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INDUSTRY NEWS FTC Announces Top Consumer Complaints for 2006 Last Thursday, the Federal Trade Commission published its annual report, "Consumer Fraud and Identity Complaint Data" covering the calendar year 2006. For the seventh year in a row, identity theft tops the list at 36 percent of all complaints, out of a total of 674,354 complaints received by the FTC's Consumer Sentinel. Other categories making the "Top Ten" include shop-at-home/catalog sales; prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries; Internet services and computer complaints; and Internet auctions. A search of the FTC's 92 page report indicates that funeral-related complaints are never mentioned. For more details and to view the full report itself, which this year includes state and metropolitan area breakdowns of complaints, go to http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2007/02/topcomplaints.htm. OSHA Publishes Influenza Pandemic Planning Guide for Employers Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the publication of its new "Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic." According to OSHA, the guide is intended to help employers protect their employees from the virus because "employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees." The guide divides a workplace into four risk zones based on employees' likelihood of occupational exposure to pandemic influenza. Recommendations for employee protection are provided for each of the four levels of anticipated risk and include engineering controls, work practices, and use of personal protective equipment such as respirators and masks. The guide also contains links to technical articles and resources, a history of flu pandemics, symptoms and outcomes of various strains, and details on the transmission of the virus. The guide can be viewed and printed out at http://www.osha.gov/Publications/influenza_pandemic.html. The federal government has also established another Internet site as a comprehensive clearinghouse for pandemic information, including state and local plans, and business, school and individual plans, at www.pandemicflu.gov. O*NET Online Offers Occupational Info on Funeral Directors, Related Jobs The Web site O*NET serves as "the nation's primary source of occupational information, providing comprehensive data on the key attributes and characteristics of workers and occupations." A search under the term "funeral director" results in 19 pages of material. Key functions are ranked according to importance and divided into the categories of tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, work context and work activities. For example, under "work context," telephone communication is rank at 98 percent in importance for funeral directors, exposure to hazardous conditions at 50 percent, regular work schedules at 21 percent, and time spent climbing ladders or scaffolding at two percent. The profile of funeral director includes national wage and employment trends. For 2004, the median wages for funeral directors were $22.39 an hour, $46,570 annual. Employment is listed at 30,000 but the projected job growth from 2004 through 2014 is ranked "slower than average" between 0 and 9 percent. However, the projected need during the same time period is listed at 10,000 additional employees. O*NET Online can be accessed at http://onetcenter.org. 2007 Consumer Action Handbook Now Available The federal government has announced the publication of its 2007 Consumer Action Handbook, an advice manual and directory provided to the public without charge. The 178-page publication contains a section on funerals where consumers are urged to preplan well in advance of need. The ICCFA is listed as a resource for questions and informal dispute mediation through the Cemetery Consumer Service Council. The handbook can be viewed, ordered by mail, or printed out at http://www.consumeraction.gov/viewpdf.shtml. ICCFA NEWS Earn CE Credits Online: ICCFA Online Institute and Dignity University Cemetery and funeral home owners, managers and staff can now participate in online safety training, thanks to a partnership between the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association's Online Institute and Dignity University™, an educational arm of Service Corporation International. On February 1, the ICCFA and Dignity University™ launched 12 Web-based courses on topics related to safety training for cemeteries and funeral homes. The courses can be accessed through the ICCFA Web site at www.iccfa.com/institute. Developed specifically for the cemetery and funeral service profession, the courses can be used to fulfill OSHA training requirements, and ICCFA-member funeral directors in most states can earn continuing education credits. For more information and to view the course list, visit www.iccfa.com/institute, or call 1.800.645.7700. Convention Registrations Outpace Previous Year; Hotel Expected to Sell Out With a month remaining until the ICCFA's 2007 Convention & Exposition at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Expo Hall is more than 80% sold out and registrations are up from last year at this time. Don't miss out on this opportunity to attend the industry's most comprehensive educational event, covering all areas of cemetery management, funeral service, cremation, memorialization, sales and marketing and more. You will have the chance to network with hundreds of your colleagues while discovering the latest products and services available to you and your client families. Please note that rooms are quickly selling out at Mandalay Bay. Rooms outside of the ICCFA room block are completely sold out, and only a few rooms remain within the ICCFA room block. All who plan to attend are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible. Contact Mandalay Bay at 1.877.632.7000, and identify yourself as an attendee of the "International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association Event" to receive the group rate. If rooms are no longer available, call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700 for a list of nearby hotels. For Convention program details and to download a registration form, visit www.iccfa.com/ac07.htm or call 1.800.645.7700. Exhibitors, click here to download the 2007 Exhibitor Prospectus: www.iccfa.com/pdf/07_prospectus2.pdf; or call Nichole at 1.800.645.7700. Product of the Month: Consumer Brochures For the month of February, the ICCFA is offering a discounted price on its "Straight Answers to Real Questions" brochures when purchased as a set of four. These colorful and user-friendly consumer brochures offer information on four topics: Cremation, Cemeteries & Burial, Funerals and Advance Planning. They make ideal giveaways for one-on-one presentations, promotional mailings, group meetings and consumer trade fairs and can be used to provide an attractive and helpful display in your cemetery or funeral home foyer, arrangements offices and other public areas. Sold in packages of 100, each brochure has room for you to include your logo and contact information. They may be purchased separately or as a set of all four. The regular price for a set of all four brochures is $99 for members and $139 for non-members. For the month of February, the full set is available for just $85, plus shipping. Call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700 to place an order! CLASSIFIED ADS Chief Executive Officer The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington, Inc., seeks a Chief Executive Officer to manage the overall daily operations of the corporation. The authority, duties and responsibilities of the CEO extend to the five major cemeteries and 33 parish cemeteries of the Archdiocese, located in the District of Columbia and five counties of the State of Maryland. Candidates are required to have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a minimum of five years management experience with three years executive level experience. Years of experience should be with an organization whose operation encompasses multiple locations and over 60 employees. Resumes may be sent to Attn: CEO Search Committee by fax 301-460-7025 or e-mail fjm@ccaw.org. 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 ... ICCFA Introduces New sales Training Programs by sales trainer and professional speaker Gary O'Sullivan, CCE. O'Sullivan's two latest products include a 10 DVD Series—The Power to Sell Preneed, and a training support system called the GoSell System. Both products provide sales managers with tools and training strategies that will help them to strengthen and motivate their teams. Click here to download a detailed description of each prodcut: www.iccfa.com/docs/osullivan.doc. To place an order, call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700. Congratulations to the winners of the 2006 Keeping It Personal (KIP) Awards! The KIP Awards recognize outstanding examples of personalization of services or products in the cemetery and funeral service profession. Read about the winning entries at www.iccfa.com/kip.htm. 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. |
