Is memorialization losing its importance?

Stuart McDaniels,
Materials Manager

I love how the internet has changed how we interact with the world, especially when it comes to the interactions we have with others and the sharing of ideas and opinions. It used to be that there were very few outlets for opinions and ideas beyond three major news outlets, your local newspaper, and your neighbors and co-workers.

Sometimes, I feel our industry is still stuck in this old paradigm of limited thinking and information flow. That’s why I was extremely encouraged by an article I recently stumbled across online that discussed how a particular cemetery in Australia was being conceived to utilize GPS to mark grave sites. There would be no markers anywhere. The headline asked, “Could this be the end of gravestones?” The article spoke of how this “new technology” would challenge what a cemetery could be, and stated that “there is a huge gap between what people want nowadays and what has traditionally been made available.” The director of the landscape company who is partnered with the architects designing the site is quoted as saying, “This project is about changing how we celebrate death.”

Wow. Sounds a little scary if you are in the memorialization business doesn’t it? Well, not so fast. Remember earlier when I talked about the open flow of ideas across the internet? It just so happens that this publication has a comment section below each article that encourages readers to comment on the story they just read. I love reading these as they provide insight as to what the “average Joe” is thinking. Some commenters are there just to troll or have an agenda, but for the most part, there are usually some good responses.

What encouraged me so much about this article were a series of comments from various readers disagreeing with the substance of the article. Commenter after commenter talked about how the marker was more than just a way to mark the burial site. The most popular comment in the thread said “Then that place will be empty. The whole point of a cemetery is to have a tangible point of remembrance and GPS coordinates on your smartphone just don't cut it.” Another great comment read, “I think this misses the point. Most people like some marker, some memorial to say to the world, 'This person existed! They were here!'. At least, that's how I look at markers. I don't only visit those of my family, but others. Walking through an old graveyard is a wonderful and sobering experience.”

Remembrance and memorialization are the key ideas here. What they really are saying is memorialization is important. As an industry, we must not allow ourselves to believe any other way. I believe, when people are prompted to consider mortality and memorialization, most would concede that what they want for themselves may not take into consideration their loved ones needs to have something, somewhere, physical and tangible that enables them to remember or reflect on that person’s passing or a life well lived. This concept is important to our industry and is especially important to the fabric of our culture and society.

All of us in this industry have a unique opportunity, and a profound responsibility, to facilitate a discussion to educate everyone we come into contact with regarding just how critically important memorialization is. We must do all we can to get people to think about it and to consider the implications of a loved one's passing without memorialization.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Are you embracing your human instincts?

Jeff Miller,
Vice President of
Business Development

With Memorial Day being just a few days ago, I find myself, as I am sure most you do as well, reflecting on my own lost loved ones. I also find myself thinking about the many different beliefs of memorialization that we see in our industry. As human beings, in my opinion, it is our instinctual desire to memorialize a loved one after they die. We see it everywhere we go. We see it in the wooden crosses on the side of the road and the flowers and candles placed on the front door steps of a celebrity after they die.

Isn’t it our obligation as memorialization experts to embrace this desire and help families memorialize their loved ones the way they want? Remember, you are the experts and we help families create unique memorials every day. It is important to use your knowledge and passion to empower families to understand the importance of permanent memorialization. It’s our job to help them see the value in creating a place for future generations to share stories and create new memories. You will be surprised how your knowledge of memorialization and your passion will translate into better sales for you and more value for the family.

I encourage you to embrace the “instinctual desire” we all have and ask the hard questions to find out what the families you serve need. In the end, they will thank you for creating the perfect memorial to honor their loved one.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

A digital way to "unstick" your to-do list

Brodie Krause,
IT Manager

As an IT professional, I've sat at a lot of computer stations occupied by my co-workers. Often their monitors will have a halo of sticky notes placed all around the border, including notes, reminders and to-do lists.

Is this how you track your projects and things-to-do? Did you know there are a number of more efficient ways to track your tasks using software, rather than the old sticky note method?

I'd like to introduce you to Trello by Fog Creek Software. Trello takes the idea of sticky notes on a whiteboard and translates it beautifully to the digital world. Here you can create and customize lists for your home or office environment and store them in a central location. Each list can include due dates, checklists, comments and attachments.

Do you need to collaborate? Trello allows you to send invites via email for other individuals to have access to your organization board. And, when you are done with a list or project, Trello will archive it for you in case you need to refer back to it in the future - as opposed to the sticky note method. When you toss it, it's gone. But, best of all, it is absolutely free.

So clean up your monitor, save some trees and try a new way to keep track of your work!

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Your last minute Memorial Day grounds checklist

Patrick Lewis,
Grounds Manager,
Sunset Memorial Park

Memorial Day visitors will be here before you know it. Although the official holiday is a little over a week away, we all know that families will start visiting our cemeteries and memorial parks early next week. I’m sure your grounds crew has been hard at work for weeks in preparation for the busiest weekend of the year. But what details have they saved for the last minute?

Here’s what’s on our list at Sunset Memorial Park for the next week:

Trimming and mowing: We continue to mow all week, especially if we get some rain. More rain means more mowing.

Raising markers: Did you have a hard winter? Are your grounds wet? We’ve identified and raised many markers and repaired areas of the park that have been impacted by severe and wet weather. In the next week, we’ll continue this process.

Flower regulations: Be sure you have clear flower regulations and share them with your visitors. Information about clean up after the holiday is vital. Remember to use a warm tone when you share your regulations. While you certainly need rules, you need to make sure your visitors feel welcomed.

Post-holiday priorities: We’re already thinking about the work planned for after the holiday weekend. We’ve partnered with our cemetery sales staff, who will greet visitors all weekend. They’ll get us a list of vases that need attention, refinish requests and markers that need to be raised.

Could your grounds superintendent use a checklist like this? Use the forward email icon below (it looks like an envelope with an arrow) to forward this post to your grounds crew.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

What is memorialization?

Karen Darby-Ritz, 
Advance Planning Manager, 
Camino del Sol Funeral Chapel
and Cremation Center

Memorialization has many definitions, but according to Merriam-Webster, it is “to do or create something that causes people to remember a person, thing or event.”

As you know, families choose to memorialize their loved ones in many different ways. For example, recently in New York, an infamous party boy was memorialized by turning his viewing room into a replica of Bungalow 8. It was decked out with palm trees, a DJ played music, and everyone wore Snoopy t-shirts. His family and friends honored him the best way they knew how, in true party style. Another example is the recent memorial service for a millionaire car collector. He sat upright in his favorite Ferrari during his visitation.

There are those who enjoy the flair of an extravagant memorial service, and then there are those who don't want to "make a fuss." They don’t want a viewing, a service or a party for friends. Which style is correct?

The answer is simple. There is no right or wrong way for a family to honor their loved one's life, as long as they do some form of memorialization. A memorial can be as simple as a picture on a bronze memorial or as extravagant as a black tie and ball gown styled party with all their friends and family in attendance.

Our job as memorialization experts is to educate the families we serve about the importance of memorialization and to honor the life of their loved one. Their options are limited only by their own imagination.


This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Do you offer more than a price?

Ross Darby,
Director of Business
Development

Have you ever been so impressed with a company’s products or services that money is not an issue? In my opinion, there is more than one way of selling people on your product before even mentioning the price. By excelling and perfecting all the “little” things that you do, you are setting yourself apart from the competition.

Today, many companies are so worried about battling the price war that they forget about everything else. You’ve worked hard to create a business built on value, don’t sacrifice that and devalue your products and services. Show potential customers your worth by:

• Offering great customer service
•  Providing high-quality products or services
• Establishing good payment terms
• Offering a better warranty than your competitor

When you begin slashing prices to compete with the companies who are low balling their value, you end up sacrificing revenue. Stick to your guns, and stay true to your brand. Believing in what you do is the first step. And, when you believe in your company, your true value will shine through.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

It's time to spring into action

Blake Swinford,
Project Manager

Spring is in the air. The sun is shining. Flowers are blooming, the grass is turning green again and families are visiting cemeteries to spend time with their loved ones. Are you ready?

With Memorial Day right around the corner, your cemetery grounds will be full of families visiting and sharing memories. They may be interested in restoring their loved one's existing memorial, adding a medallion for extra personalization or even upgrading to something new. Talk and share stories with them during their visit. This is a great opportunity for you get to know the families in your community and learn how you can better help them.

If you are a memorial company, this time of year is a great opportunity to visit your customers as well. Go see them and talk to them about your products. Learn more about their business and how you can help them grow. If there is an opportunity to introduce a new product to them, see if you can help them start including it in their product selection before Memorial Day. You have been cooped up all winter, get out there and enjoy the weather.

And, as always, if you have any questions about the products we offer, call Customer Service at 800.798.4900.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Honor thy neighbor with a bronze memorial

John Albers,
Plant Manager

Memorialization doesn’t just occur in our cemeteries. It appears in parks and schools, government buildings and grounds from municipal to federal. Memorials are dedicated by family, friends, shipmates, classmates and teammates.

Recently, I helped a group of elderly men, a morning coffee group, design and set a small bronze memorial at the base of a flag pole which stood in a neighborhood park. The plaque included the gentleman’s name and the quote, “Keeper of the Flag.” Obviously, this departed friend had seen to it that Old Glory was always in good shape and displayed properly. The dedication was an informal ceremony. A half dozen gentlemen, some of their wives and the widow of the deceased were present. There was immense pride on the faces of everyone in attendance. The name of their friend, who they loved and appreciated so much, was now a permanent reminder of the memories they shared while building and caring for the park.

I hope you’re always finding new ways to build bridges between your business and the community. It could create opportunities for people to keep memories alive and honor those that had such great impacts on their lives.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

How flexible are you?

Scott Darby,
Media Manager and
Certified Funeral Celebrant,
Camino del Sol Funeral Chapel
and Cremation Center

I am the last of my generation to join the family business. Before training to become a funeral celebrant, I had a thirty-year career experience that consisted of performance, theatre technology and finally event coordination. I consider myself to be somewhat of a Renaissance man, having had my hands in several pots along my career trajectory. I have lived in Chicago, New York City, Austin, and currently Phoenix. I come from the worlds of audience satisfaction and customer service.

We’ve all read the trade magazines and it’s no secret that cremation has taken over as the preferred method of disposition. This may not be great news to many of us in the business of memorialization. Me? I see it as a challenge. Coming from theatre and hospitality, I am used to hearing, “This is what we need. How do we make it happen?” I want to bring this attitude into the funeral industry. Instead of looking at this information as a hurdle, I challenge you to see it as an opportunity to make memorialization better than it has ever been.

I remember a car drive I recently took with my sister, Karen. We were driving down a palm tree-lined street. It was the beginning of monsoon season. I love a good thunderstorm and was expressing my excitement about the coming weather. The monsoons in Arizona can get pretty severe with high winds, rain, amazing lightning shows and huge claps of thunder.

I said to Karen, “I can’t believe there are so many palm trees around. They must get destroyed during the monsoons.”

“Actually,” she replied, “that’s why they are so tall and thin. They are very flexible and bend with the wind. They do very well in the weather.”

Since we are being honest, I have to let you in on a secret. I’m not supposed to be living in Phoenix. By now, I was supposed to have a very successful career as an actor on Broadway, and be lounging by my pool in the Hollywood Hills, reading scripts for my movie debut. What happened?!?
I tell you this story to drive home the importance of taking risks and being flexible with the results. Be the palm tree that bends in the wind and survives the highest of winds to grow even taller.

People and companies are working differently than they have in the past. The internet has made the mobile workplace not only tangible but successful. Small businesses have to fight for their market share against corporations. There’s no way around it, we have to learn a new ballgame. This sounds daunting, I know. But the way I see it, we have the chance to create an even deeper meaning for memorialization and its importance to society. The world is open to us. It is an exciting time to be in our industry. Let’s shift the paradigm from, “That’s how we’ve always done it,” to “This is what we need. How do we make it happen?”

Cremation is a new frontier and I beg of you, don’t waste this opportunity. I implore you to be willing to take a few curveballs in the face. I promise you, after getting a few in the kisser, you’ll learn how to dodge them.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

The power of the process

Ethan Darby,
Director of Business
Development

Do mistakes happen often in your business? Are those mistakes preventable? Do certain tasks seem like they take longer than they should? At the end of the day, do you ever feel like nothing was accomplished? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to take a step back and look at your processes.

At Trigard, we recently stepped back and took a good, long look at our own processes. And, I must admit, it can be very difficult to diagnose an issue with the way you do things, especially when you do those things every day.

The route that we took was called Value Stream Mapping, which can be conducted on any type of process, no matter if it is a manufacturing, administrative or service type of process. A Value Stream Map is basically a list of every step of your process, how long that step takes to complete, how accurate that step is, etc. It helps you to understand what steps are adding value that your customer is willing to pay for and which steps are a waste.

You have already seen some of our successes due to a recent Value Stream Map that we conducted on our bronze order process. Now, you are receiving proofs a lot quicker than before; and Customer Service can better track orders throughout our plant.

If you think your company would see some value in doing a Value Stream Map exercise with your staff, I highly encourage you to do it. For one, your staff knows the processes better than you do and they can provide you with solutions that they believe in. At Trigard, we cut our lead times in half and greatly decreased the number of mistakes we make. I encourage you to give it a try. We have seen the value, and we hope you do too.



This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.