All right, I’ll admit it:  your mother probably wouldn’t care about this one, but I do.

STOP SKIMPING!

At least, stop skimping on the stuff families see.  If you want to use a cheaper embalming fluid, I don’t care, as long as the results are the same.  If you want to buy cheaper pens for your staff to use for office work, go ahead!

But you’ve got to stop skimping when it comes to the things your families see during the removal, the arrangement conference, the visitation and the funeral.

Why?  Because unless you’re selling low prices, you should justify that big amount at the bottom of the contract. If you’re selling a great experience or your firm’s wonderful reputation, you’d better not put items (or employees, for that matter) of low caliber in front of them.  It’s just tacky.  Not to mention rude.

 Trying to save money by using 1-ply toilet paper in your public restrooms?  Congratulations, you’ve sacrificed your reputation and the comfort of your guests for $1.50 a month.

Hoping to get another year or two out of that 1989 hearse?  Good luck convincing your community that you’re the most progressive and comfortable funeral home in town.

Saving some money by getting an untrained, unpleasant person to stand at visitations?  For a dollar or two more per hour (roughly $12 in salary, taxes and other contributions for a 4-hour viewing) you could have hired a part-timer who’s actually involved in the community, like the mayor’s husband or a local minister’s wife.  Instead, Jethro is going to flick the lights and badger people at 9:02 pm because he’s in a hurry to get home to watch the Grand Ole Opry.  (My apologies to upstanding Jethro’s and Opry fans everywhere.)

Sometimes, saving money costs you much more.  It can cost you your reputation and your livelihood.  So stop it!  At least where it’s noticable.