What's Your Vision?

While this question may sound a little odd, many funeral and cemetery service providers lose focus over time by not having a clear vision for their business. Many try to be something they are not capable of or trained to be. Others forget the real reason they are in business. This may not surprise you. To test whether you're on track, try a first step in developing your vision by completing a list of things that start with "We are," "We provide," and "We will." Once the list is completed, look for things to stop emphasizing and focus on those areas in which you can really set yourself apart from your competitors. In our next post, we will give some examples and thought starters. Johnson-Woodford, management consultants to the deathcare industry Postscript This post and others on the Johnson-Woodford Blog will be compiled into a Free, downloadable E-book, which will also be available in hard copy. A final thought. We can all learn from one another. Your thoughts, ideas, and sharing are important to us and others. Please send your notes and comments to blogger@johnson-woodford.com or log on to www.johnson-woodford.com.

About - Inagural Post

To some, managing a cemetery or funeral home seems to be a fairly simple task. However, compared to many service businesses, cemeteries and funeral service providers face extraordinary challenges, the greatest of which is the risk becoming irrelevant within the next thirty years. Since the opening of the first planned landscaped cemetery in the early 1800s, cemeteries have been custodians of history. More recently, with growth of cremation and green burial, which do not necessarily translate to the cemetery as a final resting place, the public has more frequently chosen non-cemetery options to memorialize their loved ones. Funeral providers, as well, have disregarded the consumer's longing for something different and more meaningful. A recent response has been add-ons such as memory boards, personalized casket lids, and memorial DVDs. Not that these new offerings are not important, but consumers have demonstrated they want more than just "things" to make a funeral an important event and a true rite of passage. The Johnson-Woodford Company, a management consulting begun in 1980, has wide experience in helping cemeteries and funeral service business's improve performance. This Blog is dedicated to sharing our experience and thinking about how to improve your performance. We hope you find the information useful and high value for your time invested reading.

Johnson-Woodford, management consultants to the deathcare industry

Postscript

This post and others on the Johnson-Woodford Blog will be compiled into a Free, downloadable E-book, which will also be available in hard copy. A final thought. We can all learn from one another. Your thoughts, ideas, and sharing are important to us and others. Please send your notes and comments to blogger@johnson-woodford.com or log on to "http://www.johnson-woodford.com/"