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INDUSTRY NEWS Private Sector Mass Fatalities Planning Sub-council to Meet Federal Government Counterpart at January 11 Conference, Establish Working Relationships On January 11, the private industry's Healthcare Sector Coordinating Council (HSCC) will meet with representatives of its federal government counterpart, the Healthcare and Public Health Government Coordinating Council (GCC), for the first time. The purpose of the joint conference is to identify priorities and to establish working relationships between the HSCC Sub-Council on Mass Fatalities Management Services and the appropriate corresponding governmental representatives in GCC. The Sub-council, co-chaired by NFDA's John Fitch and the ICCFA's Bob Fells, has established several priorities including the development of a mass fatalities management component as part of the National Response Plan and any federal agency response plan. Such planning would extend to fatalities caused by natural disasters such as hurricanes and influenza pandemics, and manmade disasters such as terrorist attacks. The two councils are not similarly structured, therefore the private sector sub-councils will be seeking to identify individuals in the GCC to facilitate planning during the year. Although some mass fatalities management language has been added to the Government's Sector Specific Plan, a document that is revised every year, it remains unclear who the ultimate end-users of the document will be. Also, the HSCC Sub-council on Mass Fatalities is advocating that funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, and their suppliers should be given official priority for logistical and workforce support including vaccinations. At present, officials tend to regard potential catastrophes such as a pandemic flu outbreak as a healthcare crisis, but not a "deathcare" crisis. FTC Funeral Rule Recommendations Expected This Spring; New Consumer Guide for Funerals Published The Federal Trade Commission has published its semi-annual regulatory agenda in late December and noted that FTC staff is expected to submit its recommendation for modifying the Funeral Rule by April 2007. The Funeral Rule has been under review since 1999 when public comments were submitted by the ICCFA and other interested parties. FTC staff have told ICCFA that such comments are now considered too dated to be useful and that, possibly, a new round of public comments may be solicited prior to the staff submitting any recommendations on the Rule's future. The FTC also announced that it had conducted Funeral Rule compliance "enforcement sweeps" during 2006 of one hundred funeral homes in seven states including California, Georgia, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas. Violations were found at twelve funeral homes, while "warning letters" were sent to 32 other funeral homes advising of the need to correct technical violations of the Rule or face possible enforcement action. Mortuaries determined to be in violation of the Rule are given an opportunity to enter the Funeral Rule Offenders Program (FROP), administered by NFDA, in lieu of facing an FTC lawsuit, court orders and civil penalties. According to FTC, since 1996 more than 1,850 funeral homes have been checked for compliance in 33 states. Of that number, 240 funeral homes have been referred to the FROP. Finally, the FTC has published a new new brochure to assist consumers with Funeral Rule information, cost considerations, planning resources, and suggestions for complaint resolution. Titled, "Paying Final Respects: Your Rights When Buying Funeral Goods and Services," the brochure is available in Spanish and can be viewed at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro26.htm. ICCFA NEWS 2007 Wide World of Sales Conference: Manage and Market For Diversity Never before has it been so important for cemetery and funeral service professionals to reach out to people of various cultures, religions, sexes and ages. Find out how to market and manage for diversity at the 2007 Wide World of Sales Conference, January 17-19, 2007, at Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the general session, "From Ocean to Ocean: Managing and Marketing for Diversity," a panel of three proactive leaders of successful companies will discuss how to effectively embrace diversity and meet the needs of employees and clients of varying backgrounds. Their proven strategies can help you and your company increase customer satisfaction and improve sales. Additional conference sessions include topics on preneed sales, prospecting and referrals, management and recruitment and more! "Finding Hidden Treasure" will offer you and your staff valuable sales training taught by more than 20 of the top cemetery and funeral preneed sales experts, including separate manager and counselor breakout sessions. To register and to view the complete conference schedule, visit www.iccfa.com/sales07.htm; or call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700. Remember, companies that send multiple staff receive discounts on registration! Differentiate Your Business at ICCFA's 2007 Convention & Exposition How can you make your business stand out and rise above the competition? With a little creativity, you can differentiate your firm and become the leader in your market. Learn how to do this and more at ICCFA's 2007 Convention & Exposition, March 20-23, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. "Expanding Your Horizons" will offer cemeterians and funeral directors valuable educational sessions taught by the top experts in the profession, nightly networking receptions and an opportunity to explore hundreds of booths showcasing the latest products and services available in the industry. For new ideas and "out-of-the-box" suggestions on improving your customer service and gaining a competitive edge, be sure to attend the following sessions:
Product of the Month: "How To Sell Cemetery Property Before Need" Back by popular demand, the ICCFA will again feature a "Product of the Month" throughout 2007 to provide exceptional savings on our extensive list of training and presentation tools. This month's Product of the Month is the 5th edition of "How to Sell Cemetery Property Before Need," by Harold Brown. For the month of January only, you can purchase this book for only $21 (plus shipping and handling)! The price is normally $30.50 for ICCFA members and $40.50 for non-members. To place an order, call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700. Published in 1996, this textbook-style publication presents a mixture of sound advice and practical wisdom, as preneed pioneer Harold Brown reviews the basics of successful selling and offers inspiration for the salesperson to redouble his or her efforts to attain ever-higher sales figures. Each chapter of the book covers each step of the selling process in detail. At the end of each chapter, readers are asked to answer informative and sometimes soul-searching review questions. This offer expires on January 31, 2007. Call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700 to place an order! Avoid the Fines: Register Now for 2007 Music License! Reminder: All 2006 Music Licenses have expired! Your business is required by law to be licensed where music is performed, either live, played by recording or by the receipt of radio transmissions. Failure to obtain a license where one is required can be costly: Copyright law provides for damages similar to fines of up to $30,000 for each song that is infringed. The 2007 Music Licenses are available to purchase online at http://www.icfa.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RGMUS .. If you have not already bought or renewed your license, you may do so by visiting the Web Site or calling the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700. The Music License Membership fee covers music licensing with all three licensing agencies: BMI, ASCAP & SESAC, for the calendar year 2007. The price is $232, with no added fees. CLASSIFIED ADS Caring Cemetery Counselors Needed Our Catholic cemetery organization located in Baltimore, MD is looking for Family Service/Pre-need Sales Counselors. Successful candidates will enjoy direct selling; have a proven track record in sales and excellent communication skills, as well as be highly motivated, well organized, and detail oriented. 3-5 years sales experience required, preferably in cemetery sales, but we will train. These positions are commissioned with a draw and benefits are available. Send resume to Director of Operations, 7401 German Hill Road, Baltimore, MD 21222 or email tjdiciurcio@redemcem.org. Exciting Sales Opportunities! StoneMor, a leader in the industry, has exciting opportunities for Sales Professionals at many locations. We boast one of the highest commission rates in the industry and our Sales Managers enjoy triple override bonuses on all location sales after hitting performance goals. We have excellent benefits including:
EOE For more information, please call 877-857-8890 and refer to this ad or send your resume via fax at 215-826-2929 or email it to jobs@stonemor.com. www.stonemor.com Grow Your Business with FuneralHomes.com FuneralHomes.com—the Funeral Director's Resource for Effective Customer Acquisition. We connect At-need and Pre-planning consumers with Funeral Homes in their area, you are missing out on business! Position your Funeral Home at the top—Call us at 1.800.208.2580 to start receiving business today. www.FuneralHomes.com. New Opportunities Await You! People preplan for many reasons. Chief among them is peace of mind. Now you can offer your families additional peace of mind through the Omega Assured Return Plan, a service option offered through Inman Shipping Worldwide. Inman Shipping Worldwide has been the recognized leader in the deathcare industry for the repatriation of human remains, from anywhere in the world, for over 30 years. With society traveling more and more today for business, vacations and even health care in distant cities, death away from home is becoming more common. When death occurs 100 miles or more away from an individual's legal residence, all the necessary services for returning the deceased to their home are covered for those enrolled in the Omega Assured Return Plan. The Omega Assured Return Plan is the logical companion for cemetery, funeral and cremation prearrangements. An ideal supplemental product, the Omega Assured Return Plan provides another opportunity to maintain contact with your client families. A simple enrollment form and onetime payment will provide a lifetime of coverage for this valuable service. Expand your selling portfolio and earn generous commissions. No license is required. To find out how you or your company can offer the Omega Assured Return Plan, call our toll free number at 1-888-889-8508 from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM Eastern time Monday through Friday or send an email to omegareturninfo@yahoo.com. Reach Thousands of Cemeteries and Funeral Homes With Your Classified Ad!
And more .... For a limited time, ICCFA members can purchase the McQuaig Job Survey, the McQuaig Word Survey and the McQuaig Self-Development Survey for just $100 per assessment, a savings of up to 50 percent off the regular price. The member discount offer expires June 30, 2007. Companies assessing more than 100 candidates per year are eligible for additional discounts. For additional information, visit http://www.icfa.org/pdf/mcquaig2.pdf and http://www.icfa.org/pdf/mcquaig.pdf. For questions and to sign up for the program, contact Michael Gravelle at The McQuaig Institute at 1.800.387.5455, ext. 361, or mgravelle@mcquaig.com. Join today! The 2007 Music Licenses are available for just $232, no additional fees. Covers ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Any U.S. funeral home, cemetery or related business is eligible for membership as a Music License Member. Join today! The ICCFA Store allows members to purchase the latest ICCFA resources and training products online. Some products are available for immediate direct download, including the newly released Wirthlin Report on consumer attitudes and article packages on cremation, cemetery and funeral home valuations and trust funds. The ICCFA News Page takes you to sources throughout the world for industry news and updates. It brings you the most comprehensive selection of funeral service and cemetery news available anywhere, along with frequently updated general news items related to national and world events. The News Page reports the news before anyone else and is one of the most visited page on the ICCFA Web site. Stop in each day and you'll see why. The Network is an online e-mail service that offers ICCFA members an easy, free way to share questions and answers to everyday on-the-job challenges. Recent discussions have examined issues such as working with the Muslim community, distance between burial sites, direct mail marketing, the growing popularity of geocaching at cemeteries, recruiting staff and more. Ideal for smaller companies with smaller budgets. Join today! The ICCFA Internet Expo is the largest online exposition in the cemetery and funeral service industry. Cemetery and funeral home owners and operators will find 300+ providers in more than 100 product and service categories. Exhibit space is provided as a free, exclusive benefit to all ICCFA supplier and professional members. Check it out today! Need a labor relations and employment law attorney? Check out ICCFA's HR Law Benefit program offering members no-cost telephone legal consultations, paid for by the ICCFA via an exclusive retainer agreement. ICCFA members now also have access to an attorney for tax-related questions regarding trust earnings, care fund allocations, capital gains, investments and more. The ICCFA has retained Leslie Schneider, CPA, a tax attorney with Ivins, Phillips & Barker in Washington, D.C., for telephone consultations for up to 20 minutes with no obligation. To take advantage of this member benefit, call Schneider at 202.393.7600. The ICCFA and Applied Merchant Systems of Chicago, Illinois, currently offer members a Credit Card Processing Program with a special low discount rate of 1.75 percent, with no per transaction processing fee. This new benefit makes it less expensive for cemeteries, funeral homes, memorial designers and related businesses to accommodate customers who wish to pay via credit card. For more information, call 1-800-675-6573. The ICCFA Insurance Program, administered by Alliant Insurance Services, allows members to purchase commercial property and casualty insurance -- including general liability, commercial property, automobile liability and physical damage, umbrella liability, professional liability, workers compensation, employee benefits and more -- at rates they probably would not be able to afford on their own. To advertise in the ICCFA Wireless: The ICCFA accepts limited advertising in the ICCFA Wireless newsletter, a bi-weekly newsletter e-mailed to all ICCFA members that are current on their dues and have provided a current e-mail address. For rates and to place your insertion, contact Nichole Causey at ncausey@iccfa.com or 1.800.645.7700. To unsubscribe from the ICCFA Wireless: Send an e-mail with "unsubscribe" in the subject line to: wireless@icfa.org. Please include your name and company name in the body of the e-mail. International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100 Sterling, VA 20164 1.800.645.7700 703.391.8400 Fax: 703.391.8416 www.iccfa.com Copyright 2007 International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association. |
