Are You Creating or Killing Customer Loyalty?
Culture and Customer Loyalty Keynote Joan Fox at CANA’s 107th Convention
WHEELING, IL— The last 25 years of funeral service have brought unpredictable and incalculable changes to this industry. Adapting and pivoting are more than buzzwords—they’re a matter of survival. A change in mindset is also required if you want to grow. In the light of these developments, Joan Fox, President of Inspired Solutions, will show you what it really takes to succeed with customers and grow your business at the Cremation Association of North America’s 107th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention in Phoenix this August 6-8. 2025.
In her keynote session, Are You Creating or Killing Customer Loyalty? sponsored by National Guardian Life (NGL), Joan Fox proves why customer satisfaction isn’t enough—loyalty is needed. “Many mediocre companies satisfy their customers every day,” explains Joan. “They deliver a product or service without painful snags, and yet their customers exit by door, phone or internet, having been served. Customers get what they want with reasonable ease and courtesy, and go on with their lives—not dissatisfied and not ‘wowed.’” Attend Joan’s session and you’ll learn the most common “killers” of customer loyalty and the organizational “must haves” to create customer loyalty.
Joan Fox is a results-driven performance expert. With noted expertise in improving the customer experience, organizational culture and leadership teams, Joan has worked with some of the world’s best companies through her consulting firm. She understands the unique and intimate connection between deathcare practitioners and customer loyalty which drives profit, growth and brand reputation. “Truly extraordinary client experiences occur when we resurrect the passion that led us to choose this work path and demonstrate our desire to serve – when we do what we are asked because we want to help,” emphasizes Joan. “Ours is the privilege of working with human beings at a very vulnerable time of their lives.”
Further your business growth as you respond to changes to the profession in each session at the CANA Convention:
- Take a close look at Ethics in Cremation: A Colorado Case Study with Faith Haug, Program Director of Arapahoe Community College Mortuary Science Program, and explore three pivotal cremation cases and how they directly influenced Colorado’s funeral service laws and public trust.
- Two experts take the stage to share Data-Driven Digital Marketing Fundamentals with advice to build your business. Scott Jensen, Co-owner of FirstCall Marketing, offers Steps to Take to Know If Your Marketing is Working or Not. Then, Zack Moy, Co-founder/CTO of Afterword, guides you through The Efficient Funeral Home: A Data-Driven Look at Technology Implementation.
- Succession planning and driving enterprise value should always be top of mind, so Jake Johnson, President & CEO of Johnson Consulting, will show how to Exit with Success: Succession Planning and Your Business.
- In Historic Cemeteries Facing the Future, Regina Harrison, Director of Sales of Mount Auburn Cemetery, shares how to think creatively with options for cremation memorialization—whether you’re managing historic grounds or guiding families through end-of-life choices.
- Barbara Kemmis, Executive Director of the Cremation Association of North America and Chance Parker, Chief Research Officer of Fortitude Research + Marketing, present the Cremation Practitioner Benchmarking Study of insights into current practice and provides strategies to address future challenges.
What could be better than what’s happening on the CANA stage? It might be the backdrop! The Convention hotel is the Arizona Biltmore which offers seven relaxing pools, five appealing shops featuring hand-curated pieces, three unique dining experiences, two picturesque golf courses, and one award-winning spa and salon – plus two iconic bars where you can revel in a tequila sunrise. You’re invited to explore, to discover, and to feel inspired by the colors, culture and the captivating energy of the Valley of the Sun. Make your reservation now at canarooms.com.
To make the most of the resort experience, the CANA Convention schedule is revamped so you can enjoy all that Phoenix has to offer in the cool desert nights and mornings. First is a 9-hole scramble on The Estates Course at the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club with an 8am shotgun start. Not a golfer? Take in the scenery with the Arizona Biltmore History Tour to explore the bold Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced architecture, get the scoop on historic celebrated guests, and view the meticulous restoration. Moving at a different speed? Put relaxation first and take a yoga class or book your appointment at the award-winning Tierra Luna Spa and Sol Garden. Or take advantage of the resort pools open around the clock.
A choice is before us. We can either rely solely on heritage and traditions from the past or take control of the future. Learn the value of customer loyalty over satisfaction and gain strategies to develop staff to grow your business with Joan Fox at CANA’s 107th Annual Convention this August 6-8, 2025. Special rates are available for teams to learn, grow, and implement strategies together. Plus, the schedule is redesigned to ensure you can explore the Valley of the Sun in the cool mornings and evenings and fully savor the networking and learning in the air-conditioned Convention hall during the heat of the day. Visit cremationassociation.org/CANA25 to learn more and register today!
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About CANA
Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,700 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.
