The Idle Mindset: Reacting to Change
Read about the 3 different mindsets funeral directors use when responding to change here.
Reacting to change
If you don’t know why your families are changing, that’s okay.
If you know why your families have changed but don’t know how to reach them, that’s okay too.
Change is happening at a rapid pace in the funeral profession, and after countless conversations with funeral homes, we've noticed that there are 3 different mindsets funeral directors use to react to change:
In this article, we'll explain more about what it looks like to react to industry changes as they occur, rather than preparing for them ahead of time.
If you want to know more about how funeral homes react to change, [check out this article.]
The Idle Mindset
How do you react when you see a good deal on a large ticket item like a flat-screen TV? If you’re like most consumers, you’d be pretty quick to click on a link or run to the mall to get a great deal on an item you’ve had your eye on.
However, any decision made, if not given enough time to think through it, may not lead to the best result. Think about it - reacting without thinking usually doesn’t end well for TV purchases or your funeral business.
Reacting to change as it happens
When the pandemic hit in 2020, funeral directors found themselves with no way to connect with families. They had to frantically search for solutions to continue providing service to their families. What hadn’t been a problem before left many scrambling to catch up. It’s not that funeral homes didn’t have the ability to adopt new technology; they just didn’t think they’d need it to connect with their families. They had to react in the moment, rather than having well-thought-out solutions to provide to families.
Funeral homes with an idle mindset wait until it’s absolutely necessary to change to meet oncoming needs. They’re doing what’s always worked, and so they just assume it’s the best way to meet the needs of families. To put it into perspective, think about the arrangement conference, a process you may not have updated in your funeral home in 15+ years.
Whether it’s the year 2002 or 2022, the process hasn’t changed. You might say, “Well, my method works, and I haven’t had any family complaints.” While that might be true, you shouldn’t have to hear complaints to know your families have changed or want a better process.
If you’re constantly waiting until the last minute to change, then you’re having to react instead of carefully plan out how you might react to changes coming. Having a proactive mindset, rather than a reactive one, will help you come up with the best solutions.
Start thinking about change before it occurs
Today’s families have already changed and will continue to do so. The goal is not to keep up or even stay ahead, but to anticipate the family's needs before they even know they need them. Download The Innovative Mindset: a new way to think about change to find a new perspective on how to deal with the changes taking place in our industry, along with tips and sources on how to begin innovating at your funeral home business - some ideas even cost $0 implement!
Learn what it looks like to have a reactive mindset and how you can begin taking steps toward a proactive mindset by reading the article 👊 Our profession needs YOUR innovative ideas to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of families today and in the future.