There is a conference coming up on February 25, 2010 in Orlando which this article is going to address.First of all, this conference is NOT designed to solve all the problems and challenges that are today facing funeral service and cemetery work.Now there’s a confession! – a conference that promises NOT to furnish all the solutions to all our problems.
I will not be selling any DVDs- no manuals, no books, no tapes, and absolutely no computer systems which promise the world.In fact my version of PowerPoint will be an old-fashioned flip chart with some paper and hopefully a few magic markers which are not dried up.
We have problems out there – don’t we?Things have changed more in the last twenty years in our profession than in any other time in recorded history, and frankly, I personally do not see any end to the non-stop change.
I have a few buddies in this line of work who confess and proclaim to the world that they enjoy and welcome change – but I personally think they are lying.I think it is just the cool, sexy thing to do in the business world today. People want to set themselves above of the pack and position themselves to be identified as the person who welcomes, likes, and most importantly, can manage change.However, I do not believe this is sincere or true.
Most people I have encountered in 43 years of funeral service dislike change and they want things to remain how they were and are.In fact, I have made the undeniable observation that people just don’t like change. When change comes at them fast and furious they find it intolerable and “lose it”- mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
So there we are – change abounds in our world, but change is resisted.It is a sticky wicket is it not?Between Wal-Mart, increased non-stop cremation, green burials, pet funerals becoming more attractive than human funerals, government intrusion, associations battling for turf and membership, unlicensed work, lack of grave sales and lack of casket sales, we have our work cut out for us.
If you are looking for “Pollyanna” solutions, you won’t find them at this conference.
The FCFCA sales seminar will strive to be focused and centered on four important aspects of service to humanity.In fact, the word SERVICE will be the watch word which embraces my portion of this meeting.
Not lip service, but service.I will condense my information to the following four service related areas, which desperately need redefining, reviewing, and reconsidering in these changing times.No magic, no magic dust, just possibly some good old-fashioned common sense concerning service.Here are the four areas we will cover:
· Visibility of human services.
· Information of human services.
· Attention of human services.
· Consistency of human services.
I have discovered through my travels and my daily experience that the momentum which is created in any operation by and through these four aspects of human services does make a difference in our ability to deal with and cope with change.
The conference will weave threads between these four aspects of human services and discuss imaginative ways of to take care of change and instead of Wal-Mart or some other outsiders making the change, the change will be envisioned and implemented within our own ranks, within our own brains, within our own communities, and to hell with the outsiders.
For instance, we will explore the idea of “tag team” arrangements.We will quickly examine over 300 new ideas to help improve services on both the funeral home and cemetery front, and we will look at the basic skills of communication in order to not make a sale, but build a relationship.Remember this is old-fashioned service stuff – no futuristic crystal ball stuff at this seminar.
No scolding, no prophecy of doom and gloom, no “I am the expert” stuff, – only good old-fashioned service concepts.Attention to the little things of service, and just possibly a rekindling of the idea that even though things are changing, and that at times the future looks mighty uncertain – This is still a damned good profession to be involved with.In fact, I would much rather be a funeral professional or cemetery professional than a Wal-Mart clerk.Honestly, I would.
