IN North Allegheny Fall 2017 | Page 22

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

FUNERAL SERVICES

SPONSORED CONTENT

What to write about ? It has been floating around in my head for a few days . So I started to think about reasons people choose a certain funeral provider , then I started asking people why they pick who they call at that most difficult time . The answer I got was pretty much what I expected . We just call the people we have been using for years . I followed up with do you know them ? I got mixed responses . A fraction of the people said yes personally but a large majority said no . Again , I asked them what would be that reason and I received answers like ; It ’ s just where our extended family goes or our church families go there . Really it comes down to top of the mind marketing , It ’ s the name they are familiar with in their community .

I know I have said it here before and I will say it again . Sometimes just going with that name can be dangerous . Some people expect that the name on the sign is still associated with the family that ran and operated the home for years . That is not always the case . A number of funeral homes in the area are not family owned and are owned by major corporations . They lose that family touch . Things like merchandise selections sold to families is commissioned based . Meaning the funeral director makes more money when you buy more . Many time the costs at these funeral homes are much higher than a family owned home . Please do your homework and ask who owns the funeral home before you commit . Same thing goes with cemeteries . A number of corporate cemeteries exist in our area . They use high pressure tactics to make people feel guilted into purchases they just don ’ t need . Or worse yet purchase something that can be purchased for thousands less at a reputable funeral home . I have had families choose other cemeteries even though they own lots at some of these corporate properties . One family was able to purchase two graves plus pay the opening and closing fees for less than one opening
fee at the corporate cemetery . We are always able to help families figure out what would be best for them and their situation if they choose to bury or cremate .
We do have some great family owned firms in our area . Again , it is smart to do your homework before the time comes when you will need our services . Ask to sit down with them to see what they offer . Ask to see the facilities and how they help your family customize things , or do they just offer one package . Look to see if their prices are based on their services or merchandise ? Has the funeral home interior been updated ? Do they offer things like Wifi , easy and plentiful parking ? Do you feel comfortable with them . With the rise in cremation , do they offer cremation packages ? Some funeral homes have not yet embraced this shift . Of course you cannot replace good old fashion service , but you can expect modern packages and facilities .
At Sperling ’ s we pride ourselves in working to keep up with the times . We help families create meaningful and customized goodbyes in our facility , a church or any place within the community . We moved into our current location ten years ago and offer a comfortable home like atmosphere . The testimonials we receive from families continue to be outstanding . All these things really make a difference as we work to help your family during their worst days .
Are you a social media lover ? Sperling ’ s is on Facebook and will be adding Twitter and Instagram by the time this is published . We will probably stick mostly with Facebook posts . We use the media to help educate the community and provide insight into how we operate . We do not post obituaries on that page . We save that for our website . So head on over to Sperling Funeral Home sites and “ Like ” or “ Follow ” us . You might learn a bit .
If you have questions about us or our services , please feel free to call or find us on Facebook . You can also learn more about our family and services by visiting : www . sperlingfuneral . com
Sperling Funeral Home , Inc .
700 Blazier Dr . • Wexford , PA 15090 Jarett D . Sperling , Supervisor 724.933.9200
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