These four courses comprise the Funeral Service Excellence Series, the key building blocks for the funeral service professional. Registration includes a bound and printed manual mailed directly to students. Complete all four courses for a Service Excellence Certificate of Completion. These courses are perfect for anyone with three years of experience or less of working in a funeral home, from reception to funeral assistant to funeral director.

Making Best Impressions

What impression do you make? Do you provide consistently high-quality experiences that families and loved ones remember forever? Making the best impression is key. Making Best Impressions will provide many valuable skills and tips that will help you work more effectively with families. You will explore the best practices that have been identified by industry leaders. How you dress, stand, and present yourself influences how people interact with you. There are nuances to written and oral communication that will strengthen what you say. Simple tips can help people perceive you as being genuine and caring. If you are new to the profession or a seasoned professional who wants to sharpen your skills, this course is for you.

Being A Successful Professional

Effective work skills and interpersonal skills make a successful professional. It is important to know the value of the funeral home to the community, friends, families, and loved ones. Positive relationships need to be built internally and externally. Building and improving processes makes work easier and more effective. Essential skills make a difference between just doing a job and being a professional.

Gaining Respect & Building Trust

Learn the key components of gaining respect and building trust. Build a strong sense of awareness of how you are perceived by your coworkers. Be more effective with the families you serve. As a result, you will be a more confident and effective professional. You will feel empowered to work from your heart and contribute to your company’s shared vision and mission.

It starts with you. There’s a difference between being liked and being respected. Ideally we want to be both. Unfortunately, in the fast paced world of funeral service it is easy for values like this to go by the wayside when they aren’t intentionally prioritized. Being seen as someone who is worthy of trust and respect is important to building successful relationships within your community.

Guiding Families Toward Meaning and Healing

How can you help? Our passion is not in “what” we are doing, it’s in “why” we are doing it. It can be difficult to know what to say when a family calls or walks through your doors. You may be afraid of intruding, saying the wrong thing, or making the person feel even worse, but your comfort and support can make all the difference. While we as funeral professionals, cannot take away the intense pain of a family’s loss, we can show them how much we care about them and how we can help them they begin their grief journey. Through this course, we will examine various ways we build connections with families, earn their trust and create value in the services we provide to them.

Mastering the Inquiry Phone Call

Are you ready for the phone call? It seems simple but it could be one of the most important things you do. Many of today’s consumers are making arrangements for their loved ones for the first time. The connection you make with that potential family will be a deciding factor in them choosing your services. Your first impression telephone skills are necessary for successful relationships. Positive relationships help families make informed decisions.

Life Hacks for Everyday Life

As a funeral professional, your passion is to serve your client families before, during and after their loss. This is noble work. However, it also can be draining work. Now more than ever funeral professionals need strategies to help fight burnout, reduce stress and build resilience. Learn fresh approaches and give yourself a boost for a more productive day mentally and physically. Simple ideas that are easy to implement will help you identify early warning signs and maintain your balance.

Conflict Resolution with Families

It impacts everything: Family conflict. Unresolved issues affect the funeral ceremonies and bereavement. Discover how to identify sources of family division and effectively work through them. Though funeral directors would generally prefer to avoid the role of “family referee,” the truth is that these skills are imperative. You will effectively help family members work together well enough to create meaningful memorial events. You will frequently work with divided families. A deeper understanding of family stresses will help you serve your families effectively.

Funeral Arrangements: Make Them Meaningful

It can be daunting making funeral arrangements with families. Discover the essential skills that will simplify this process. You will know what to expect, effective ways to ensure you understand what the family wants, and how to create a valuable experience for everyone. The end result is a service that truly honors the person who died.