September 2018

Page A4 SEPTEMBER 2018 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A National Distribution men’s suits for staff (917) 862-0548 FAX (561) 501-6258 Smartchoice Distribution, Inc. Established 1979 Uncle Bob’s Warehouse 1099 South Congress Ave Delray Beach, FL 33445 Solid Steel Crucifix • Bright Gold Finish • Lacquer Coated • Standard Size 10” each $ 5 50 80 pieces per case Deceased Canvas Reproduction Portraits In frame with text for visitation • 13” x 19” Call for information Polyrayons $65 00 12 Suit Minimum each $85 00 3 Suit Minimum each each $90 00 Tuxedos $40 00 Blazers each By Nancy Weil Google Reviews: A Cautionary Tale Have you ever chosen a restaurant just based on Google reviews? What about another type of service or product? I know that I rely upon the wisdom of peo- ple who went before me and do give weight to these reviews when making a decision. While most people select a funeral home based on a personal referral, the internet is becoming more and more relevant when it comes to where to go when a death has occurred. Recently one of our funeral directors began to focus on building our Google review profile. He sent the staff a mes- sage and link that we could e-mail to happy customers ask- ing them if they would be willing to post a review. Many of them responded and our google count began to climb. In a short time we went from a handful of reviews to thirty-six and climbing. Best of all our average rating is 4.8 out of 5. It is not just the number that matters, but the con- tent of these reviews that are making us proud of what we do. Families are giving specific details about their interactions with our staff. This lends credibility to what they are saying and offers insight into what others might expect when using our services as well. As part of the Google review system, our funeral di- rector also tracks other area funeral homes. He looks to see how many reviews they have and what people are saying about their services. During this research he came across a funeral home that leads to the cautionary part of this story. What do you do when the reviews are blistering? Do you even pay attention to what is being said about your funeral home or cemetery? Random Musings I am not sure if this funeral home is aware of their three reviews, but what they say are alarming. Their overall rat- ing is 1.3 and the reviews are scathing (and truth be told amusing to read as an outsider.) Here is some of what was written: • “Hearses should not be used for any service old and needs to be crushed. It is JUNK YARD crush ready!! (emphasis by the reviewer) • Funeral Director very unprofessional to family mem- bers. • This has to be one of the most unprofessional, unor- ganized and probably unlicensed funeral homes that I have ever seen in operation. • I wouldn’t send them to pick up my worst enemy or his dead dog. Ouch! And those are only some of the comments. Does this funeral home deserve these reviews? I have no idea. That is the point, the consumer only knows what they read and, if the firm does not respond to their comments, then only one side of the story is shown to the world. Of course, anyone who regularly reads google reviews knows that there is a way to respond that is non-defensive, yet truthful and effective and then there is the response that comes off as uncaring and cold. Be careful what you write for it will forever be out in the cyber universe. Now is the time for you to stop reading and start typing your company’s name into a Google search to find out what is out there. If you want to see what we are send- ing to our clients, just write me an e-mail and I will pass along the message we send asking for a review. If you e-mail me, you will also see a link to our google review page in my signature line as well. We believe that Google reviews are good for our business. I trust they will be for yours as well. WithcertificationsasaGriefServicesProviderandGriefManagement Specialist, Funeral Celebrant, as well as Laughter Leader, Nancy Weil is uniquely qualified to bring new perspectives into how to best meet the needs of the families you serve. A professional speaker, Nancy travels the country bringing effective tools to reduce stress, combat compassion fatigue and handle grief to companies, associations and conferences large and small. With a passionate interest in the healing qualities of laughter, she is known for her energetic, entertaining and content rich programs. In addition to talks geared to the general public, she has also been brought in by funeral directors to offer (CEU) programs to funeral staff, nurses, chaplains and social work- ers in their communities. Nancy has developed the most comprehensive aftercare program of any cemetery or funeral home in the country and is currently di- recting aftercare programs, community outreach and marketing at Veterans Funeral Care. She consults with industry professionals in how they can develop or grow their own grief support program in order to maintain contact with the families they serve and develop stronger relationships within their community. Her book, If Stress Doesn’t Kill You, Your Family Might , is filled with tools that work to reduce stress and find your “inner happy.” For more information on how Nancy can help you and your business grow, visit her website: www.TheLaughAcademy.com or by email at: Nancy@TheLaughAcademy.com . www.nomispublications.com Funeral Home & Cemetery News Contributors share insights and exchange ideas. B logs Historic Columbian Cemetery Receives Rating from Green Burial Council PORTLAND,OR— His- toric Columbian Ceme- tery has announced that it has been certified as a green burial provider by the Green Burial Council, offering end-of-life ser- vices that are ecological- ly conscious to minimize long-term environmen- tal impacts. Green buri- al providers adopt burial and operational practic- es that are non-toxic and energy conserving, including burial with non-toxic, bio- degradable burial containers and burial without the use of formaldehyde-based embalm- ing chemicals. “The demand for natural op- tions is outpacing industry ex- pectations here in Portland,” says Edward Bixby, new pro- prietor at Historic Columbian Cemetery. “We have confirmed our commitment to the local community and green burial by observing the requirements defined by the Green Buri- al Council.” The Green Burial Council is an independent, nonprofit organization working to encourage environ- mentally sustainable death care and the use of burial as a new means of protecting natural areas. For more information, visit www.greenburialcouncil.org. Founded in 1857, Historic Columbian Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Portland, OR and is a natural arboretum and bird sanctuary. The new green garden is fully developed and ready to receive deceased loved ones into the gentle embrace of the earth. Visit the Historic Columbian Cemetery on Facebook for more information.