Page B9 November 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on B Innovative Startup focuses on the Survivability of Funeral Service in a Difficult and Changing Market remains. I could rotate the remains on their side. I could casket the remains, and then I could move the casket plus the remains onto a church truck. Just me.” The advent of women in more roles coincides with a notable influx of new business. The funeral business is booming. Low staffing is a problem that is not going away and is, in fact, getting worse. Gender equality is one concrete step toward attracting recent graduates and millennials in general. Deathcare is in the unique position of having a talented, qualified pool fromwhich to hire. The key is to position your company to attract from this pool in today’s ever-increasing “workplace perks” environment. Equipment is a solid investment because it serves the dual purpose of attracting the talent and benefitting the workflow of the business. Many touted perks in this age do not have this practicality. Free espresso stations and working remotely will not yield the same payoff as functional equipment. Equipment that is still on the cutting edge of employee accommodations while many funeral homes play catch up with the trend. It does need to be underscored that change is afoot. “Funeral professionals are working with limited staff and often find themselves working alone when presented with heavy cases or difficult home removal situations,” states Hill. The gradual increase in new graduates will help with these situations. However, this appears to be a generation that realizes manpower is a commodity that is in high demand. Just because a person has the capacity to do the physical labor in lifting situations does not mean they will be safely able to do it… or even inclined to accept a job where assistance is not available. Making changes to pivot for the rise of women in deathcare makes sense now. The needle is moving and it is a job interviewee’s market. The right equipment will create ease and safety. This is appealing to new hires. As Brenda Stratton of Mortuary Lift says, “It’s time to work smarter, not harder.” Learn more at www.mortuarylift.com. Embracing Untapped Demographics During a Time of Understaffing Katie Hill Brenda Stratton The Ultimate Lift CEDAR RAPIDS,IA— Y2K marked the beginning of a new century and a new dawn in the funeral industry. It was a groundbreaking year as the number of women surpassed the number of men enrolling in funeral service programs, according to The Director, and by 2021 almost three times more women than men enrolled in funeral service education programs. Since that the beginning of this century, the trend has robustly increased in all facets of deathcare. Now, the question becomes how will we best embrace this underappreciated, untapped demographic during a time of vast understaffing? A long-standing belief that women are the more compassionate and nurturing sex will be an asset to the industry and also a clue about how to hold on to employees. According to Katie Hill, president of Mortuary Lift Company, “I think women naturally gravitate toward this industry because of their innate ability to care and nurture. Recognizing and utilizing their true value is crucial to moving forward.” A work environment that caters to the comfort and efficiency of the employees will be paramount in creating the next evolution of the funeral home workplace. Surroundings are poised to become a more integral part of how business gets done. Work duties like dressing, casketing, and home removal require innovative means to get the job done. It is an onerous task to move a dead body. The difficulty is compounded in solo lifting situations. Finding workable solutions is becoming the norm. The trend is to incorporate machines to interact with people. It is biological that women are not as strong as men. Men possess significantly more skeletal muscle, 40 percent more upper body strength and 33 percent more lower body strength, according to the BBC. This means empowering women with the right equipment. The Ultimate Lift 1000 by Mortuary Lift Company makes it safe and efficient to move bodies while minimizing physical risk. The Stepper is a complementary (or standalone) option that makes transporting a body a seamless experience that, once again, ensures the safety of the funeral director and employees. “I’m a licensed female funeral director. I grew up above a funeral home. I’ve done the hazardous work. I know what I love about this industry and it’s not the heavy lifting,” says Hill, “I had to work alone and often found myself needing help. With the lift, I could do everything alone. I could dress remains. I could get union suits on. I could wash under the LOVELAND,CO— From Covid to disposition choices and less traditional funeral rituals, funeral service has found itself in a battle for revenue in a difficult market. The Funeral Service Collective founded by Ken Biery, a United States Army veteran and funeral director for 25 years has created real solutions for funeral homes and cemeteries. “My team and I actively study consumer trends and use our experiences both in and out of the industry to create new revenue earning programs for funeral homes and cemeteries,” says Biery. CEO Sarah Schmitz adds “Our team spans from Gen X to Gen Z which gives us a wider view of the future landscape of consumers when it comes to funeral service.” COO Aaron Biery believes that new technology and marketing are both vital in today’s marketplace, but also suggesting that there must be more. He stated, “Something that changes us from a one dimensional to a multi-dimensional industry is what’s needed in today’s marketplace.” The Funeral Service Collective has rolled out programs that include “The Collective “which saves 35% to 50% of annual funeral home overhead cost while increasing call volume. They bring in “Every Day Commerce” through beautifully designed specialty shops at your existing location. Their “Innovative Spaces” program is reimagining the breadth and use of existing funeral/event spaces. Another FSC program, “All Communities Engagement,” helps bring more people through your doors daily. “We love innovating and creating unique ideas for our clients. We look and act differently than other consulting companies, “says Ken. “Our COO Aaron is an avid outdoorsman and introduced us to hammock meetings. We set up our hammocks and have creative idea sessions. “A combination of nature, relaxation and fun helps provide the inspiration for a lot of our ideas,” says Aaron. Currently the group is working with a client on building a state-of-the-art facility that will usher in a new era of innovation for the industry. The location will include dynamic contemporary designed rooms that can be used as funeral and memorial spaces. These spaces can be perfectly utilized for weddings, private, corporate, and public events as well. In addition, it will also house a coffee shop, bakery, and a flower shop. The specialty shops will be accessible to the community through a separate entrance. This allows for everyday business without disrupting services or events in the other parts of the building. “Our Every Day Commerce” program can provide thousands in additional revenue monthly for the funeral home, especially during slow times. You still have money coming in the door every day,” says Schmitz. “We don’t just do new builds; we can work with any existing space or location. We have a network of amazing corporate partners that help with all our projects.” says Travis Bailey, director of sales. “The event space is not a new idea and has been used in the past; some have had success and others have not. We have created a system which includes event planners to take the hassle of event planning off the plate of the funeral home staff. More importantly, it allows for an increased use of existing chapel space that is probably only being used as low as 15% to 20% of the time,” says Ken. Venue rentals typically charge per hour and have a minimum number of hours required to rent. Many charge anywhere from $100 per hour to $2,000+ per hour. At most wedding venues, during non-peak hours the costs of use range from $3,500 - $7,500 on average. On the contrary, during peak hours of the week, those prices very quickly rise to $10,000+ per wedding. According to NFDA’s 2022 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Report, 55.6% of respondents have attended a funeral at a non-traditional location. (https://nfda.org/ news/statistics) Consumer trends show that today’s consumer prefers an experience over a more traditional service and chapel feel. Which could lead to more services being held in a more contemporary space. Our motto is, All of Us, For You,” says Ken. “We believe the future of funeral service is adaptability and survivability. We created this business out of a love for the industry, our goal is to be able to help every funeral home and cemetery that is struggling to survive or any business that is looking for solutions to succeed in a tough market.” For further information you can contact The Funeral Service Collective at www.funeralservicecollective.com or by calling 970-308-6198. www.vischerfuneralsupplies.com
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