My discussion of reinvention / transformation has sparked more comment (online and offline) than most any other topic. Clearly it is on every one's mind. As we continue to explore this topic it is important...maybe critical...that we realize that we have an obligation to ourselves and to the public to be conscious of keeping a [...]
What is the link between Terrorism and Funeral Service? Well, you have to read a very short story and watch an even shorter video to find out. But the rewards will be worth it because I am going to reveal some of my secret sauce. A few years ago a friend shared that: "Alan see [...]
There is a level of neglect in our profession that will (and is) causing too many to approach the end of their careers facing great disappointment, forcing the postponement of retirement or spending retirement much more humbly than anticipated. It is too dangerous to be considered benign. Dangerous, certainly, at the individual firm level. [...]
Last week I referred to Andrew Grove's comments relative to the reinvention of Intel in which he referred to the process as the "Valley of Death." Strategic Inflection Points: what happens to a business when a major change takes place in its competitive environment... what is key is that they require a fundamental change in [...]
Reinvention will soon become the latest catchword in the DeathCare professions. I agree! Reinvention has been a long time coming. But I fear that many have already mistaken cosmetic touchups to our traditional practices as reinvention thus fooling themselves into continued complacency. There are many shades of reinvention and the magnitude of the one called [...]
This question and its brother: "How much does a funeral cost?" Are non questions. When we attempt to answer them directly with rational logical explanations we only end up annoying most people. Especially if we weigh them down with a litany of hours, cost of having a building and the time we waste being ready [...]
I know you are busy but YOU HAVE TO READ THIS! If you want to know what our future is about then I want to share a key example. Something that began just a few years ago and is now starting to pop up with a frequency that makes it into a trend. A trend [...]
A few years ago I was meeting with a husband and wife who operated a very successful funeral home. Like most successful people they were always looking for new ideas to help them stay in front of their competitors. To protect their privacy I'll call them Bill and Jane. Over the course of our two [...]
My friend, Ed Mazur of Kapinos-Mazur Funeral Home, ran a very successful PR / Public Service program in his local community. The campaign featured this poster and newspaper ads. Weekends were set aside to encourage parents to clean out unused medication from their medicine cabinets and bring them to the funeral home. On the first [...]
Why is bigger better when it comes to creating memorable experiences? Look at any successful service business, whether it’s a hospital, a hotel, a restaurant or even a funeral home, and you’re bound to come away with one undeniable message: the experience you create for your customers and guests is crucial to the future of [...]
