People working in the funeral industry, mostly funeral directors, may find that they have been given some unwelcoming characteristics. They spend most of their time working with the dead, so they have to be a little strange or macabre themselves, right? However, you will find that most of these assumptions are untrue. The majority of people who work in the funeral industry are actually quite caring and will go out of their way to provide their customers with the best customer service. You may find it difficult trying to shake off all the unfounded assumptions people typically associate with funeral industry workers, but it can be done. Simply give the people in your community the chance to get to know you, and most will come to realize how far from the truth their assumptions are. However, even the most well-intentioned funeral worker can make a few mistakes which may cause their communities to ultimately shun them. If you would like to avoid becoming an unpopular or shunned funeral worker, there are a few things you should avoid doing:
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Believing that you already know everything there is or ever will be about funerals. Fortunately for the funeral workers of the past, a funeral mostly remained the same procedure for many years. The traditional funeral ceremony did not change that much from one person to another. Funeral directors were able to organize a ceremony that was proper and checked off all the boxes. However, now many people are looking for ceremonies that are a little more outside of the box and personalized to the deceased. People are using the internet to discover new and unique ways to honor the death of their loved one, and they want funeral workers who are familiar with all of this new and one of a kind services or products that they are researching. Now is a time when you must stay in the know, and you have to keep endlessly researching the new tips and tricks that are relevant in the funeral industry today.
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Resisting change and being unable to adapt to the new trends of the funeral industry. You can do all the research you want; however, if you are just discovering new trends and not using them, then all doing all of this hard work for nothing. You must utilize all of these new tips and tricks in order for your business to be a success. Unfortunately, this is where many funeral workers fail. They are afraid to take that one last step, and they fear change. However, you should never be afraid to try something new. Sometimes you have to take that extra risk to succeed where others may not. So, take that leap and start trying out new things in your funeral business.
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Saying, “it is not my job.” This is many people’s biggest pet peeve for those that work in the funeral industry. It can be extremely difficult burying someone you love, and most of the people that you encounter are looking for help and guidance from those working in the funeral industry. There is nothing more devastating than losing someone you love and then feeling as if you have no one to turn to. It is your job to help these people in their time of need, and everything they will need help with may not actually be your job. However, you can take that extra step and easily help them get in touch with the right people to help them along the way. All it takes is one person to help carry someone through this tumultuous time, and that someone is you. If you feel like you are unable to go the extra mile for people in need, then the funeral industry is probably not the best job for you. You will truly have to be a people person that enjoys taking someone’s hand and walking them through this difficult time.
It can be a huge task trying to overcome the unsettling assumptions people have about those working in the funeral industry. However, if you get to know the people in your community and help them through one of the hardest times they will ever have, you will quickly see these characteristics replaced with characteristics that truly describe you as a person. Also, if you step outside of the box and go that extra mile, people will respect you, and your business will prosper for it. Remember the only way to overcome these assumptions and avoid being shunned is to put forth that extra effort.