Across Borders, Across Traditions: NFDA Unveils Historic Global Study

Report underscores NFDA’s global leadership in funeral service research. 

Brookfield, Wis. – Reinforcing its position as the world’s leading funeral service association, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has released the first-ever global study of consumer attitudes toward funerals and funeral professionals. Across Borders, Across Traditions: A Global Study of Funeral Preferences is a landmark research report that offers an unprecedented look at how consumers in 20 countries across six continents view funerals, grief rituals, burial, cremation and the role of the funeral director. The full report is available at no cost to anyone in the funeral service profession at NFDA.org/Research. 

“This is a game-changing moment for funeral service,” said NFDA Chief Marketing officer Stephanie Wagner. “No other organization has undertaken a study of this scale, depth and cultural diversity. As the global conversation about death, grief and remembrance continues to evolve, NFDA is leading the way with innovative research that empowers funeral professionals to adapt, innovate and serve families more meaningfully than ever before.” 

NFDA designed and funded the study with guidance from its Global Advisory Group and support from funeral service leaders worldwide. The findings are based on more than 4,000 consumer surveys conducted across Africa, Asia, Central and South America, Europe and North America. Key insights from the report include:

• The power of funerals is universal – Nearly 96% of respondents found funerals to be healing experiences, regardless of culture or disposition method.
• Burial and cremation both have emotional impact – While cremation rates are rising, more respondents found funerals with burial “very helpful” for healing than those with cremation.
• Consumers need guidance – Nearly half of respondents have never planned a funeral, highlighting the importance of education and support from funeral directors.
• Cultural traditions influence service elements – Flowers, personalized music, photo tributes and personalized eulogies emerged as the most important features of funerals worldwide.
• Sustainability is on the rise – Nearly 70% of consumers are interested in green or eco-friendly funerals, reflecting growing environmental consciousness. 

In addition to the report, NFDA created a complimentary action plan to help funeral professionals apply the survey’s findings in their day-to-day work and better serve today’s diverse and discerning families. 

“This study cements NFDA’s role as the global thought leader in funeral service,” said Wagner. “We’re proud to offer funeral professionals the insights they need to meet this moment with confidence, compassion and cultural awareness.” 

Download Across Borders, Across Traditions: A Global Study of Funeral Preferences, along with other pivotal NFDA research, such as a first-of-its-kind look at funeral preferences in the United States by generation, at NFDA.org/Research. 

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and more than 40 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit NFDA.org. 

Next week is Chrsitmas. . . . . And, almost everybody has their own traditions on how they spend time with their family or their community.

But what about your funeral home?  What are the traditions that they follow?  Having looked-forward to annual traditions is not only a way to celebrate with your community. . . .it is a way that your business can be looked on as a leader in that community.

Last week I noticed an article from our good friends, and Funeral Director Daily sponsors, ASD (Answering Service for Directors) that put a spotlight on 20 real-life “Heartwarming Funeral Home Holiday Traditions” that happen across the United States.

And, instead of me trying to explain them to you, I present them here, as explained by ASD for your own perusal.  Maybe one of these, or something like it, will find its way into your company traditions in the future.

About ASD —

Answering Service for Directors (ASD) is the leading funeral home answering service and communication technology provider throughout the United States and Canada. They have been family-owned since 1972 and exclusive to the funeral profession since the mid-90s. Their Call Specialists provide consistent, compassionate service sensitive to the needs of funeral directors. Specialized training emphasizing patience, empathy, and accuracy prepares our Call Specialists to consistently provide elite service when answering life’s most difficult calls.

More than a third of all funeral homes in the United States use their services because they fine-tune them to individual requests more than any other answering service provider. ASD strives to make communication easier for funeral directors so they can enjoy an improved work-life balance. They provide cutting-edge, award-winning solutions for mobile communication and powerful, time-saving integrations with the leading funeral home software and website companies. Their ASD Mobile app and MyASD website provide transparent visibility for all our clients. Whatever the funeral home communication needs, ASD has a proven solution for any budget.

You can learn more about them here.

About Funeral Director Daily sponsors–

Funeral Director Daily sponsors, such as ASD, provide a financial committment that allows Funeral Director Daily to operate as a free source of Death Care related news and information.  I could not bring you this medium without them.

I know that you have choices when selecting vendors in the Death Care realm.  . . .However, please thank them for their generosity and give those sponsors of Funeral Director Daily a chance to be a provider for you when looking at potential vendor partners in your business transactions.

Thank you. . . .and have a very joyous Holiday Season!!!

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Every year at this time, there comes a point at which we stop our hustling and bustling to do everything on our lists of things to do in preparing for family and guests to join us for the holidays. It may be only a brief stop as we realize that we forgot to get a gift for Aunt Emma, who never fails to bring gifts for all of us. Or, we might have left the grocery store with nine bags of ingredients for Christmas dinner, but we forgot the eggnog. Something has to give. Is it just me or do you find yourself thinking back to when times “seemed” simpler and easier to navigate?

Yet, was it really that simple a time, or were we simply more satisfied with how we were accomplishing everything on our list? It seems that the families who begin decorating their homes for the holidays right after Turkey dinner is over are the happiest about seeing Christmas arrive. They embrace their “inner Christmas” spirit, and out comes the outdoor lights and because there is typically good weather, it’s perfect to climb around on the roof and connect all the bulbs from last year. One of my favorite commercials this year is a family home decorated with outdoor lights that take the word “Extreme” to a new level. The house right next to it has one simple word blazing in stand-up lights: “Ditto.” Poignant.

What are we trying to say to ourselves and to our families by the traditions we make? Do we string the Christmas cards we get across the mantle or place them atop the mantle to keep track of who has communicated with us? Even though greeting cards are being sent more often these days, there’s something special about holding a card we’d rescued from the mail stack of boring bills to bring a smile and a promise to renew our hearts and mind about the reason for the season of giving and glorious and unconditional love. How many stockings hang in our home this year?

In the Bryan-College Station area, we have seven counties that our outreach impacts each year at this time. The Salvation Army has its annual angel tree. This year, all of the angels in need (student and Salvation Army families alike) have the opportunity to grow up and believe In the kindness of the people where they live. Countless bikes, toys, jackets and other wearing apparel that these children not only need, but want, are gathered and assembled by volunteers. This means something special to us as we shop for the children whose names we pulled. Let’s face it, when we know that what we do matters, that we can help others in need really makes a difference, it’s a great feeling. Our volunteering matters.

Are you missing a loved one for the first time this Christmas? Some families like to represent the missing family member with an empty chair in the place where they always used to sit. There’s a significance in the absence of that person. Other people have a tradition where they invite someone who is all alone at the holidays to sit in the “missing you” chair. It fills two opportunities to make someone alone feel less lonely and to fill the empty space at the table.

Every passing of a patriarch or matriarch of a family is unique. No one can tell you what is right for you except yourself. The traditions you set and continue each year are those that your children will always remember as being yours, and then they will make that a part of their traditions as they get their own homes.

If your banquet table is full, if your kitchen is overflowing, and if you find your home the busiest time of year ever, then your holiday is truly blessed. Be sure to take photos to keep for years from now to remember when all this generation’s children are grown and return with children of their own. And if your table is missing a loved one or two this year, reach back for those photo albums and slowly go through the pages. Close your eyes and open your heart to the days when all your loved ones were around you and feel the love that never dies. It transcends generations before and will last all the way through your generations to come. God bless you at Christmas, and every day in the coming year.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

Cody D. Jones ‘02

Owner & Community Member

Every year at this time, there comes a point at which we stop our hustling and bustling to do everything on our lists of things to do in preparing for family and guests to join us for the holidays. It may be only a brief stop as we realize that we forgot to get a gift for Aunt Emma, who never fails to bring gifts for all of us. Or, we might have left the grocery store with nine bags of ingredients for Christmas dinner, but we forgot the eggnog. Something has to give. Is it just me or do you find yourself thinking back to when times “seemed” simpler and easier to navigate?

Yet, was it really that simple a time, or were we simply more satisfied with how we were accomplishing everything on our list? It seems that the families who begin decorating their homes for the holidays right after Turkey dinner is over are the happiest about seeing Christmas arrive. They embrace their “inner Christmas” spirit, and out comes the outdoor lights and because there is typically good weather, it’s perfect to climb around on the roof and connect all the bulbs from last year. One of my favorite commercials this year is a family home decorated with outdoor lights that take the word “Extreme” to a new level. The house right next to it has one simple word blazing in stand-up lights: “Ditto.” Poignant.

What are we trying to say to ourselves and to our families by the traditions we make? Do we string the Christmas cards we get across the mantle or place them atop the mantle to keep track of who has communicated with us? Even though greeting cards are being sent more often these days, there’s something special about holding a card we’d rescued from the mail stack of boring bills to bring a smile and a promise to renew our hearts and mind about the reason for the season of giving and glorious and unconditional love. How many stockings hang in our home this year?

In the Bryan-College Station area, we have seven counties that our outreach impacts each year at this time. The Salvation Army has its annual angel tree. This year, all of the angels in need (student and Salvation Army families alike) have the opportunity to grow up and believe In the kindness of the people where they live. Countless bikes, toys, jackets and other wearing apparel that these children not only need, but want, are gathered and assembled by volunteers. This means something special to us as we shop for the children whose names we pulled. Let’s face it, when we know that what we do matters, that we can help others in need really makes a difference, it’s a great feeling. Our volunteering matters.

Are you missing a loved one for the first time this Christmas? Some families like to represent the missing family member with an empty chair in the place where they always used to sit. There’s a significance in the absence of that person. Other people have a tradition where they invite someone who is all alone at the holidays to sit in the “missing you” chair. It fills two opportunities to make someone alone feel less lonely and to fill the empty space at the table.

Every passing of a patriarch or matriarch of a family is unique. No one can tell you what is right for you except yourself. The traditions you set and continue each year are those that your children will always remember as being yours, and then they will make that a part of their traditions as they get their own homes.

If your banquet table is full, if your kitchen is overflowing, and if you find your home the busiest time of year ever, then your holiday is truly blessed. Be sure to take photos to keep for years from now to remember when all this generation’s children are grown and return with children of their own. And if your table is missing a loved one or two this year, reach back for those photo albums and slowly go through the pages. Close your eyes and open your heart to the days when all your loved ones were around you and feel the love that never dies. It transcends generations before and will last all the way through your generations to come. God bless you at Christmas, and every day in the coming year.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

Cody D. Jones ‘02

Owner & Community Member