“No Problem is a Problem!” 

“Hey, thanks for sharing your lunch with me.” “Anytime, no problem.”

“Thanks for holding that door.” “Sure, no problem.”

Actually – “no problem” is a problem in our business.

There are only two “right” replies when someone

says “Thanks”, or “Thank You” or any variation

thereof.

“Thank you.” —– “You’re welcome.” or “Thank

you;” —– “You are welcome.” or “Thank you.”—

“You are so welcome.” All variations on the same

theme, and all acceptable

Can you ever say “No problem”? Sure you can, if

someone doesn’t say “thank you”. For instance if

someone says, “I appreciate the ride home!” You can

reply, “Oh really it was no problem, I was happy to

do it.” But, just using the word problem, even when denying it, makes a person wonder.

How much better would it be to just say “I was happy to do it.” No one really wins when

we say “no problem – two negatives do not make for a positive experience.

Or – try something new that is bringing smiles to people’s faces.

My Pleasure — IS a Pleasure

“Thank you.” —– “My pleasure.”

When you reply to “Thank you” with the words, “My pleasure”, said sincerely, it makes

people stop and really consider what you said. Often they will stop and look straight

into your eyes and grin! They will feel that you were happy to assist them, that more

than just “not being a problem” you actually felt good about it. It always brings a smile

to my face when someone replies to my thanks by saying it was their pleasure to help

me.

In our business we need to make it our pleasure to help our callers. It is our job to be of

assistance and we should be pleased that we are able to do it. (Actually, we probably

should be pleased we have a job – so many people don’t these days.) When we tell a

caller that it was our pleasure to help them, we are cementing their relationship with our

clients. When we tell our own clients it is our pleasure to serve them, we are cementing

their relationship with our company.

This personal touch is what keeps our customers happy with what we do for them, and it

helps them forgive us if we make a minor mistake. So when we are on the phones, make

sure that our clients and their customers and callers know that it was our pleasure to

assist them. Everyone wins when we say those two little words.

I recently came across this and it made me smile…although when it happens, and I am sure everyone can relate, you feel insignificant or what you are saying is not important enough to the person you are speaking to that they feel the need to talk to someone else.  I think we all feel compelled to answer the phone when it rings, particularly in the Funeral Industry when it may be a bereaved family….a reason why Funeral Homes value a quality, transparent Answering Service that they can count on!

At a recent convention I heard about Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s book titled;  Funeral Home Customer Service A-Z : Creating Exceptional Experiences for Today’s Families.  In one section of the book Dr. Wolfelt talks about Compassion Fatique or; “Funeral Director Fatique Syndrome” and  job burn out among Funeral Directors.  Working 24/7 and having to deal with everyday operations in addition to economic stresses and needing to be there emotionally for bereaved families, Funeral Directors often forget about helping themselves.  

Some common symptoms Dr. Wolfelt points out are:

“Exhaustion and loss of energy”

                                        ”Irritability and impatience”                                        

“Cynicisim and detachment”

“Physical complaints and depression”

“Isolation from others”

 Sounds like it may be a worthwhile read.

Stay well! 

A well attended, well planned convention!   It was great to meet up with Clients again and see warm, familiar faces in addition to hearing some fantastic presentations.

 Keynote speaker, Col. Rick Searfoss, a former Astronaut and Top Gun Fighter Pilot was well received, captivated the audience and was gracious enough to have his picture taken with enthusiasts such as myself in addition to autographing a picture for my 11 year old son.

 I took the opportunity to do a little sight-seeing, shopping at the Pentagon Mall and visit The Whitehouse where I was absolutely awestruck by it’s beauty.  President Obama was a busy man so unfortunately did not have an opportunity to get a picture with him.

 Leaving Washington DC, I experienced patriotic on-lookers showing their deep gratitude and respect for War Veterans arriving at the Airport.  It was very touching to see that even a simple heartfelt Thank you meant a lot to these courageous people that endured the extremes of war and risked their lives fighting for their country. 

 All in all, a great convention with great experiences and I look forward to attending next years!

Answering phones for 52,000 hours, Ann Sutherland has not heard it all!  In the Funeral Home Industry, Ann states; “You never know what the next call will entail.  Each call is as equally important as the next.  It may be someone phoning regarding arrangement details, someone wanting to make pre-arrangements, someone running late for a service that needs help with directions or it may be a death call.   Every call needs a caring, attentive voice that is truly willing to help the caller in every way possible.”  Working with families for the past 25 years Ann has experienced callers of varying emotions.  “Every situation is individual and deserves the same level of care and concern,” she adds.  “Some callers may be hysterical while others appear fine and then you hear a hesitation or crack in their voice and it’s like it becomes more real once they have made contact with the Funeral Home.”

 “You really need to pay close attention to the details provided to ensure exact information is collected including repeating the phone #  so the Funeral Home is  prepared when they call the family back.”  

 “Handling calls of such a sensitive nature and treating each and every caller with dignity and respect is all in a day’s work,” states Ann. 

 The staff at Director On Call congratulates Ann for her commitment and dedication over the past 25 years!

With 81.3% of all funeral planning beginning online, common sense leads us to the conclusion that funeral home marketing must include online advertising. People all across North America in both large and small towns and cities are searching online for funeral services. Examples of the Google search numbers for funeral homes are as follows:

• ·Mesa AZ – 258 people search every month for a funeral home
• ·Newmarket ON – 192 people search every month
• ·Augusta GA – 411 people search every month
• ·Surrey BC – 166 people search every month
• ·Frederick MD – 241 people search every month
• ·St. John’s NFLD – 259 people search every month
• ·Andover MA – 117 people search every month
• ·Columbus MS – 124 people search every month
• ·Detroit MI – 1448 people search every month

 For more information; http://local-marketer.hubpages.com/hub/funeral-home-marketing

“Sometimes following a customized script is not required,” states Laurie Woodman, Call Specialist at Director On Call, answering for families for the past 34 years.   When it comes to taking a First Call for a Funeral Home you have to be attentive and empathetic but you also need to be connected.  “You have to really listen and let the caller speak and not interrupt, before you start collecting information.”        

 “Answering for over 3 decades and representing Funeral Homes on a daily basis you learn sometimes offering condolences is just not enough on one of the worst days of the caller’s lives.   Prepared or rehearsed responses may not always be appropriate as every situation and every person is unique.”

 ‘Entrusting us with their reputation, it is our commitment to remain focused and be prepared for the next call we answer and the next family in their time of need.”

 “I love what I do and feel good at the end of my shift knowing that by offering a kind voice at the other end of the line I have represented the Funeral Home well and hopefully helped make a difference with the family member placing the call.” 

 Next to Laurie, in years of service, Ann Sutherland and Crystal Patry are celebrating their 25 year anniversaries this year!   

In today’s world it’s all about Technology.  Thus the reason Director On Call just invested ¼ million dollars in a new system with more offerings.  What about a component just as vital, if not more important when it comes to handling your calls?

In the Funeral Home industry the voice on the other end of the line is the initial contact with your families on potentially one of the worst days of their lives.  Following a customized script is crucial but knowing how to really listen and respond makes a difference with your families in their time of need.  That is why Director On Call monitors calls on a daily basis and has consistently received the CAM-X Award of Excellence for 12 consecutive years of outstanding service.  Receiving accurate and timely messages is also in the hands of the person taking the calls so don’t base on technology alone…humans have to be carefully trained, not programmed.  An answering service that is truly committed to the industry won’t jeopardize the reputation that you have worked so hard to earn in your community. 

http://connectingdirectors.com/articles/4961-13-ways-to-guarantee-you-will-die-prematurely-funeral-directors-arent-exempt

Working in a sales position with Director On Call the question I get asked over and over again is;  “Is the switch from my current answering service to Director On Call time consuming and how do I know I am going to receive better service?”   Change means getting out of your comfort zone and stepping into a grey area filled with uncertainty.  This is the reason Director On Call offers a free 1 month no obligation trial with access to all call recordings.  When someone tells me they are dissatisfied with their present representation but are worried about the unknown or they simply do not have the time to make a change I ask them if they can afford not to.  We make it easy; you fill out an account set up form (or we complete with you), it is handed off to Operations for implementation,  any questions we send via email, you review on-line to ensure set to your satisfaction, Call Specialists review prior to going live so they are prepared, you call forward to the new toll free # we provide and your call is answered by one of the most professional and caring Call Specialists in the industry.  A change in your answering service if unhappy is necessary if you want to improve and grow.   

 “The Staff at Director On Call are attentive to our families needs and quality of service superlative.  In 22 years in the death care profession, this is by far the best answering service I have ever had represent my Funeral Home.”  Ken Pearce/Greer Family Mortuary

  “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.  It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”  – Charles Darwin