Six Blind Funeral Directors – 2nd installment
A Rational Approach To The Future
Last week we explored the theoretical approach to our future using the allegory of the Six Blind Funeral Directors. This week we explore a Rational Approach.
Our first question is: What do we know?
We know that our market has changed and most of us have not. We know that the public wants something different, but we aren’t sure what it is. We know that we are spending more time explaining our value to the public and to ourselves than we used to. We also know we aren’t completely sure what our value is…at least, in consumer terms. We know what customers should do and at the same time we know what they don’t want to do.
30 years ago, our product was simple. Society defined what to do when someone died and thereby defined value. Consumers only had two choices to make: which funeral home to use and what merchandise to buy. Today, our product is complex. Society is no longer dictating what to do but it is inferring what not to do. So, the definition of value has become ambiguous. Without the necessary clarity value defaults to price. For the first time in our country’s history, doing nothing is an option.
Rationally, we must be assertive in defining value and expressing it in a way that connects with the public. This is both difficult and stressful because funeral service has always been passive, unobtrusive and servile in its relationship with the market. When societal norms were in our favor, that made sense. But if we want to reverse current trends, we are going to have to take responsibility and become assertive. Fortunately, there is much to say in our defense…we just have to say it in the right way.
The second question is: What is the right way?
Consumers are already telling us the answer. They want a collaborative interactive approach. They want the funeral director to be more active as a mentor and muse helping them define meaning and a realistic, practical way to express why the life of the deceased mattered. It really isn’t any harder than that.
The conventional arrangement conference has highly transactional overtones. When society told us what to do, that made sense. Consumers, today, find that approach objectionable. So, our first step is to learn how to make funeral arrangements in collaborative ways with mutually beneficial outcomes. I like to refer to that method as “Appreciative Inquiry.” I borrowed that term from Organizational Theory. If you look up the definition in Wikipedia it will give you a good idea of how it is different.
Some of you are aware that Danny Jefferson and I have launched a consulting company called Two Guys and a Question. We train funeral directors how to Merchandise their Service Charge. We rely heavily on appreciative inquiry which results in greater bonding with family. That, in turn, creates a safe environment for people to explore options. This exploration results in increased average sale as well as increased volume.
This is good stuff Alan !
This is the perfect tine for you and Danny to co-create a new path for funeral the profession.
Congratulations to you both.
This writer attended one of their workshop seminars which was a real eye opener.
I appreciate you giving your intelligent viewpoint on how the funeral service industry is changing. The metaphor of the Six Blind Funeral Directors provides a distinctive prism through which to see the shifting environment.
I just wanna say this is an informative post and series. Advances in technology have upended so many industries, so it’s no surprise to see it start to have a similar impact on the funeral industry.
Fascinating read! The shift from a passive to an assertive stance in the funeral service industry, as highlighted through the allegory of the Six Blind Funeral Directors and the exploration of a Rational Approach, really struck a chord with me. It’s intriguing to see how the industry is adapting (or in many cases, needs to adapt) to changing societal norms and consumer expectations. The concept of “Appreciative Inquiry” you’ve mentioned sounds particularly promising as a way to foster a more collaborative and meaningful interaction between funeral directors and families. It’s about shifting the narrative from transaction to transformation, isn’t it?
I’m curious, though, about the practical challenges funeral directors might face when implementing these more collaborative approaches, especially in an industry steeped in tradition and somewhat resistant to change. How do you see them overcoming these hurdles to truly connect with the modern consumer’s needs? Also, has there been any specific feedback from families who have experienced this more engaged and personalized approach?
Thank you for your input. Those funeral directors who have embraced appreciative inquiry and radical hospitality have universally experienced multi dimensional results. As families explore options in a “safe” environment, the majority select well beyond direct cremation. That’s to our benefit as well as theirs. Additionally, their experience is enriched such that they have a greater appreciation for the arranger and staff. This is highly motivational and makes the process somewhat addictive. Finally, while entirely anecdotal, all who practice this report increased volume. They think it is because people realize they have been spared doing something they might regret.
As far as hidebound profession is concerned, as you might expect, the older are reluctant to move in this direction and will finish their career the way they started it when caskets =ed value. The younger get quite excited and we expect that will be where the turnaround will eventually occur.