This month I have asked Mr. John Berry, CEO and President of Lifetime Lookback, LLC to share his thoughts on Embracing a New Era in Remembrance. John would love to hear your thoughts and comments. You can reach him at jberry@lifetimelookback.com or visit his website at www.lifetimelookback.com.
Like it or not, a new era in remembrance is upon the pre-need and at-need death care industry. Aside from the latest technologies, a vast array of considerations play a critical role in how businesses and the public progress through the transition into the digital age of memorialization.
The evolution began a quarter century ago – at the dawn of the new millennium. Those born in the middle to late stages of the last century already recognize that the “younger generation” is not following the traditional practices of gravesite remembrance. Those who do, understand and embrace a deeper process of remembrance utilizing technology to access meaningful aspects of a life which for centuries has typically been commemorated by a monument, niche or urn. At the forefront of this transition is the Internet, a portal to the past that can enrich the experience of paying respects at the memorial site. As the plethora of advanced mobile devices grows, the ability of the Internet to connect users of these devices to memorial content faster, easier and more efficiently creates choices for how users elect to interact with the online connection.
To this end, companies have literally sprung to life overnight – touting the latest methods of creating a remote connection, including embedded memory chips in monuments, remote memory devices, QR codes and photo recognition. What can often get lost in the myriad of connectivity is the very essence of the experience – to interact and appreciate the meaning of the content. Putting aside the connection, the platform which the content is hosted becomes vitally important – as is the research and development time that companies invest in the longevity, adaptability and security of their web based pages. When businesses evaluate the best choices for enhancing the remembrance process through technology and web based content, there are multiple factors to consider. What steps has the vendor taken to ensure the lifespan of the content? Is the vendor’s platform modifiable to accept the latest technological advances that we all know will someday be relevant? Has the vendor taken the necessary steps to research any existing patents for the use of the technology they are utilizing – and if so, have they ignored or invested in this knowledge and the protected commodity it represents? As an example, the use of QR codes to access online memorial content is protected under several US Patents. Unless a company has secured licensing rights to the US Patent (or owns the patented rights themselves), the content they host is at risk due to infringement. Nothing would be more detrimental to the public’s acceptance of digital remembrance than to see their cherished memories disappear due to a lack of due diligence on the part of the company they, or their vendor, elect to use for this valuable service.
Above all, it remains vitally important for the death care industry to embrace and accommodate the younger generation who seek to remember loved ones through technology vs. traditional visitation to memorial sites. Ignoring this evolution creates a void that will only further expand as time marches on and society seeks new ways to connect to one another, and the lives of those they cherish.
In the end, recognizing that we are living in an age which promises many new avenues for richer remembrance brings with it responsibilities. Responsibility to keep the meaning of memorial content a first priority - and the method of connection to that content of secondary importance. Responsibility to invest the time and effort necessary to make a lasting commitment to a program that works well into the future. And lastly, responsibility to embrace change and accept that the traditional means of remembrance is evolving, and will continue to evolve for generations to come.