3 qualities every vendor should have

Jason Murphy,
Director of Family
Services,
Sunset Memorial Park

As the sales manager of a cemetery, I don’t get the chance to work with our vendors on a daily basis. My days are focused on meeting with families and helping our sales team. However, I certainly know that I can count on them to serve our families in the way we wish them to be served.

In my opinion, funeral homes and cemeteries should look for three main qualities when hiring a vendor:

1. Trust. It's an important quality to have, no matter what industry you work in. But, it's especially important in the funeral industry. Are your vendors trustworthy? Are you confident in knowing that when you aren’t around they are representing you in the best way possible? Ultimately, the vendor you choose will reflect on your business, so choose one that you feel comfortable with when you can’t be around.
2. Educating families. Make sure your vendors provide materials to help you educate the families you serve on the importance of burial vaults and other important products. We all know that as cemetery and funeral home employees, we don’t always have all the information when educating our customers on burial vaults. That is why it’s so important for vendors to provide you with educational materials to help families understand and appreciate the value of a burial vault and all other products.
3. Quality products. You want a vendor that provides quality products. Great service is one of the most important aspects a vendor can provide; however, a quality product is equally important. You can have the greatest customer service around, but you can never mask an inferior product. Make sure that your vendor has a reliable and attractive product that the families you serve will love. When a family can see the value in a product, it makes the sale that much easier.

Vendors and dealers, if you are worried you aren’t offering your customers at least these three qualities, it’s time to take a good look at your overall business model. Sometimes, we just need a little reminder and a path in the right direction.

This article originally appeared in Trigard Tuesdays, our weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/tuesdays.