Disaster can strike when you are least expecting it. Prepare in advance to keep your funeral home safe. What is an Emergency Action Plan? An emergency action plan (EAP) is just what it sounds like: a prepared response to any emergency, such as a natural disaster or violent attack....
Funeral homes are directly affected by the opioid crisis, which continues to impact families all over the country. Death care industry professionals must prepare to deal with practical and emotional matters caused by deaths from opioid use. What is the Opioid Crisis? The opioid crisis is the ongoing epidemic...
Since 2017, the US death care industry has experienced a compound annual growth rate of over 4%. Experts expect this growth to continue and for the industry to generate up to $68 billion in revenue by 2023. Do you own a funeral home, cemetery, or other death care business?...
In the death care industry, profit margins can be slim due to the rising costs of running a funeral home. Fortunately, you can protect and even improve your profits by converting your fixed costs to variable costs. Fixed costs are your unchanging funeral home expenses. Examples include your employee salaries, taxes, office supplies, and so...
In recent times, funeral homes are experiencing increased pressure from different angles. One of these is an increase in cremation rates, which drives down revenue. Another is an increase in e-commerce shopping, which also reduces profits. Lastly, funeral homes must comply with all government mandates and regulations, like the...
It’s no secret how important sustainability is for the welfare of our planet. But when considering potentially sensitive locations like funeral homes, concepts such as ethical recycling aren’t often prioritized. However, ethical recycling programs can benefit funeral homes in a variety of ways. These programs also benefit families unable...
Large death care providers, such as Service Corporation International, have used mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to become major players in the highly fragmented funeral industry. Using M&A is an opportunity to combine your business with another business in the death care industry, such as cemeteries and funeral homes, or...
In early February, the Federal Trade Commission announced it will begin reviewing the Funeral Industry Practices Rule, commonly referred to as the Funeral Rule. As part of their review, they are requesting feedback from the public regarding what effect, either positive or negative, the rule has had on them—if...
In 2017, the National Funeral Directors Association reported that the median cost of a funeral was $7,360 for viewing and burial with no vault, $8,755 for viewing and burial with vault, and $6,260 for viewing and cremation. These figured don’t take cemetery, monument, or market costs into account, nor...
Most everyone knows that daily living can impact the environment in countless ways. Now, more and more people are realizing that death care can, too. Accordingly, a study performed by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) revealed that 54 percent of all Americans are now considering a green burial....