Why is a Funeral Home Answering Service SO Different?
Many answering services fail in answering for funeral homes due to not completely understanding what makes them so different. AND THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE!
Funeral homes do not need answering service, THEY WANT ONE! They have been answering their own phones for generations and can forward it to their cell phones. They can and will answer themselves if needed to make sure a family is greeted well and listened too. They WANT an answering service to be a seamless extension of their family business. You see, they are very careful in whom they hire at the funeral home. They want to make sure when a family walks in or calls that there is a caring person on the other end that will represent their business like they would. Tone of voice and listening skills is the most important part of what they are looking for. Have you every noticed the retired people that are greeters at funeral home? They get this and it is easy for them. HMMM... makes you think. What qualities do I need in my employees?
When they choose an answering service they are looking for a service that embodies the same values. Someone that is training tone and listening skills. To be frank, for that is why "Answering Service" is such an ugly term for a funeral home. Unless that Answering service is special, they are not interested.
I have had many answering service owners to tell me, funeral homes are so picky. No, I don't think picky is the right word, they just need the following items constantly.
1. Phones to be answered LIVE 2. Nice tone to voice and great listening skills 3. always follow procedures to delivering messages
It is very simple really.
I love answering for funeral homes, they make bonds with my employees and want them as part of their funeral home.
So, if you are answering service and think you can just sell to Funeral Homes and not train for it. YOU ARE WRONG! And look at your staff, are the pleasant? Would the funeral home hire them? I hope you can answer yes.
I love the funeral home industry and continue to work hard to meet and exceed expectations.
Call me for your FLAT rate today! 770.854.5508
Dawn Newborn-Cook 19 years experience answering for funeral homes.
Funeral Homes
Written by
Andrea Dawn Newborn-Cook