The Funeral Times Trade Show Ireland 2023 is just around the corner, poised to become a pivotal event in the Irish funeral industry as the first convention since the difficult Covid-19 period we’ve all been through.

This year there’s an extensive line-up of Irish exhibitors including Obit Funeral Management! We’re delighted to participate in the exhibition and are committed to driving innovation in the industry through our leading software solutions. The event in general is expected to offer invaluable insights and introduce all kinds of products and solutions to funerary professionals from across the country. As the industry grapples with the post-Covid landscape and evolving customer needs, the upcoming trade show will provide an opportune moment for networking, knowledge exchange, and strategic planning. Whether you are an existing client or not, we look forward to meeting you all in-person!

In this article, we explore what attendees can expect from the Funeral Times Trade Show Ireland 2023 and how it will shape the future of the industry on the island.

A Gathering of Industry Professionals:

Scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023, from 12 noon to 7:30 pm, and Wednesday, October 4th, 2023, from 10 am to 4 pm, the Funeral Times Trade Show Ireland 2023 is a 2 day event. This year it will be held at The Pavilion at Leopardstown Racecourse which is located just outside Dublin. It will as usual, attract a diverse range of professionals from the Irish funeral industry. Undertakers, embalmers, stonemasons, and funeral service providers will come together to share knowledge, discuss challenges, and explore emerging trends. This unique gathering provides a platform for building connections, fostering collaborations, and gaining insights into the latest developments shaping the industry.

Exhibitors and Showcase of Innovations

With around 75 exhibitors, the Funeral Times Trade Show Ireland 2023 is a landmark event and offers attendees an extensive showcase of leading products and services. From hearse outfitters and funeral software providers, such as Obit, to coffin makers and suppliers of memorial products, the exhibition floor will be buzzing with the latest services designed to enhance funeral experiences and meet the evolving needs of families in their time of grief. Visitors can expect to engage with industry-leading companies, explore funeral tech, and discover new approaches to delivering compassionate and personalised funeral services.

Insightful Seminars and Talks

The Funeral Times Trade Show Ireland 2023 goes beyond the exhibition floor, offering a series of informative seminars and talks. These sessions occur in parallel to the main event and provide a platform for industry experts, thought leaders, and professionals to share their knowledge and expertise. Topics may include regulatory updates, best practices in funeral planning and arrangement, grief support, eco-friendly funeral options, and advancements in funeral technology. Attendees can expect to gain insights and actionable takeaways to enhance their services and stay at the forefront of industry trends.

Networking and Collaboration Opportunities

One of the main reasons to participate is the unparalleled networking and collaboration opportunities it offers.  Visitors will have the chance to connect with other funeral professionals, forge new partnerships or strengthen existing relationships within the industry. Informal discussions, networking events, and a plentiful supply of Irish beer throughout the trade show will facilitate interactions. The highlight of the social aspect will be the traditional dinner at the end of the first day of the trade show. Connections made here can pave the way for future collaborations, knowledge sharing, and industry advancements.

See you soon!

We have a few extra wrinkles since you last saw us at a physical event but will be proud to show the powerful features we have added to Obit during the Covid years; new filters, dashboard, check-lists and more! All aimed at making the funeral directors' life easier"

Anyone wishing to arrange a focused session should just send a message through our website or over email. See you at FT23!

What is Deathcare in the UK?

Deathcare is a term that is used to describe any business or organisation that provides products or services related to death. Examples of deathcare include crematoria, coffin makers, headstone suppliers, and of course, funeral directors. Every business or organisation that is involved in the improvement of death-related services is also considered part of the deathcare industry.

The UK Deathcare Industry

The deathcare industry is one that is shrouded in mystery for many people. For many parts of society, the act of dying and the concept of death are treated as taboo subjects. This feeling of unease and discomfort around the topic of death increases its mysterious qualities. As such, the deathcare industry and how it operates is unclear to many people.

For customers seeking the services of the deathcare industry, they are likely to be experiencing one of the most challenging times in their lives. Arranging a funeral and dealing with all the associated paperwork and tasks can be highly distressing. Coupled with a feeling of uncertainty about how to perform these tasks, it is fair to say that most people feel overwhelmed by the practical processes required when a loved one dies.

The deathcare industry exists to take care of the practicalities of a person dying but also to offer a service sensitive to the needs of their loved ones. Those businesses operating within the deathcare sector have a high level of responsibility and a duty to provide the highest level of service at all times. As such, the deathcare industry is unique and faces challenges not experienced by other sectors.

The UK Deathcare Industry Statistics

Despite the fact that many people try to avoid the subject of death, its presence is unavoidable. Death forms part of everyday life, and as such, the UK is home to a large number of deathcare services and businesses that take care of every aspect of the after-death process. Here is a snapshot of the UK deathcare industry in numbers:

●      According to the Worldwide Population Review, in the UK, there are 1,679 deaths per day (as of 30/11/2022).

●      The Cremation Societystates that as of 2021, there are 315 crematoriums in the UK.

●      Figures from The Cremation Society also show that in 2021, 78.40% of the deceased were cremated.

●      According to figures from IBIS World, the UK funeral industry is worth £2.7 billionand employs almost 31,000 people in the UK.

As these statistics show, deathcare is a big business and an industry that will always be in demand. But, like every industry, the deathcare sector must continue to evolve to provide the highest level of service to both the deceased and their families. Below we will examine the changes that the deathcare industry is facing and how this impacts the future of the industry.

Changes in the UK Deathcare Industry

There is no escaping the fact that everyone will need the services of the deathcare industry at some point. The deathcare industry is uniquely placed, and few other industries can claim that everyone on the planet will one day require their services. Although deathcare services will always be needed, this does not mean that there is room for complacency within the industry.

Funerals and the subject of deathcare have followed traditional practices for many years, but times are now changing. Funeral directors, and the industry at large, must meet these changes to enable them to continue operating successfully. Here are some of the recent changes that have been introduced to deathcare:

Introduction of New Technology

New services such as funeral streaming and virtual ceremonies have begun to appear and look likely to stay. The connections to the recently departed are increasingly international and technology is bridging that physical gap.

Meanwhile the introduction of funeral management software has already helped funeral businesses streamline their offering and operate more efficiently. With less time spent on paperwork and admin, this new breed of software enables funeral directors to focus on building their businesses. Tasks such as sending quotes and invoices can be performed from anywhere, whether out on a call or at home. Utilising funeral management software will enable funeral directors to enjoy the same potential for hybrid working as many other industries that now offer opportunities to work from home.

New CMA Rules and FCA Regulation

Following a review, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that by September 2021, funeral directors must introduce greater transparency in their pricing. This new rule was implemented in part to prevent consumers from being faced with hidden costs. The rule will also address the issue of how bereaved families can be advised on buying funeral services by funeral directors during their time of distress. This increased transparency should reduce the prevalence of hidden costs, confusion about pricing and should foster a more consistent, standardised pricing structure throughout the industry. Going forward, funeral directors and crematoria are required to list their pricing structure on their websites and at their premises.

Under the new rules, funeral directors will also no longer be allowed to make incentive payments to hospitals, hospices, and care homes to promote their services. For many funeral directors who didn't undertake these practices in the first place, this effectively levels the playing field for them.

FCA regulation also came into force as of 2022. The FCA will now directly oversee the selling of funeral plans to ensure that they are not mis-sold to consumers. These new regulatory powers will encourage greater transparency in the sale of funeral plans and the receipt of the actual plan itself.

Increased Eco-Awareness

The impact that the deathcare industry has on the environment has been subject to much debate in recent years. Responding to calls for the industry to make changes to become greener is essential. Right now, there are many new ideas being discussed on how the industry as a whole can become greener. Some of these changes could significantly impact the sector. Others, such as the reduction of paperwork, are part of the inevitable technological advancement in the industry. To ensure continued demand for their services, companies engaged in deathcare need to be at the forefront of these changes, taking the lead and evolving accordingly.

For forward-thinking UK deathcare businesses, the future is bright. Implementing changes required by increased regulatory powers and adapting to new technology may take time. But, if this is embraced, there are many opportunities for funeral businesses to thrive.

Of all the industries that operate in the UK, the funeral industry is one of the few to always be guaranteed customers. In 2021, 586,334 deaths were recorded in England and Wales; while this is a decrease from the previous year, it still represents a significant demand for funerals.

However, although demand for funeral services might be high, as every funeral director knows, competition in this sector is tough. The deathcare business is both complicated and dynamic with an estimated 7,000 funeral directors in the UK, all vying for the attention of potential customers. Some of these are independent family-run funeral homes to ensure they stand out from the many other funeral directors in their area. Others are corporate giants building out branches of branded funeral services across the country.

The legal framework is not straight forward either. Recent changes in the UK funeral industry have made it even more important for funeral directors to take a closer look at their marketing efforts. In 2021, an in-depth review of the UK funeral sector was conducted by the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA). As a result of the review, the way that funeral directors are allowed to operate and market themselves changed.

Before the new CMA regulations came into force, some funeral directors generated business with little oversight. There are now new CMA rules and all UK funeral directors are required to abide by them. As deathcare regulations tighten and the wider advertising sector also undergoes rapid change, it is more important than ever to understand the nuances of advertising funeral services.

In this challenging environment, funeral directors need to establish compliant and sustainable ways to advertise and promote their businesses. If you are in this situation, please read on to learn how you can help your funeral home get noticed and attract new customers with funeral advertising and marketing.

Develop a Marketing Plan

Writing a marketing plan is an essential first step when trying to advertise your funeral services. A good marketing plan enables you to establish clear goals around what you want to achieve from your promotional efforts. It then establishes exactly how you will make this happen. What channels you will use? How frequently you will publish content and how much it will cost you.

When writing your marketing strategy, it is essential to analyse your competitors so you can see what you are up against and how your business compares. Have a look at their flyers, their social media and even their reviews to look for clues as to how they are performing.

Find Your USP

When competing against multiple funeral services, it can feel impossible to make your business stand out from its competitors. The good news is there is a solution to this issue. Finding your funeral home’s unique selling proposition (USP) will enable you to differentiate it from the other funeral service companies available.

To determine your USP, you could research the other companies to assess what your funeral service does differently. Or, you may have an obvious difference in your business, such as specialising in eco-friendly funerals, being female-run or arranging funerals of a specific religious group. Whatever the differentiator your company has, highlighting it and weaving it into all your messaging is an excellent way to stand out from the crowd.

Focus on Your Own Website

Your business website is the front door of your funeral home and one of your greatest assets when it comes to promoting your funeral services. Ensuring that your website showcases your business in the best way possible will help you capture more visitors and turn them into new customers.

Ensuring you offer high-quality content and provides a meaningful experience for potential customers is important. To deliver a positive user experience, you should ensure your site is easy to navigate and features all the content that your potential customers would expect to find in a logical way. Don’t forget to include digital funeral notices. If you use software to manage your funeral home they may offer to embed notices for you and it is known to attract more visitors to your site, raising your brand awareness.

Making it as easy as possible for people to find all the information they need is especially important for funeral websites, as your potential customers might be elderly or visit you in a state of distress. Planning a funeral can be an overwhelming and unexpected task. So, making it as easy as possible for potential customers to use your site makes it that little more likely they’ll choose your business. Test it regularly yourself to make sure no buttons or forms are broken.

Create a Google Business Profile

As well as working on optimising your website, you’ll also want to create a Google Business Profile which enables you to be more visible to people searching for funeral services. Once you have claimed your free Google Business Profile, you will be able to update it. Adding useful information for your potential customers, such as your opening hours, phone number, and a photo of your business, will help your business to get noticed.

It is important, for both you and Google, that the information found on services such Google Maps is up to date. Keeping on top of this may also benefit you in other ways, for example through rich snippets which enhance the way you appear in search engines and make it easier for you to be contacted.

Build Your Traffic

Once your website and  Google Profile is looking good you’ll need to start driving more traffic to it. A good way to start is by regularly posting to your own blog and social media. Focus on quality more than frequency. Working on ensuring that your website is SEO-optimised is part of this effort but you’ll also need to work on off-site tactics. This involves making sure you are listed on relevant directories, setting up and maintaining your Google business profile and building backlinks through guest posts on relevant media, interviews with local press or partnerships with local florists or other suppliers. Over time, consistently working on your content and being open to opportunities to appear on others’ content will improve your positioning in search engines.

Use Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

Using pay-per-click (PPC) is an example of paid media that often proves beneficial to service businesses. The most commonly bought PPC ads are Google Ads although Microsoft and others offer similar services. You will need to define keywords to bid on and design targeted campaigns that focus on the geography and demography that matches your customer base. Be sure to be specific, you can always expand later. If you want those instant leads but it sounds too complicated you can hire a marketing freelancer or an agency to give you a hand.

If you decide to do it yourself and launch your own PPC campaign, be sure to monitor it regularly. Checking the account regularly is the best way to ensure that it is working. Check that you appear on the right search terms and that the bids are profitable. If you have set up conversion tracking correctly, you will be able to see which keywords are generating visits, calls and form submits. You’ll also see those which are costing you money and not delivering any useful results. Based on these kinds of metrics, you will be able to tweak your campaign to ensure that it performs optimally. Remember to take seasonality into account.

Be active in your community

Don’t forget that you yourself may be one of the most effective promotional channels you have. If you are a caring and engaging member of your community, potential customers will naturally gravitate toward your services. Corporate funeral chains won’t be able to compete with you on this front. Don’t be afraid to attend local events, partner with local associations and perhaps run support groups linked to your aftercare services. Don’t overdo it but genuine engagement with community groups is often appreciated and remembered.

Monitor Your Results

Last but not least, one of the most crucial things you need to do when advertising your funeral services is to monitor your results. Measuring how many leads are generated as a result of your advertising activities is vital and provides valuable information you can use to inform future campaigns. Google Analytics is one of the best known services for this and it is free of charge. Setting it up will help you track all sorts of metrics and discover which advertising methods deliver the best results. You can then focus more on these in the future to get the best return on your investment.

The deathcare industry is changing. While many people think of funeral care as a traditional business immune to the passing of time, this is not the case. Keeping up with the latest changes and trends is just as crucial for funeral directors as for businesses operating in any other industry.

Understanding customer expectations and developments within the industry is vital to ensure that your funeral business thrives. But the question is, what does a modern funeral director look like, and what specific sectoral shifts do funeral businesses need to be aware of? In this blog, we will explore what it means to be a modern funeral director and the changes that deathcare businesses need to adapt to ensure future success in the industry.

Modern Funeral Trends

Until relatively recently, funerals were highly traditional occasions. In the past, most funerals followed the same formula and few people strayed away from this tried and tested option. These days, more and more people have started breaking away from tradition and actively plan alternative ceremonies. This means that funeral directors increasingly need to respond to requests for non-traditional funerals and begin offering a wider range of services than they might be used to. Understanding what their customers want and responding to the demand for new services is essential to keeping your business competitive.

Here are some of the latest funeral trends that we recommend every modern funeral director be aware of:

Direct Cremations

While cremations have always followed a set formula, there is now a rise in the number of direct cremations. Direct cremations are a relatively new concept and feature a cremation without a commemorative event on the same day. This means there is no funeral service or wake at a direct cremation.

Research from the University of Bath indicates that direct cremations may be becoming more popular as the need to have a large number of people come together to commemorate the deceased’s life is not always required. Instead, many people are opting for smaller, more intimate, memorial services to celebrate the lives of their loved ones, and these events do not necessarily take place on the same day as the cremation.

Environmentally-Friendly Funerals

Environmentally-friendly funerals have begun to increase in popularity in recent years and we predict this trend to continue. As people become increasingly eco-aware, it follows that the trend for green funerals continues to rise. As a modern funeral director, keeping up-to-date with the latest options in environmentally-friendly funerals is essential.

Consider expanding your range of eco-friendly coffins and offering electric-powered vehicles as funeral cars. These are just two examples of how you can begin introducing a green strategy to your funeral business. You may also reduce the use of paper by digitising your archives and embracing a funeral management software solution.

Increase in Non-Religious Funerals

Non-religious funeral services are also on the rise, and the traditional church funeral service is no longer the accepted norm. Instead, an increasing number of people are choosing to hold celebration of life events or Humanist ceremonies. This is a key change and reflects the growing choice to reject convention and take a more religiously neutral approach to funerals.

While awareness of different faiths remains an important part of any funeral director's training, learning how to hold atheist funerals is also essential.

Changes in Compliance and Regulation

The past years have brought significant challenges and changes to the funeral care industry. The increase in funerals and associated restrictions brought about by the pandemic meant that funeral directors had to quickly adapt to constantly changing guidelines. But, now that demand for funerals has dropped back to normal levels and restrictions have eased, modern funeral directors must adapt to new challenges.

The latest changes that funeral directors must adapt to are related to compliance and regulation. The newly-formed Independent Funeral Standards Organisation (IFSO) has now taken over the monitoring of standards in the funeral industry. This new organisation was created by the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and will now be in charge of inspections and monitoring compliance within the industry.

Alongside the change in regulation, modern funeral directors also need to be aware of changes in how funeral plans are sold and marketed. As of July 2022, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced rules that funeral plan providers must follow. The FCA is introducing these rules to ensure that funeral plans are sold fairly and will perform as they should. These regulations follow the CMA’s recently introduced oversight of funeral pricing and transparency when communicating costs.

Being aware of all these recent changes and keeping up with them is essential to ensure your business is operating to the required standard. As increased rules are introduced, it is crucial to continue monitoring industry news to ensure that you are ready for the implementation of any future regulations and are fully prepared.

Advances in Technology

One positive change that every modern funeral director can benefit from is the recent advances in deathcare technology. Funeral management software, in particular, has been transformative for funeral directors and takes away many of the time-consuming processes that are associated with a paper-based approach. Using cloud software enables the funeral industry to work in the same way as every other modern business.

As a modern funeral director, you need to be able to access your data wherever you are, not just at the office. Working remotely is now the norm for many people and funeral directors have long spent time away from their desks as part of their daily routine but this need not be a hindrance to your funeral business when you use cloud software. Whether you or your staff are out on a call, at home, or the office, accessing your data should be a seamless process.

Modern funeral directors need to operate efficiently to win business and ensure that customers receive the best service. Not only that, using technology to manage their businesses in a most cost-efficient manner will give them a competitive advantage versus other local funeral homes.

Now is an exciting time to run a funeral business. A change in the traditional ways of conducting funeral services enables consumers to exercise greater choice and increases options for personalisation and differentiated services. Technological advancements provide many opportunities for modern funeral directors to equip themselves for the changes to come. With the right software, understanding of customers’ needs and compliance with new regulations, modern funeral directors can expect to outperform more traditionalist outfits.

Not all funerals have to be religious. 37.2% of the UK population claim to be either atheist or having no religion. As well as atheists, who disbelieve the existence of a God, there are plenty of people who are agnostic about God, or follow spiritual practices without adhering to a particular religion. This data stands in stark contrast to a decade ago, when only around 15% of the population were self-proclaimed atheists.

In light of these changing trends, it is important for funeral homes to cater for those who wish to have a secular, or atheist funeral service. It is no longer a given that a funeral must be Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or any other religion. It can simply celebrate the deceased’s memory without relating to God or the afterlife. Imposing religious themes or messaging upon a funeral service against the wishes of the family could cause offence, as well as potentially losing their custom.

But what is involved in an atheist funeral service, and how can funeral directors incorporate secular ceremonies into their current offerings?

Religious Funeral Services vs. Atheist Funeral Services

There are many similarities between a religious and an atheist funeral service. Both forms of ceremony are intended to celebrate the life of the person who has died, and provide a means for their family and friends to get together and say goodbye. Both funerals will feature some form of service, possibly involving speeches, music, and remembrances from their life. In the same way as a religious funeral, the deceased may be either buried or cremated in a coffin or casket.

The key difference between the two is that a religious ceremony will focus to some extent on the afterlife, to which the loved ones of the deceased believe they will have moved on. It will involve a celebration of their passing on from life to death and religious imagery may feature heavily. There are likely to be hymns and religious readings, while the service itself sometimes takes part in a place of worship or religious significance. An atheist funeral, on the other hand, will focus predominantly on life rather than death. Any readings and songs will have an emotional connection to the deceased rather than any religious meaning. One significant difference is that an atheist funeral could take place in any location, such as a community centre, a loved one’s home, or even outdoors in nature. The body may or may not be present, and the family and friends may have their own unique customs and rituals upon which they have decided.

Tips to Prepare an Atheist Funeral Service

So how can you go about preparing an atheist funeral service, particularly if you have historically only offered religious ceremonies in the past? Here are a few tips to get you started.

Talk to the family

One atheist funeral will be completely different from another, so it’s essential you communicate with the family of the deceased to identify exactly what they envision from their funeral service. They may have a clear idea of precisely what they want, from the decor to the individual readings. In this case, your job is easy and you merely have to provide what is asked for. But if the family is unsure of the best course of action, you will likely need to provide suggestions, which can be difficult if you’re not used to preparing secular funerals.

Find the right officiant

Most religious funerals will be held by an officiant who is accustomed to holding a religious ceremony. For an atheist funeral it may be necessary to find an officiant who has experience delivering atheist or humanist services. It may be that the family or friends of the deceased wish to officiate themselves.

Prepare the venue

Not all funerals must be held at a funeral home, and the family may wish for the service to be held in a place that holds sentimental value, such as a home, a pub, or even in the middle of a local woodland. There are no laws that dictate where a funeral can or can’t be held, as long as the owner of the venue or land in question has given permission. When preparing the venue for the service, you must be careful to avoid overtly religious decoration.

Be respectful

It goes without saying that respect must be paid to the loved ones of the deceased at all times. Atheism is increasingly common, and the family may feel strongly about not wanting religion to be a part of the ceremony. Adhere closely to their wishes, and refrain from imposing any religious messaging into the service unless with their express permission. On the other hand, be careful not to appear anti-religious. While the deceased may have been atheist and wished for an atheist funeral it doesn't mean that everyone attending is necessarily an atheist too.

Be flexible

There is no cookie cutter approach to an atheist funeral service. Every single ceremony will have its differences, in accordance with the wishes of the deceased and their loved ones. Be prepared to cater to quirky or unconventional requests. For example, while some people are opting for eco-friendly funerals involving a minimum of fuss and a coffin made of biodegradable materials, others may incorporate rituals of their own design, such as each friend and family member painting the coffin or writing on it a message of remembrance. It’s important to be flexible in accommodating specific funeral requests and be prepared to politely decline a suggestion if it happens to be impossible or inappropriate.

Over time you are likely to undertake an increasing number of them and may develop your own process for arranging such events. If you use funeral home software you may be able to tag atheist funerals as a funeral type to ensure all staff are aware which funerals are atheist.

In conclusion, there are a number of ways to prepare an atheist funeral service. These ceremonies are often joyful celebrations of life, in which religion may feature to some extent, but will not be the focal point. Instead, they are largely centred upon remembering the life of the person who has passed on. When preparing a secular funeral, be sure to find out the exact wishes of the family, and do your best to be flexible and accommodating every step of the way.

The grieving process does not end once the funeral is over. As a funeral director the service you provide after the ceremony is just as important as everything you do before and during the funeral. Every funeral home should provide a thorough aftercare program to their customers, enabling them to manage their grief and find support once the body of their loved one has been laid to rest.

But what is aftercare, and how can you, as a funeral director, establish a program that best meets the needs of your clientele? The following guide looks at the benefits of funeral aftercare and the different services you can provide.

What is Funeral Aftercare and Why is it Important?

Funeral aftercare is a service that assists with the recovery of those grieving from the loss of a loved one. Grief is a complicated process and can manifest itself in a huge variety of different ways. Some people are transparent and communicative in their grief, preferring to talk about it and connect with their loved ones. Others however, may instead become more insular, keeping their feelings to themselves and dealing with their emotions in their own way.

A funeral aftercare program should be designed to provide benefits for everyone, no matter what their proximity to the deceased or the form their individual grief may take. It provides a means of healing and support, offering resources to equip the bereaved with the tools and techniques to celebrate the deceased’s memory while also moving on with their own lives. Furthermore, a good grief management service will establish a bridge between the funeral home and its clientele long after the funeral service has finished, enabling regular and meaningful communication between all parties. It is important that all staff are aware of and trained on aftercare best practice.

What Aftercare Funeral Services Can You Offer?

There is no right or wrong way to provide funeral aftercare to your customers, as there are many different approaches to managing grief and enabling the healing process. Take care to understand each family's circumstances and what might be most appropriate in each case. Here are a few ways that funeral directors can open up lines of communication and provide support for the bereaved after the funeral service is over.

Keep in touch

The value of keeping in touch with the families you have served cannot be overstated. Sometimes the seemingly simple things are the most appreciated. Simply checking in on someone is a huge gesture that means a great deal to those who are struggling with the loss of a loved one. It will not only provide them comfort, but is also a practical way to offer advice and guidance for healing.

Make follow up phone calls, or even a personal visit, in the days immediately after the service. Remind them that they are in your thoughts and you are there to support them if they need it. A personal card or note on an anniversary is also a thoughtful personal touch. Going forward, you can continue to maintain communication through a regular grief support newsletter as well as invitations to community events. Not only will these kind of follow ups be incredibly helpful, but it will also ensure families will think of you if they need a funeral provider in the future, and perhaps even recommend you to others in need.

If you are using funeral software to manage your business you may be able to automatically set reminders or even automate your follow up. Be sure to give a clear option to opt out of communications if you are using email or other digital communications. This shows consideration toward the receiver but, more importantly, is required by law.

Run support groups

A grief support group or workshop is one of the best ways for those who have lost someone to receive aftercare funeral assistance. It can be difficult to process and articulate your emotions when you have gone through a major trauma, and talking to people who understand what you are going through and have been through similar situations can be an immense source of consolation. Hosting a regular group will enable your customers to talk through their feelings or just find healing through listening and companionship. In this role you will act as a facilitator and help guide conversations and share experiences.

Provide grief support materials

For those who are not ready to talk or be around people, a grief support library can be a great starting point. Printed booklets, books, magazines, and videos are all great ways to provide assistance and practical advice for dealing with grief. Your customers should feel free to come in at any time and seek the information they need to process and heal. You don't necessarily need to produce any material yourself. Try to collect feedback on the best resources so you are in a good position to recommend the right resources for the right person.

Alleviate the burden

In the aftermath of a loved one’s death, there is often a lot of work to be done by the family. It’s a hugely stressful time, and one of the most valuable aftercare services you can provide is to help them alleviate the burden. For example, holding a rummage sale or charity donation drive to enable the family to offload the deceased’s belongings to those who need them. You could even put a call out for local volunteers to provide household assistance in the days following the funeral, asking people to use their skills to help mow lawns, look after pets, and care for children. Every community is different, and an independent funeral director who is embedded in the neighbourhood will have a good idea of what practical actions can be undertaken.

Hold community events

A community event, whether for a particular holiday or just a social get together, is a fantastic way to bring people together and establish a spirit of community and goodwill. This kind of aftercare is particularly useful for those who may not have a close support network of family and friends around them. Hold regular events, inviting your past customers as well as members of the local community. You could even feature talks from speakers of various faiths about spirituality and loss. For many this can help break the taboo around death and mourning.

Many events can now be held digitally so consider hosting regular online meetups. This can often be an efficient way of keeping in touch with a large customer base without the cost of hiring or finding a suitable space. For many it is also a more convenient way to attend.

Send gifts

Sending a gift to the families you have helped is not only part of aftercare but shows that you are thinking of them and the person they have lost. Perhaps sending a personalised ornament or flower arrangement to each family or individual who has lost a loved one, or a small token of your thought on subsequent anniversaries. It doesn’t have to be a big or expensive gift as long as it is sincere. It it is the mere act of charity and thoughtfulness that will mean a great deal.

In conclusion, there are so many excellent ways funeral directors can provide aftercare funeral services to their clients. Adopt the methods that suit your business and its customers and you will immediately appreciate the enormous positive impact aftercare can have on the bereaved.

In today’s busy world, every business would be lost without the assistance of technology to aid their day to day operations.  Where would we all be without the everyday use of apps on our mobile phones and tablets?  Apps have become the new normal as they are mobile friendly and quickly accessible on a variety of devices.  From simple applications such as notes and calendars to bespoke software systems, every industry utilises some form of app technology to ensure their business operations continue to run smoothly.  

We asked some of our funeral director colleagues working in the industry - What are the apps that you would be lost without?  Which apps do you use on a daily basis?  Along with information provided by other associates within the funeral industry, we have compiled the top apps that every funeral director should be using in 2021.

Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive

As with most modern businesses, the use of Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive has become an integral part of day to day operations in most funeral directors.  In today’s electronic world, the ability to store and share a variety of documents online has allowed business operations to be streamlined, removing the old-fashioned necessity of having to print and store hundreds of paper documents in the office.  An advantage of using these cloud based apps is that they can be accessed on a variety of platforms or devices from anywhere in the world.  All of these systems have different tiered memberships depending on the individual storage requirements and the needs of the business.  OneDrive links in with all of the Microsoft products (Word, Excel, Powerpoint Etc) and is better priced for many smaller businesses, whereas Dropbox is often preferred by funeral directors as they focus on syncing and backing up files from a variety of operating systems.  Dropbox holds the advantage over OneDrive and Google Drive in terms of faster upload speeds but often funeral directors will use a variety of these apps in conjunction with one another.

Docusign and Adobe sign

The ability to sign legal documents electronically has been one of the most significant upgrades for businesses in recent years.  Apps such as Docusign and AdobeSign have allowed for agreements to be signed digitally without the old fashioned, time consuming process of signing documentation face to face.  E-signatures have been particularly useful in assisting the funeral industry.  Quite often family members of the deceased are geographically located in very different places, but agreements and important decisions regarding the funeral planning can be swiftly reached using these electronic signing apps.  Adobe Sign is part of the Adobe Document cloud suite of services which like Docusign, also offers this service using a browser or mobile device.  Docusign believes that using their technology allows for business to be done faster, greener, with less risk and lower costs.  As consumers are often looking for quicker and increasingly greener alternatives to the paper-based administration of old, these apps are a must have for every modern funeral director.

CamScanner

CamScanner is an incredibly useful app for individuals and businesses.  The app allows the user to scan paper documents through their mobile telephone or device, creating a high definition PDF electronic document.  The app includes features such as autotrim and will automatically lighten the photo, producing a professional PDF scanned document that can be easily shared online. The app also provides a PDF processing tool to support file merging, splitting, compressing, annotating, adding signatures / watermarks and the editing of text in files in the PDF.  The app also includes OCR character recognition as part of its scanning facility.  Using the text recognition feature, long text in a scanned image can be converted to text instantaneously to allow editing of the document prior to the PDF conversion, with more than 40 languages recognised by the app.  CamScanner provides an essential mobile service which when used in conjunction with the other signing apps mentioned above, can create huge efficiency savings for busy funeral directors.

Youtube, Vimeo, Zoom, Facebook and Instagram Live.

During 2020 we witnessed the devastating Covid-19 pandemic which affected every country, particularly impacting the funeral industry.  In addition to the increased number of deaths in 2020 outside of the normal seasonal spikes, social distancing and limitations on attendees have significantly impacted the way in which funerals and other events are conducted.  To combat the limitations on numbers that are allowed to attend funeral services during the pandemic, some funeral directors have begun to use funeral streaming apps such as Livestream by Vimeo or YouTube.  With restrictions in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for funerals to be webcast has increased significantly throughout 2020.  By streaming the webcast online, many more relatives have been able to access the service remotely.  For this reason, the streaming of a funeral has become increasingly popular with families to offer friends and family that cannot physically attend on the day, to still be a part of the proceedings.

Whilst there are a number of options available to funeral directors for these webcasts, the most popular apps used are Livestream by Vimeo, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram Live.  YouTube Live is often considered to be the best platform to livestream services as they allow the funeral director to capture, save and share the memorial service.  However, Zoom is also a great app for live funeral webcasts as it offers a different perspective to the other streaming services.  Whilst the other streaming apps are more of a simple video visual, Zoom allows multiple people to join the same virtual video and voice call, creating a cohesive sense of community, akin to a live service.  Music streaming apps such as Spotify and Apple Music also play an integral role in ensuring the family’s music requests are met by the funeral directors at their loved one’s service.

There are a number of funeral streaming companies that provide a complete solution in conjunction with funeral directors should they prefer to outsource the webcast to a third party.  There is more information on these companies in our blog post on the future of the UK funeral industry.

Address books, Notes, Reminders and Calendars

There are many basic apps available to all funeral directors that are used many times a day.  Whilst they may seemingly be obvious choices, they are invaluable apps to ensure the smooth running of their operations. These include:

Address books - to capture and update the client and their family’s information.  It is also used to capture the important details of the funeral service itself, including the addresses for family pick up en route to the funeral and drop offs afterwards.

Notes -  As above, to capture important information as required - used similarly to an electronic post-it note when required!

Calendars and Reminders - These apps are used to highlight important dates surrounding the funeral and create prompts for both the directors and their staff members.  These can include prompts for payments, to highlight cut off dates for decisions regarding the funeral or any others related to events on the day of the service.

Obit

Obit is a cloud-based web app offering a complete solution for modern funeral directors.  It is a funeral management software programme that features many of the functions provided by the essential apps listed above, pulled together in one efficient system.  Obit allows the user to capture the client family’s complete details with the ability to add in additional notes, prompts and scheduled reminders for the staff too.

Some of the features that are specific to the Obit app include:

Round the clock accessibility - As it is a cloud-based app, it is available to funeral directors twenty four hours a day, seven days a week allowing them to deal with new enquiries outside of the confines of their office be that when remote working or out in the community.  All they need to do when an out of hours call is received is to put the client on handsfree and use the Obit app on their mobile phone to capture all of their details.  Funeral directors remain connected to their business wherever they are, reducing admin time and creating efficiency savings.

Funeral Specific Storage - We mentioned how useful the cloud storage apps were but with Obit a funeral director has that functionality tied directly to a particular funeral.  If they’re visiting a grave where a headstone will later be added, it’s often useful to take a picture of the plot to help them to find it later.  This can be done within the app, with Obit opening the camera allowing a quick upload of the photo to the client’s funeral information.  Users of Obit can also quickly add any important documents they receive, such as the death certificate for their client and it will immediately become accessible to all staff members.

Notifications - Obit includes an advanced notification system so that the relevant staff members are always on top of what’s happening.  Just a quick glance of their mobile and they can catch up with everything that has been happening back in the office in their absence.

With other key features such as the ability to generate invoices that integrate with different back office finance systems, Obit is a complete solution and considered by many to be the best funeral home software for the modern funeral home.

These are just a few of the apps that we consider must haves for the funeralcare industry in 2021. The funeral sector must continue to evolve, modernising their ways of working to fit the needs of their clientele.  Are there any other essential apps that you feel should be on this list?  Let us know in the comments below.

A coffin, or casket, is one of the most important parts of a funeral. It is often the focal point of the entire ceremony, and serves as a physical representation of the deceased upon which their loved ones can direct their thoughts and feelings. The design of the coffin can also set the tone for the funeral service, with a range of options available to suit any needs, from traditional wooden coffins to more modern, stylised caskets.

The way in which families and individuals approach the funeral of a loved one has changed in recent years. Although many do opt for a more traditional service, others may be looking for something a little more personalised. Therefore it’s essential for any funeral home to be able to cater for a wide variety of options.

The coffin supplier you use is a major factor, and will make a big difference to the level of satisfaction you receive from your customers. But with so many different suppliers out there, how can you decide which one to choose? The following guide will look at the various factors you need to consider when choosing a coffin or casket supplier for your funeral home business.

Coffin or Casket?

Coffins and caskets differ mainly in design, and your customers may have a preference as to which one they would like for their funeral service. A coffin has a more traditional look commonly associated with funerals in that it is wider and the shoulders and tapers towards the feet. A casket, on the other hand, is rectangular and usually larger and heavier too.

If you are looking to cater to the widest range of customers possible, it makes sense to pick a supplier that provides both coffins and caskets. A coffin is often cheaper, which makes it a more attractive option for those on a smaller budget, as well as those looking for a simple, no-frills service. A casket is usually more expensive, with more opportunities for customisation and decoration so will be more suited to those looking for a larger, more intricate ceremony. Alternatively you may wish to partner with more than one supplier, especially if you are a multi-branch business.

Variety

There are so many different types of coffin available these days, and many customers can find the breadth of choice a little overwhelming. As well as the traditional coffins and ornate caskets, some people are now looking for coffins made of biodegradable materials for a lower environmental impact. Others might want coffins made of a particular wood that has meaning for the deceased and their loved ones. It is possible to have pictorial caskets adorned with beautiful imagery or custom pictures from their life.

As well as the design and manufacture of the coffin, you also need to ensure you have a range of pricing options. You will have customers who are financially capable of spending a lot of money on the perfect casket, whereas others will be on a tight budget and will prefer to spend as little as possible on a simple offering.

Cremation Coffins

One of the first questions you will ask your clientele is whether they are looking for a burial or a cremation. The appropriate type of coffin or casket will depend on which route they are going down. The cremation rate in the UK currently stands at 78.4%, making it by far the most popular option. This could be for a variety of reasons, including cost, environmental impact, and the ability to scatter or store the deceased’s ashes privately.

Although it is possible to have a cremation without a funeral, most people do opt to have some form of service beforehand. This usually means the deceased will lie in a specialised coffin or casket that also serves as the cremation container. These will always be formed entirely of combustible materials such as wood, wicker, or bamboo, without any metal parts. Due to the prevalence of cremations in the UK, it is important that you can offer cremation caskets to your customers.

Environmental Impact

With climate change becoming an increasing problem for future generations, many households are looking to minimise their environmental impact wherever possible. This concern also extends to funerals and burials, and there are so many eco-friendly coffins and caskets available. If you wish to offer a greener service, consider finding a supplier that offers sustainable offerings constructed from ethical and biodegradable materials, such as banana leaf, bamboo, cardboard, or even wool. These coffins will decompose over a much quicker period of time and have significantly less negative impacts on the environment.

Local or Imported?

For more specialist coffins, whether they are customised caskets or eco-friendly coffins, it may not be possible to source them locally. It may be necessary to have them delivered from across the country or even imported from overseas. You will have to weigh up the benefits of providing your customers with a wider variety of options against the financial and environmental cost of transportation. When importing coffins for resale it is the funeral home's responsibility to source responsibly and make sure the product complies with UK regulations.

Special Features and Customisations

Do you want to offer your customers the option for custom features on their coffin? Some people opt for special designs to be included on the casket, whether stencilled, painted, or embroidered. Some manufacturers will even create completely bespoke coffins built and designed to exact specifications. These offerings will always come at a higher price due to the amount of time and labour that has gone into the coffin manufacturing process, but they are becoming increasingly popular. Amid changing customer preferences every funeral business must decide whether to stick to simpler, more traditional offerings or give customers the option for a bespoke service.

In conclusion, it is clear there is a great deal to think about when choosing a coffin supplier for your funeral home business. Overall, it depends on your clientele and their particular needs and preferences. It’s a good idea to have a wide range of coffins and caskets available, but you should also weigh this up against the financial and environmental cost. If you still have doubts you may contact your UK or Ireland funeral association for the latest guidance.

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Losing a loved one is the hardest thing that anybody ever experiences, but starting a funeral home business will allow you to make things a little easier for the mourning family by ensuring that their dearly departed receives the send-off that they deserve.

The job is emotionally and financially rewarding, but only if you are supported by a world-class business model. This simple guide will discuss the key considerations, including but not limited to;

• The legal requirements for starting a funeral home business,
• Funeral home startup cost and organisational requirements,
• Deciding what services to offer from your funeral home,
• Market trends and the state of the funeral parlour industry,
• Selecting the best business model for you and your clients.

How to Start a Funeral Home: The Legal Requirements

Before you can consider the services or the funeral home startup cost, you must first familiarise yourself with the legalities. It is a particularly important issue right now as both the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) and CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) have implemented changes that are set to commence within the next year.

The FCA released a 309-page policy update at the start of July 2021, which will come into effect a year later in July 2022. Funeral directors and parlours now fall under the category of ‘intermediaries that sell funeral plans’ and can prepare for the change by applying for their authorisation ASAP. Further steps include reviewing the Policy Statement and reading the funeral director handbook.

Meanwhile, the CMA changes came into effect in September 2022. All funeral businesses must comply with the standards set out in the regulations. Some of the most important issues include having a standardised price list available on the company website and ceasing all arrangements with third-party providers in the sector that could be viewed as inducements. The full list of requirements can be viewed here.

Meeting the legal requirements surrounding the industry will help you avoid unnecessary delays or repercussions when starting a funeral home business. However, you will also need to comply with the general regulations of registering a UK business. Likewise, you’ll need public liability insurance. Once those situations are under control, you will be able to launch your funeral director business with confidence and a clear mind.

Researching the Market, Competitors, and Trends of the Funeral Director Industry

The UK population currently stands at over 68 million. As such, there is a huge market to keep funeral directors busy. When considering how to start a funeral business, though, you must ensure that your plans will enable families to embrace the latest and greatest services and products. The only way to achieve this is through research.

Technology has evolved while mindsets have consciously changed too. Throughout the pandemic, video services became a necessity. However, with loved ones spread out across the globe, this is now an increasingly popular add-on service. Meanwhile, a growing desire to adopt eco-friendly practices has seen greener coffins, water cremations, and woodland burials all grow in popularity.

Cremations are by far the most common choice in the UK but direct cremations (also known as simple cremations) are quickly becoming the preferred route. Offering this service will allow your funeral parlour to provide a budget-friendly option that can be tailored to better reflect the individual’s beliefs. This guide will provide further detail.

Understanding the trends is one thing, but it’s also necessary to know the competition. Dignity and the Co-Op are the biggest names in the industry. Taking note of issues like Co-Op’s price promise will help you decide how to start a funeral home that can attract the biggest audience When researching smaller local funeral homes, you should consider their USPs (family-owned, long history, aimed at a specific audience, etc.) as this will help you spot a gap in the market.

If you want to know how to start a funeral parlour that can compete, you should also focus on the personal care and service. This is an emotional, stressful, and confusing time for families. Providing clear communication and a simple process can make all the difference. Likewise, helping clients with issues like insurance claims will allow them to focus on grieving as a family and working with your business to ensure that the service is everything that the dearly departed would’ve wanted.

You will also need to consider the demographics in your local funeral home. Knowing the religious and cultural backgrounds and financial statuses, along with any local traditions, will guide you to better solutions.

Decide Which Services to Offer and Price Your Services

When looking at how to start a funeral home, you will need to decide the services offered and then price them accordingly. They will need to be competitive with what’s already on the market while also allowing you to cope with the costs of starting the business.

As per eHow, the premises alone can cost an average of £3,250 per month. By the time you’ve added the equipment, licences, vehicles, and marketing costs, you can expect to spend a six-figure fee in the first year even if there aren’t that many bookings. That’s before you’ve considered any staff costs - you may need a manager, embalmer, assistant, driver, and more.

The average cost of a funeral is around £4,000, though. So, you will still have the scope for a good ROI, as long as the right services are used. You’ll want to consider the following;

• Body removals,
• Body preparations (hygienic treatment, cosmetology, embalming).
• Body presentations,
• Coffin suppliers and any internal furniture fittings and linings,
• Hearse or limousine hire and drivers,
• Pallbearers and funeral ceremony officials,
• Headstone and/or urn services,
• Service organisations (flowers, doves, hymn sheets, etc.)
• Insurance processing,
• Talking to medical services and/or providing press details.
  

The pricing will be dictated by a wide range of factors, such as material choices. Ultimately, though, the price will reflect the amount of work required and the amount of preparation time given.

If you are unsure whether to invest in permanent infrastructure, you might want to consider leasing equipment. From temporary cold rooms to limousines there are many parts of your expenditure which you can rent to grow from 3rd parties and expand your business in this way without upfront expenditure.

Consider Buying an Existing Business

As a prospective funeral home director, putting yourself in the client’s mind is crucial for success. Planning a funeral for a lost loved one is not a situation where many people are willing to take risks. When starting a funeral parlour, establishing a sense of trust is often the hardest challenge. If an existing funeral home director is looking to retire, buying their brand could help you leverage success from their history could potentially work wonders - although it’s certainly not the best option for everyone.

By the time you have researched the funeral home startup cost, you should be far better positioned to determine whether the acquisition of an existing business may be better. As well as the initial outlay, you should consider the benefits of having an existing client base. Conversely, though, if the company you’re buying has a bad reputation, that won’t help.

If you decide that acquisition is the way to go, this guide to buying a funeral home will help you complete the process. Alternatively, you could reach out to a national funeral director to propose the concept of starting a franchised branch.

Conclusion

Starting a funeral home isn’t cheap or easy. As such, you must enter the process with open eyes regarding the funding requirements, legal requirements, and market trends. When you do, though, the opportunities to help families through their most difficult times while simultaneously generating a good level of revenue will be huge.

On the 5th of July 2021, the FCA published a 309-page policy statement containing the final rules to be followed by all funeral plan firms and providers across the country.

These rules - which won’t come into effect until July 2022 - come as a response to concerns highlighted by the 2020 CMA Funerals Market Investigation report about how some funeral plan providers were operating.

The statement released by the FCA has the aim to regulate advice on funeral plans (which are considered an investment and fall within the FCA’s “investment advice” area of responsibility). The new funeral regulations include a ban on commission payments and high-pressure sale strategies.

Below, we’ll look at what funeral plan firms and directors should know to prepare for the upcoming industry changes.

What Is the FCA?

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the United Kingdom’s financial regulatory body. The FCA operates independently from the government and is financed through the fees paid by the financial sector’s members. The mission of the FCA is to create honest and effective financial markets for consumers, individuals, businesses, and the whole economy.

The FCA currently regulates the conduct of around 51,000 businesses, is the prudential supervisor of 49,000 companies, and sets standards for 18,000 firms. These firms are of different nature and include building societies, insurance companies, investment firms, and credit unions.

By setting high standards, implementing security measures, and safeguarding the wellbeing of businesses and consumers alike, the FCA regulatory body aims to:

• protect consumers
• protect financial markets
• promote competition

Why Is the FCA Regulating the Funeral Industry?

Funeral plans are one of the most significant investments made by individuals. And, often, it is an investment made under a great deal of pressure - not always following well-thought-out decision-making, and often vulnerable to the influence of external factors.

Due totheir financial nature, funeral plans fall within the FCA’s “investment advice” area of expertise. And, in turn, funeral plan firms and providers are considered “investment advisors”, which need to be regulated by the FCA.

This is to ensure that the funeral firm:

• Creates products that meet the consumer’s expectations and needs
• Provides funeral plans that hold fair value
• Uses the consumer’s money for the established funeral services

As highlighted by Sheldon Mills, FCA Consumers and Competition Executive Director, the new funeral rules aim to protect consumers, drive up the industry's standards, and ban unethical sale strategies. The Executive Director also warns that ‘Firms must now plan for this new regulatory regime or prepare to leave the market in an orderly manner.’

What Is the New Funeral Regulation?

The new funeral regulation specifically affects:

• Funeral plan providers
• Funeral plan contracts investment advisers
• Funeral services insurance firms
• The managers and trustees of funeral plans
• Funeral plan contracts trade bodies
• Consumers

In the PS21/8 Regulation of funeral plans: Feedback to CP21/4 and final rules you can find all the new rules on funerals as published by the FCA. Here is an overview:

• Funeral products not meeting the needs and expectations of customers are to be banned (including those that don’t ensure funeral services in all circumstances)
• New standards of advertisement will be introduced and cold calling is to be banned.
• Ban on all commission payments to intermediaries to ensure the value of the products sold.
• Checks to ensure the fitness to operate of those selling funeral products.
• Plans are to be sold fairly and present fair value
• Requirement for firms to have a risk management plan in place to ensure the continuity of services.

Carrying out funeral plan activity after this has begun to be regulated by the FCA and without authorisation can be a criminal offence.

How Does It Affect Funeral Directors?

As we have seen above, the funeral plans’ regulations affect:

• Providers of funeral plan contracts
• Intermediaries that sell funeral plans

Funeral directors, alongside will writers and lead generators, belong to this second category. Therefore, if they wish to continue undertaking FCA-regulated funeral plan activities, they will need to formally apply for authorisation and become a firm’s ARs (appointed representatives).

Preparing for authorisation should happen immediately, as unregulated funeral plans sold while the funeral industry is regulated by the FCA can be considered a criminal offence. If your authorisation is refused or withdrawn, you will need to stop carrying out FCA-regulated activities.

What You Need To Do To Prepare

While the FCA published the statement containing the final rules in July 2021, these regulations won’t come into effect until the 29th of July 2022. Nonetheless, firms and intermediaries should, by then, have reviewed the funeral products sold and received a suitable FCA authorisation.

Additionally, the application fee will increase by 40% after the 1st of November 2021. Therefore, you might want to gather your documents and file your application as soon as possible.

Here is what you can do now:

• Apply for your authorisation - you can do so here
• Make sure you have reviewed the FCA Policy Statement and Consultation Paper
• Ensure you have reviewed the FCA’s future proposals, including the resolution of firms, FSCS protection, and structural provisions.
• You will receive an FCA Handbook in 2022 - but you can review the new funeral rules here.
• Receive your authorisation by 29 July 2022 to continue trading
• Once authorised, you will need to pay annual fees, based on turnover

If you decide not to apply for an authorisation, you must make plans to wind down your funeral business.

What Dates To Look Out For?

While the FCA has already published the new set of funeral rules, the regulatory body will give over 12 months of time to firms and intermediaries to prepare for the new regulatory regime.

Some dates that you should keep in mind include:

• July 2021 - the new funeral regulations are published
• September 2021 - applications for authorisation are now open
• 1 November 2021 - the getaway will open and the application fee might see an increase of up to 40%.
• 29 July 2022 - all firms and intermediaries wishing to continue trading should have their FCA authorisation to do so.

Once in place, the regime will be reviewed and analysed to ensure that it is leading to good outcomes.

Where To Get More Info? Find Tailored Advice

Above we have seen an overview of the new FCA funeral plans and changes to the funeral industry. To prepare for it, you can find more information on the FCA website, on the following pages:

• To review the new rules: PS21/8: Regulation of funeral plans: Feedback to CP21/4 and final rules
• To understand the new changes: Regulating the funeral plans sector | FCA
• To review the reasons behind the new regulations: FCA confirms measures to raise standards in the funeral plans market | FCA
• To apply for authorisation: FCA Authorisation Summary | FCA
• To learn more about the FCA authorisation process: Our authorisation process | FCA

You can also gain important insights into today’s funeral plan market in the CMA Funerals Market Investigation Final report. Make sure to find expert and tailored advice to ensure that your funeral services firm can continue to operate.

Becoming a part of the deathcare industry is no walk in the park.  The staff working in funeral homes know that excellence in client care is paramount to their business and it isn’t something you can master on day one of the job.  In addition to honing one’s interpersonal skills in the role, there is also lots to learn about the technical side of the business so training is an essential requirement for all staff.  Within a funeral home, training can take on various different forms.  From formal qualifications such as diplomas in funeral arranging, to in-house training courses delivering updates on industry regulation changes, there is an awful lot to learn.  So how does a funeral director decide the best way to train their staff to further enhance their business and maintain excellence in their operations?  We examine the importance of training in the deathcare industry and the various ways to ensure that staff members continue to develop in their roles.

Getting into the deathcare industry - training new staff

There are a couple of different ways to enter the funeral industry.  Most new additions to the profession will join as an apprentice or junior team member with the intention of advancing their career and become a fully qualified funeral director.  After 12 months as an apprentice team member, employees can progress to do a funeral director advanced apprenticeship.  All new staff members without industry experience will be advised to take the funeral service awareness training certificate from the NAFD or the BIFD.  This course is conducted online with various learning materials provided by the education providers.  The onboarding of new staff to the business involves a significant investment of time and money from the funeral director - the basic awareness training course costs £150 alone.  The investment of a funeral director’s time to guide new starters is invaluable, both for the individual personally and there are subsequent benefits for the business as a whole.  A comprehensive induction plan should be in place to train new staff in the basics of the business, setting deadlines for more formal qualifications to be completed over a set period of time.  Employee engagement with their job role is paramount in the early stages of training.

In-house or external training?

So how does a funeral director decide how best to train their new staff whilst also keeping their existing staff training up to date?  The larger funeral home conglomerates such as the Cooperative have their own in house training programmes laying out a clear career structure from apprentice to branch manager.  As part of this training programme, they allocate 20% of their apprentice’s weekly hours to focus on training and education.  To support the development of new staff they have their own training consultants to handle their training needs across multiple branches.  Private training consultancies such as Greenfuse Training are also available to provide in house training courses for funeral homes.  With courses on offer such as modern funeral arranging and mortuary management, an investment in external training services for your home can pay dividends when it comes to staff knowledge and output.

Training and mentoring in unison

Independent funeral homes are unlikely to be able to provide their own specialised training teams that the larger companies have in place.  They tend to train their apprentices in house, drawing on the wealth of knowledge that their long standing staff members possess.  On-the-job experience and the allocation of an experienced mentor is vital in the success of new staff development.  Some funeral homes utilise the knowledge of their most experienced funeral directors to progress the development of their colleagues whereas some may find this to be an untapped resource within their own business.  Whilst academic education and subsequent qualifications for the industry are important, learning how to be compassionate and professional from an experienced funeral director is an invaluable on-the-job lesson for a junior staff member.  

On the flip side to this, junior staff members may well be more tech savvy and be able to teach their experienced colleagues a thing or two in different ways.  Funeral directors are now upgrading their systems and implementing improved funeral arrangement technology such as Obit.  Despite the ease of use of these new apps, when it comes to the implementation of any new technology in the home some members of staff may struggle after years of using the same basic systems.  Newer staff within a company are normally more adaptable when it comes to implementing new softwares.  The younger staff may turn the tables and mentor their experienced counterparts to help them to sharpen up their digital skills if necessary.

Keeping all staff up to date with training

As mentioned earlier, whilst new staff have a lot to learn about the business existing staff still have ongoing training requirements to ensure that their standards don't slip.  Refresher courses should be conducted on a regular basis to keep all staff members up to date.  New regulations in the funeral industry are commonplace so it is essential that every funeral director distributes these changes to their staff members.  National associations such as SAIF assist their members with regular updates on regulatory changes, offering free webinars on the amendments such as the CMA’s recent changes on financial transparency within the industry.  2021/22 will see many regulatory changes within the deathcare industry that all employees need to be fully aware of.  The FCA introduces regulatory changes to funeral plans in 2022 which will change the face of pre-paid funerals in the UK.  Various informative webinars are being planned to educate funeral directors on the upcoming modifications laid out by the FCA, with funeral associations supporting their respective members with training in the changes too.

Importance of training for companies

Training is an essential part of every organisation to develop employees personally and increase their efficiency in the workplace.  Improving the skills and knowledge of staff members in the funeral home will have a positive knock on effect for the business as a whole.  Increasing the skill set of a staff member doesn’t need to begin in a physical classroom anymore, there are so many formal qualifications and different courses that can be undertaken online instead.  Furthering the personal development of your staff also demonstrates that they are valued in the business.  Knowing that they are a valued member of the team will lead to an increase in their overall productivity.  Boost your staff’s productivity levels by maximising their training potential and your business will reap the rewards in the long run.

The perception of the deathcare industry from outside is one of tradition, family-run services and perhaps a little mystery. Few would categorise it as a rapidly changing and dynamic environment and yet a deeper look is all it takes to reveal several clear trends driving deathcare towards a radically different future. The word deathcare is itself a relatively new term. Its first known use was in 1987 but it is only more recently that it became better understood and more widely used.

Cultural shifts in society bring change

Part of the reason for the emergence of this new vocabulary is down to a wider cultural shift in society which has been reflected in the funeral sector. Mental health, while not new per se, has never received as much attention or assumed the level of importance as it does today. In the funeral arrangement business this has translated to the rising importance of aftercare. The client relationship no longer stops after the ceremony or final payment. Funeral directors are increasingly considering how best to thank their clients, what an appropriate communication on the anniversary of a loved one’s passing looks like and to what extent the funeral home is responsible for facilitating grief management services.

Macro-economic events such as the banking crisis and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have brought with them austerity, uncertainty and for many a sharper sense of the need to plan personal finances. This, combined with rising funeral costs, has made pre-planning an undeniable trend in deathcare. Not only can it save potential costs and spread outlay across a number of years, it is in itself another manifestation of how the mental health of the bereaved is now taken into account even before the death has occurred. Those planning ahead are often doing so to prevent future distress for relatives and what they already know will be an emotionally difficult moment. In short, pre-planning belongs to the financial planning trend as well as the movement towards greater mental health awareness.

In some cultures, professional mourners were traditionally used to increase attendance at funerals or dramatise ceremonies. Even in the UK, such services such as the now defunct Rentamourner website, persisted into modernity. However, as the current status of the company suggests, they were swimming against the tide. Rather than increased mourning, the clear cultural shift now is marked by the move toward celebrating a life lived rather than displaying sadness at the loved one’s sudden absence. Different families or groups of friends might have incompatible preferences for celebratory events which in some cases might mean multiple concurrent or even digital events. More celebration has led to more personalisation as clients seek to match events with the personality, lifestyle and wishes of both the deceased and their social circle. Quite the task for a funeral arranger to manage and many consider that their primary role is now trending closer to being an event planner for memorial services.

Changing customer preferences

As we have already mentioned, the idea of a “standard” funeral has been quickly evaporating or at the very least the notion has become ambiguous. For some, a Church based religious ceremony with a traditional ceremony remains a must. However, with the 2021 census expected to reveal fewer than 50% of the population identifying as Christian funeral directors should expect to serve not only a more religiously diverse clientele but also a significant and growing number of atheists. This will impact expectations and preferences around several facets of a modern funeral from eulogies to gravestones and beyond. If you are interested in devling deeper we have a full article dedicated to atheist funeral arranging.

Leaving the question of faith aside there are numerous other observations which suggest customer preferences are evolving. What might once have been regarded as quirky requests are now becoming commonplace. For example, funeral directors are now frequently requested to make arrangements for the presence of pets at funerals. Meanwhile floral tributes have become more eclectic with many wanting a personalised arrangement or even specific elements such as a football team badge to be incorporated. According to a study by British Seniors 28% of funeral attendees are no longer wearing black and 18% are not singing hymns. They also found a growing interest in releasing balloons, butterflies or doves, an event now occurring at 8% of UK ceremonies.

Despite this diversification in preferences, some broad trends still emerge with the obvious one being the steady rise of cremations. Although the ONS does not track cremations we know from Cremations.org.uk that they have risen from being a negligible percentage of all deaths a century ago to being the clear majority now with over three quarters of deaths being cremated deaths. Some of this is owed to the increasing interest in a low cost no-frills approach with many people now expressing a wish to depart without a fuss. And, in addition to saving burial costs, electing cremation means that ashes can be used for a variety of memorial purposes such as urns, keepsakes or repurposed as meaningful jewelry.

Another clear trend in customer preferences is the demand for greater transparency. This is again part of a wider societal trend across service industries in general. Partly brought on by the greater access to information of the internet era and partly by the mass media presence of national advertisers from the funeral sector, the general public has become more aware of the choice available to them. Consequently they prefer a clear presentation of prices and the ability to compare across service providers. The CMA’s report of December 2020 identifies pricing as a concern and introduced solutions which include requirements on funeral directors to publish prices to customers as well as a prohibition on solicitation.

Digitisation of deathcare

Very few areas of life have been left untouched by the technological revolution we are living in and deathcare certainly isn’t one of them. When it was first invented few would have envisaged live-streaming, for example, being applicable to funerals but today’s funeral professionals require a certain level of tech sophistication both to understand customer’s digital needs as well as to deliver them. While digitisation is a clearly identifiable trend and most funeral directors already rely on numerous apps, this does not mean the technological evolution is over.

Mark Lynch, co-founder of the funeral management app Obit, says that “funeral tech is just getting started.” He envisages tech-enabled operations to be the norm for most funeral directors within a decade. Tributes, notices and funeral invoicing, will be done digitally by default and Obit already offers much of this through its existing software which is designed specifically for the needs of the deathcare industry. Even complex multi-branch funeral operations are able to run smoothly through a single app seamlessly integrating branches, accounting partners and suppliers. The savings on admin are clear and Mark envisages that the time saved by funeral professionals will be reinvested in creating the kind of unique and personalised memorial services increasingly being requested.

Elsewhere technology is having an impact in even less expected ways. The number of unidentified persons, for example, is being reduced by applying facial recognition to corpses. AI Systems originally designed to recognise living human beings are being used by police forces and governments as a complement to DNA analysis in order to better identify corpses and reduce the number of burials of unknown persons. These advances, though not without their complications, should help to accelerate identifications and increase the number of meaningful memorial events.

Increased regulation & professionalisation

Standards and rules around deathcare vary greatly from country to country and are implemented in a variety of ways. In the UK we can broadly identify a trend towards greater regulation with the CMA having opened up a market investigation into the supply of services by funeral directors in 2018 and the FCA’s upcoming regulation putting prepaid plans under their control and away from the Funeral Planning Authority. Although studies have shown that the general public was largely unaware that Funeral Directors were unregulated, part of this regulatory trend is still driven by consumer demand for greater transparency on issues such as pricing, competition and rights.

In parallel to governmental regulation there is a decentralised movement towards a more business centric approach to operations. Although it may not feel that way to the average family-run funeral home, deathcare is now worth an estimated £1billion annually, with over 600,000 funerals taking place each year. No surprise then that larger corporations have sought to move into the sector either by acquiring funeral businesses and transforming them into chains or by providing auxiliary services.

There are even several notable venture capital funded participants. Startups such as Everdays, which specialises in selling pre-planned packages, and UK-based Farewill, which accounts for 1 in 10 of the country’s wills, have received funding running into the millions or even tens of millions. They are part of the new wave of tech-enabled professionalisation in what was once a sector managed almost exclusively by hyper-local family-based setups. The future of the funeral industry is not easy to predict but what is certain is that it won't remain static. The sector is undergoing multi-directional change which looks set to continue and even accelerate in the years to come.

Earlier this year we asked Obit clients who have more than 3 years experience of using the software if they felt that the expected value and benefits had been realised. Their answers were so overwhelmingly positive and supportive we decided to convert their feedback into a blog post.

One of the key findings was that Obit adds value for the funeral director in many ways, some of them obvious and others less so. We have grouped them into 3 broad business areas: Administration, Communication & Marketing.

Administration

Obit is a huge timesaver

Whether you have employees or you are doing the admin work yourself, Obit will drastically cut the time you need to create the funeral account - users commonly reported savings of 2 hours per funeral or more. The amount of time saved increases over time as users gain experience with the software. Experienced arrangers report confidently that they can record all necessary detail “in less than ten minutes”. Many report positively on being able to work ‘on the go’ making use of “idle time” and using only their mobile phone.

The new status icons that guide funeral directors to where attention is needed saves even more time when reviewing accounts. External accountants are also able to save time by benefitting from direct access to the latest data or alternatively by exporting financial records straight into accounting packages such as Sage at the touch of a button.

How funeral directors derive value from the time saved is entirely up to them. In some cases it will be converted into actual savings (overtime, headcount or external admin) while in others time will be reinvested into other value-generating activities. Either way the Obit subscription essentially pays for itself.

Hidden efficiency savings

By using Obit’s inbuilt data handling, it is far more likely that costly errors like forgetting charge items on individual funerals or not applying price changes thoroughly can be avoided. Obit’s granular permission system allows the funeral director to reliably handle access limitations or even branch-specific product pricing. Obit also supports two factor authorisation to avoid errors occurring through unauthorised usage.

The Obit philosophy of “record once, use many times” can be applied to the myriad of forms, documents, letters and reports that are needed in the funeral industry - from obvious documents like Invoices and death notices to less often thought about door notices, celebrant crib sheets or discreet disbursement envelopes.

“From daily Flower orders for our florist to Client/Invitee lists for annual memorial ceremonies, Obit simplifies the process.” Susan Guinan, Managing Director of Massey Bros

Obit is supporting the industry as it moves towards a more paperless environment, meaning that the funeral director can include their own logos, seals and company headers on documents generated and transmitted electronically saving outlay on design and printing.

Due to Obit being available in the cloud and accessible by any device, there is no requirement for physical attendance at the funeral director’s premises. Whether this proves advantageous due to Covid related restrictions or life-style choice, the hidden savings here are multiple. They could be in travel and time costs as well as hardware procurement or maintenance costs.

A final and not so often considered part of administration is IT infrastructure. If, for example, a Funeral Director is still making ongoing investment in local infrastructure - Obit affords the opportunity to break free from legacy systems and fully embrace all the benefits of a Cloud solution. In this way the funeral home can be liberated from recurring investment and other maintenance costs inherent in LANs or mainframe setups.

Communication

Obit powers seamless communications and coordinated action

Obit clients often elect to give access to regular and casual employees as well as external service providers. This provides intangible benefits in supporting a funeral director’s integrated communication platform. Employees can instantly see what funerals, collections, reposals or other arrangements they are assigned to. Meanwhile an external florist, for example, can access details of floral tributes and drivers can see the routes and timing details that are important to them.

“I just find it so easy to keep up to date, whether sitting at home or waiting outside the church.”  Tom Lawless, Managing Director of Lawless Funeral Directors

Obit provides multiple options to configure communication and notifications allowing funeral directors to select the options that best fit their process.

Fewer emails and calls makes for a lower stress environment

Our clients report that once all involved are comfortable that their process is mapped in Obit, there is a significant reduction in the volume of emails and messages. As there is only one record of what is happening where and when, the need for emails, clarifying SMS messages or urgent phone-calls is greatly reduced.

Marketing        

Obit helps funeral homes visualize their database

Obit plays a critical role in helping funeral directors build their marketing history database. This is why we encourage our clients to add their historical records (at no cost) to Obit. Simply recording deceased names and addresses allows this data to be visualised through Obit’s built-in reporting module. This in turn automatically produces graphs and charts that highlight in which geographical areas business is being won and where additional promotional effort may be needed. As well as address data, Obit allows the funeral director to record fields such as origin which help determine the most effective marketing channels.

Branded features drive online traffic

As with many sectors, a funeral director’s website has grown in importance. The website is now a key tool in positioning their brand and portraying the right message to present and future clients. Obit offers funeral homes the ability to publish death notices/announcements and to collect condolence messages from the general public. Clients who have opted in to this service are able to self-host condolence books at no extra cost. They consistently report substantial increases in website traffic after implementation with funerals often collecting hundreds of messages from well wishers that can be viewed online and incorporated into thoughtful condolence books.

“Our website traffic has dramatically increased mainly driven by Obit Condolence handling feature with close to 5000 messages received in the first quarter of this year”

The benefits are best illustrated by looking at actual data from earlier this year. Self-hosted notices published through Obit typically received 20 to 50 condolence messages with occasional spikes into the hundreds. As Obit allows the sympathiser to also send private messages, which are only visible to the bereaved family, the messages tend to be more fulsome, appreciated and truly cherished by the family. Genuine, moving online experiences occurring directly on the funeral director’s website helps to foster relationships not just with the deceased’s family but with the community at large.

Notice and condolence books boost your SEO

While the main advantage of Obit’s condolence book and notice features is to elevate the quality of service provided and adapt to the digital needs of today’s society, there are also clear marketing benefits. Our clients consistently report an increase in traffic and the continual publishing of user generated content is beneficial to your SEO. In short, Google welcomes these kinds of website features and your page is more likely to rank high and attract more visitors as a consequence. Prospective clients can find out more on this topic by reading our blog post on How to use Obit's Condolence features.

Be it in marketing, administration or communication, the value that Obit can bring to a funeral business is not to be underestimated. As well as the core benefits that we highlight on our site, feedback from clients underlines the variety of ways that the software adds value. Whatever the size or complexity of your business we are sure we can add value beyond what you might imagine and offer a free trial for funeral director’s to appreciate this directly. Do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly support team.

During the global pandemic of 2020, businesses across all industries are reflecting on the efficiencies of their day to day operations.  With the impact of coronavirus felt worldwide the majority of industries have seen a detrimental impact on their business operations.  This has led to a complete reevaluation of their business needs and amongst other things, the effectiveness of their CRM software.  The funeral industry however, is one of the few who have had to reevaluate their day to day functionality due to the increased levels of demand and pressure on their operations.   Many funeral directors are now looking at their funeral management system to evaluate whether the software they are using is the most effective solution to maximise their business operations.  

Others are reluctant to introduce more technology and after many years of experience with their own system, some funeral directors may ask themselves - why bother changing things now?  Migrating to new funeral management software can certainly be a daunting process but most modern funeral directors find that this is more than made up for by the gains in time saved and increased business efficiency. Indeed, data suggests that almost all funeral directors who switch to cloud software will never return to spreadsheet or legacy systems such is the impact of this kind of software to their long term success.

So, which software is the right choice? There are many different funeral home software packages to choose from in the current market, each with unique features, layouts and pricing levels.  Below is a curated shortlist of the best funeral home software solutions available right now. This list should help funeral directors determine which system fits best with the demands of their day to day operations.

1. Obit

Obit by Lytesoft has slowly but surely become one of the leading funeral home software systems available to funeral directors in the UK and Ireland and is our recommended first choice. Designed in partnership with funeral directors from the outset, Obit is a system that has evolved to meet the needs of the industry through close relationships with funeral homes. The software itself is cloud-based, allowing funeral directors remote access to the system from anywhere by using the app on mobile or desktop

The company's goal was to create a system that simplifies the paperwork process in the very bureaucratic funeral industry thereby creating efficiency savings for funeral directors. The Obit system does just that, offering a complete solution for funeral directors. From easy to set up templates for notices and invoicing to dashboards and notifications, this app has it all. If you use Sage, you will love the seamless integration with this accounting software. Another standout feature from Obit is the ability to easily integrate condolence books to your own website in order to host and display death notices and condolence messages directly from mourners. This is advantageous to the funeral home versus using third party solutions and appears to be a popular solution during lockdowns or periods of heightened restrictions.

Starting from just €5 per funeral with volume discounts available, Obit is very well priced for a system that has a comprehensive suite of features including reporting, financial and business management tools. The system is fully customisable for every business and for each funeral allowing the home to run the business their way. Obit currently offers prospective clients a risk-free 30 day trial and has glowing online reviews.

GOOD FOR:

• Funeral directors who want to create efficiency savings by reducing the time spent on admin or want to streamline their operating processes.
• Funeral directors who want an enterprise grade management system at an affordable and transparent price.
• Funeral directors who want to increase their web presence by providing an online condolence book service to their clients.
• Multi-branch funeral homes or funeral directors with a presence in both the UK and Ireland
  
  

2. Seker

Seker is one of the newest systems available in the funeral home software market.  Just a couple of years old, Seker cloud based eFD system offers a suite of tools for the modern funeral director.  Much like Obit, it offers comprehensive funeral management and planning software from the first enquiry, to prompts and notifications for the clients’ aftercare following the funeral.  The system also includes a communication system to allow direct email with clients with the option to create a secure clients portal, integrated onto the funeral director’s website. Seker’s system is a little more complicated as the software is broken down into different packages which are purchased individually.

For funeral directors who do not wish to buy all the modules, the company also offers a reduced package which is branded as “eFD lite” This offers basic features for funeral administration and could be attractive to small funeral directors with a low volume of uncomplicated funerals. It should be noted that if additional features are needed in the future, eFD Lite users will have to pay for the full version in order to gain access to a number of key features that are essential for most funeral directors.

Reviews for Seker are on the whole positive despite some mixed opinions on the setup experience. That said, Seker is a modern and capable software and a clear step up from manual spreadsheets.

GOOD FOR:

• Funeral directors who want a system built to enhance customer communications and focus on client aftercare.
• Funeral directors who want to pick and choose which modules to buy
• Funeral directors who have only basic operating requirements (choosing eFD lite for example)
  
  

3. Arranger

Arranger is a well-known name due to its high profile advertising at trade shows and in trade magazines.  With a simple layout, the technology is designed to easily showcase the products and services of the funeral home  to their prospective client.  In addition to the administration tools that the system provides for funeral planning, the clients can view the products offered by browsing on a tablet. In doing so, the system provides clear pricing and cost estimates and is ideal for a sales-focused funeral home.

Like Obit and Seker, Arranger offers a centralised real-time diary for all activities to be listed for funeral planning.  As with the Obit pricing structure, the cost of the system is calculated on a per funeral basis, with a tiered pricing structure based on the needs of the business.  The starting price of the software is not stated by the company.

Arranger has been renowned in the funeral industry for their marketing prowess to attract new customers, offering devices and various marketing merchandise to new customers to promote their services. Whilst this marketing has been something of a refreshing change in the otherwise staid funeral services sector, we will focus here on the features of the software itself as this is the main consideration when making a switch to a new long term solution.  

GOOD FOR:

• Sales-driven funeral directors who want to showcase a catalogue of products and services to clients
• Smaller, independent funeral directors who need help to drive business growth
• Funeral directors who have a wide range of add-ons as part of their offering
  
  

4. Evolution FMS

Originally designed in 1994, Evolution FMS by Oakwood Technology has long existed as a comprehensive software system for modern funeral directors. Originally existing as a software-based programme accessible only on the funeral directors office computer, it now includes the cloud-based Evolution FMS Anywhere to better compete with rival solutions.

The system has a simple layout and the company pride themselves on the ability of the software to integrate with a number of third party accounting systems, to generate invoices with ease. Evolution FMS has operated in the UK market for some time and offers a free trial to all new users. Pricing, however, is only available to the client after an initial enquiry to the company.

GOOD FOR:

• Funeral directors who want a system with simple, practical features but don’t mind a slightly dated layout.
• Funeral directors who want to use a company that has been established for decades
• Funeral homes that are looking to make invoicing more efficient.
  
  

In conclusion, these software packages are currently considered the best available systems for a modern funeral director looking for a fully cloud-based solution. Legacy systems such as Eulogica or even a combination of excel sheets and non-industry specific software are still in use in many independent funeral homes, but they can only do so much compared to these more modern software packages.  Any of the above will revolutionise the business operations of a funeral home currently using a legacy system, saving them both time and money and introducing new features to enhance their appeal.

Do you find that keeping your funeral home’s finances tidy can often be a tedious and time consuming process? Nowadays it really doesn’t have to be a pain as there are so many tools at your disposal to assist in keeping your accounts in order. By visualising exactly what revenue and expenses your funeral home has, you will be able to better predict the future income and make the right decisions for the business. Keeping your financial records tidy also helps to keep your taxes up to date, anticipate cashflow squeezes and make invoicing more manageable. From financial reporting to VAT here are our top tips to help to keep the finances of your funeral home in order:

Develop a financial plan

The most important starting point for every business is to give yourself some structure with financial planning. By staying organised and planning ahead, you will give your funeral home a good financial structure for the short and long term of the business. Financial planning does involve some time and thought but by comparing financial patterns from previous months and years, you will have a better understanding of potential peaks and troughs in future income. This will better help you to predict your staffing levels, taxes payable and other business expenses to make better long term decisions for your funeral home. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, many funeral businesses have suffered financially and have had to rapidly come up with a financial “plan b” as national lockdowns disrupt their normal operations. Despite demand for their services increasing, the restrictions placed on funeral services meant that overall profitability was reduced. The businesses that have remained solvent throughout the pandemic are the ones that had a solid plan in place, which they could adapt when the scale of the pandemic became clear. As part of this planning it is essential to give the home a financial structure by creating a budget.

Create a budget

By creating a projected budget for a funeral home, you provide yourself with a structured framework for financial planning. Each home is individual and should have a separate budget so if you have more than one branch in your business, each home needs a personalised budget to meet their needs. When you set a budget in advance of the financial year, the funeral home will have a structure and monthly targets for your team to work towards. In budgeting the income and expenses of the funeral home each month, you instantly give yourself a better insight into the potential profits of the business at the end of the year.  A budget for a funeral home should be structured into 7 main categories:

• Revenue income (without cash advances)
• Cost incurred from goods  (the costs associated with the merchandise sold by the home, coffins, urns, flowers etc.)
• Payroll costs - staff wages and national insurance/taxes etc.
• Rental/Location - building costs incurred
• Cars/Limousines expenses
• Advertising and Marketing expenses
• General Admin expenses

A well structured budget is much like a good business plan, it is simply a guide to help you make informed decisions on spending and to help plan any incurred expenses, don't feel obliged to keep it to the exact figure each month.

Hire an accountant

The easiest way of maintaining your business finances is to hire an accountant to make sure the books balance. By hiring a professional bookkeeper to audit your income and expenses, you will remove a lot of the day to day stress associated with financial management. This will allow you to focus on the funeral home and growing the business yourself. It is definitely advisable for tax purposes to have a qualified bookkeeper looking after your finances as they will be able to better advise on the laws associated with the business expenses and tax write offs too. It is advisable to find an accountant with specialist knowledge of the funeral industry as they will know the specifics associated with the business, such as the differing rules on VAT for funeral products. Some services/products are VAT exempt whilst others incur the tax - see the gov.uk advice here for more information. It can become very complex so an accountant specialised in the funeral industry will be better placed to advise on these matters.  Not everyone can be good with numbers so it’s okay to leverage outside help for these things when required!

Keep your personal and professional finances separate

Many independent business owners make the mistake of tying up their own personal finances with their company’s finances. You should separate your personal and business finances to insure yourself against financial liabilities. For example if you had any legal issues and costs were subsequently incurred, your personal finances, property and assets would not be liable.

Take out business insurance

Public liability insurance is essential for any business who interacts with customers on a daily basis. This insurance covers the business should any accidents occur and the following lawsuits associated with them.  The insurance covers compensation claims made by customers or the public, including legal or medical costs associated with the claim. Employee liability insurance is essential in protecting you from compensation claims from employees, should they allege to have an injury or illness as a direct result of working for the funeral home. Buildings & content insurance is advised for the home and car insurance for the hearses is a legal requirement too. Some brokers such as Seib provide additional optional policies such as business interruption cover up to £2 million for a maximum of 24 months. These additional policies are worth reviewing to weigh up the best option for your funeral home finance in order to protect your assets in the future.

Use financial planning tools and accounting software

Many funeral directors will already have accounting software in place, whereas some may still be using a simple excel spreadsheet and passing a pile of paperwork on to their accountant!  Choosing the right accounting software is important as there are a number of different solutions on the market. From QuickBooks to Xero, the right accounting software depends on the needs of your business. Investigate thoroughly which one works best for your funeral home and also consider the funeral home software that you are using to integrate the two together.  Obit for example, integrates seamlessly with back office system Sage and has upcoming integrations with Xero and Quickbooks coming soon.  This allows for a smooth invoicing process when planning each funeral.  Much like Obit, which is a cloud-based funeral home software, look for online accounting software to move your financial data from your desktop to the cloud. This will allow for accessibility anywhere, anytime and produce real-time insights into your businesses finances. It also encourages a much easier and potentially more cost-effective relationship with your accountant as the books are automatically tidier when these software programmes are in place.

Don't forget to keep a digital copy of important documents on a third party secure service and reduce the physical paperwork in your funeral home. When using financial planning software, keep copies of your accounts, bank statements, contracts, licences, permits and employee records will make your financial planning and taxes easier to deal with in the future.

The reality is that many independent funeral directors often have difficulties in keeping track of their finances due to the strains and pressures of the industry. By ensuring that you have a handle on your funeral home's finances, you will have a better chance to minimise your expenses and maximise your profits. The initial step of organising your finances using an online business account can take some time, but will pay dividends in the future. Plan your finances, budget ahead, insure yourself, take professional advice and leverage the technology available to you to ensure the long term stability of your funeral business.