Article by: Jeff Harbeson, The Funeral Commander and The Harbeson Group
This week I have read outstanding articles from both Alan Creedy and Ryan Thogmartin regarding the funeral industry and continuing myopic practices. What fascinates me the most is that due to the medium of internet and social media, the exposure of “posers” and as Alan eloquently pointed out “guilds” continue.
Posers (a person who poses, especially a person who is trendy or fashionable in a superficial way) and guilds (a medieval association of craftsmen or merchants, often having considerable power) are beginning to scurry for cover like roaches when a light turns on in a dark room. The funeral industry is wrought with “experts” providing advice with little to no experienced platform to stand and being propped up by those that are fiercely resisting change. If this sounds familiar, take a look at our government in Washington and lobbyists for a similar analogy.
Social media and the internet are allowing for voices to be heard that were not provided a platform by the “ruling entities” of the funeral profession. A grand example is Alan and Ryan’s articles…I suspect neither will be published in most funeral association magazines. As the consumers we serve continue to educate themselves about the funeral industry, pricing, services and the like, they ultimately will force the necessary changes of endless outdated practices. Much like in the early 90′s, consumers and the internet totally changed the travel agency industry.
So for those in our industry that continue to refuse engage, enlighten and provide positive changes, as the old saying goes “the chickens are coming home to roost.” Cheers y’all.
Read more from The Funeral Commander: http://thefuneralcommander.com/
