How funeral call handling can help you stay competitive

Once considered a recession-proof sector, funeral businesses are having to use creativity and fast thinking to remain competitive.

Customers who shop around

The British public are now more willing than to shop around - they have greater digital ability to research options and make decisions based on their own comparisons and the reviews and recommendations of other.

At one time, being at the heart of local community was enough of a market foothold for funeral businesses. These days, families are spread around more, and funeral buying decisions may be based on which organisation offers the best service at the best price.

Demand for more personalised funerals

Added to this, where once the bereaved had simple wishes that could be easily accommodated, the British are demanding a more personalised approach to everything, including bespoke funerals.

Environmental considerations, such as direct cremations requiring minimum funeral arrangements, or, on the flip side, more flamboyant farewells, are all adding the plethora of special requests. Funeral businesses have to be ready to vary the services they offer and price up special requests.

Demand for greater availability

Customers now expect funeral homes to be available for longer opening hours, and are even beginning to conduct many of their dealings online. This means that many funeral businesses need to have 24 hour response systems.

Established firms are facing increased competition from new players in what is a largely unregulated business sector. The older, larger firms can find it harder to adapt to the changing face of the funeral market, but they certainly can’t afford to be left behind.

How to capture customers in the funeral sector

Super-efficiency is required in capturing enquiries and making sure the customer experience is highly individual. This comes from having a telephone answering service that leaves nothing to chance. With a greater range of services that must be offered and a more impatient and savvy customer to impress, you can use a call answering service to sell in a gentle, empathetic manner. It means getting the offers across succinctly, without rushing the caller, who will want a compassionate response.

Funeral call handlers need to make each enquirer feel valued and listened to, but still present services in a comprehensive way. Increasingly, funeral businesses can use outsourced customer service to reach the required degree of versatility and improve call handling skills in an industry where customer communication is vital.

To find out how funeral call handling could work for your venture, contact Frontline today.