Access to WiFi might not be a concern for everyone when they go to a funeral home, but it is for many. And as a consequence, a growing number of funeral homes have been opting for WiFi and live-streaming services.
They've also been trying to employ other competitive marketing tactics as well, in order to try and set themselves apart from the competition. Funeral homes and services have certainly come a long way.
One funeral home in South Carolina wanted to put a Starbucks right inside their venue. Another one, looking to make the experience a bit more interactive for the guests, invites loved ones to participate directly in the cremation process of the deceased.
Live streaming of funerals has been growing in popularity and now more funeral homes are looking to start providing these services.
A recent survey by Royal London found that at least a third of Millennials would be open to watching the live streaming funeral service of a loved one. And it isn't just a popular option in the UK either, the trend is growing in many countries around the world.
I could see the live streaming option being a benefit for those who live far away. For many in this circumstance it is often very costly to travel to the funeral event. This would give them an alternative option so they wouldn't have to miss the celebration of life for their loved one.
Some funeral venues also might not be large enough to seat every guest who wants to attend the funeral service (I've witnessed this first hand), and again the live-streaming option would help them here also so they could watch it at home or perhaps hold a secondary service in an alternative location for the overflow of guests.
It's become so popular that a number of funeral organizers are taking it upon themselves to offer etiquette tips when it comes to incorporating their social media use in with the event.
Not everyone is fond of the whole idea of live-streaming the funeral, some say that it caters to laziness. What do you think? Would you want your funeral live streamed? Or would you opt for watching one that was, rather than attending?
Surveys have found that with people aged over 35, they are less likely to find that option appealing. It's mostly the younger crowd that is showing enthusiasm for the option.
A few years ago it was estimated that almost half of the funeral homes in the U.S. were offering livestreaming services (roughly 20 to 30 percent), so it certainly is growing to become the norm not only in the U.S. but also around the world.
Pics:
Tara Jacoby via Vocativ
Wikisimpsons
Practical Etiquette
Sources:
http://business.time.com/2012/07/13/starbucks-opening-inside-a-funeral-home/
http://www.wadenapj.com/business/4214209-karvonen-funeral-home-crematory-addition-complete
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/technology/young-people-open-to-live-streaming-funerals-survey-35673497.html
https://www.cnet.com/news/livestream-skype-funeral/
http://www.vocativ.com/353132/funeral-livestream/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/01/rise-live-stream-funeral-half-venues-can-now-broadcast-services/
http://www.practicaletiquette.com/funeral-etiquette.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/12/death-on-the-internet-the-rise-of-livestreaming-funerals/383646/