering in a natural setting, nat-
ural burial, use of biodegradable cloth-
ing, casket or shroud and embalming with
formaldehyde-free products, among oth-
ers (NFDA).
Millennials are believers of ideologies
that all people are equal and what men can
do women also can. They deviate from the
perception and organization that dimin-
ishes the role of women. This is reflected
in the make-up of those currently taking
courses in this field, moving the funeral
industry away from the male dominated
family businesses that passed the mandate
from one generation to another.
Furthermore, this generation has in-
creased the importance, and the role, cost
plays in purchase decisions. Various eco-
nomic challenges, such as low economic
growth, reduce spending power. As a re-
sult millennials may choose funeral prac-
tices that are cheap and cost effective.
One of these choices may be cremation.
According to the Cremation Association
of North America cremation has grown to
36.84 percent in 2009 with 2100 estab-
lished crematories.
Moreover, CANA has projected that
by 2018 cremations will grow to over 50
percent of all deaths. Currently, accord-
ing to many industry associations, largely
those in the western United States, cre-
mation has become the most preferred
method of disposition. In some areas like
Nevada and Washington, the rate of cre-
mation is at 72 percent and 74 percent,
respectively (CANA). This has been con-
tributed by the rise in secularization as-
sociated with the millennial generation.
Cremation services have considerably re-
duced the demand not only for hearse
services, but also the cost of plots since
land for burial is not highly required
(Harbeson, 2016).
Conclusion
The effect of these changes in funer-
als services will be the wide adoption of
technology in this industry, which will in-
crease the level and quality of service be-
ing delivered, making the market com-
petitive, which will be advantageous to
consumers. Those organizations that will
not adopt technology in their service de-
livery will be obsolete in future.
Millennial customers have greatly
shaped not only how funeral organiza-
tions offer their services today, but the
future face of this industry. Organiza-
tions that want a future will have to
adopt technology, as well as cost effec-
tive and green burial approaches reflect-
ing the millennial consumer’s demands.
Shawn’te C.R. Harvell was born in
Newark and raised in Bound Brook, NJ.
He is a graduate of American Academy
McAllister Institute of Funeral Service and
is a New York State licensed funeral direc-
tor and embalmer. He is the Assistant Man-
ager at the McCall’s Bronxwood Funeral
Home, Inc. where he has been employed
for over 13 years.
Shawn’te has a passion for serving fami-
lies in their most difficult time, and takes the
funeral service profession very serious. “You
have to be serious about business, if you’re go-
ing to be in business.”
Currently enrolled at the State University
of New York-Canton studying Funeral Ser-
vice Administration he received his Certified
Funeral Service Practitioner designation in
2015 from the APFSA and is a member of
both the NYSFDA and NFDA.
*Edited version. Original submitted by Shawn’te
C.R. Harvell, student, FSAD420 Current Issues
in Funeral Service; Professor Glenn Bower; State
University of New York-Canton.
PO Box 5159
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