How often do you think families go online to learn more about a product or company?

Online reviews from Google, Facebook, Yelp, and others have become trusted, go-to word-of-mouth endorsements for many families. Whether families want to know if a restaurant is worth eating at, a pair of shoes is worth buying -- or if a funeral home can help their family -- chances are, they're looking at online reviews to find out.

One group of funeral consumers rely on online reviews more than any other. Because to this group, seeing a 5-star review means a funeral home can be trusted more and will likely meet, but hopefully succeed, their expectations.

In a study we conducted* with McKee Wallwork + Co., we found 7 types of funeral consumers, each with their own views and beliefs about funerals. One of those profiles, known as Great Expectations, greatly values the opinions of others to find the most reputable funeral home to work with. They also have very high standards for service.

In this article, you’ll learn about the Great Expectations funeral consumer group, their consumer preferences, and how to surpass their expectations.

*Each consumer segment has a different approach to funerals and different comfort levels with interacting with your funeral home. We created profiles on each of these groups and have tips you can use to connect with your changing families.

>>>>>Find a brief overview of all 7 types here or check out our first deep dive on the first segment, Resolute Rookies, here!

Great Expectations at a glance:

Most likely to choose a funeral home based solely on reputation.

Great Expectations have high expectations for all areas of life. They have expensive tastes despite having a lower average income. They’re also sticklers for good service (nothing wrong with that - we’re also sticklers for 5-star service 😎 ).

While their demands are high, they’re also very pro-funeral and understand the importance of the grieving process. Great Expectations care about service, quality, and value above all else.

Great Expectations basic profile: 

Let’s get to know some basic information about the Great Expectations:

• Mostly aged between 45-54

• Over 80% have higher education

• Average income is $67,000

• Second highest percentage of Christians at 66%

Great Expectations funeral preferences: 

This segment of funeral consumers value traditional funeral elements and flawless ceremonies. However, they also want the cheapest options.

• 97% believe funerals are beneficial and essential to say goodbye

• 94% think researching a funeral home’s reputation is important

• 87% understand the importance of ceremony and tradition

• 48% more likely to prefer an in-ground burial

Since Great Expectations have high standards for excellence, your funeral home might have to think outside the box to earn a 5-star rating.

Here are 3 noteworthy ideas you can use that will have Great Expectations consumers singing your praises.

Planning made personal

Online at-need planning tools are a great way for families to make easy and personalized end-of-life decisions. However, only 22% of Great Expectations feel comfortable planning online.

Here’s how you can be creative with planning software and these consumers:

Save time by completing paperwork and vitals before the arrangement conference

You know that creating a truly personalized and meaningful funeral takes time with the family. Instead of spending all your time completing paperwork, use the arrangement conference to get to know the loved one so you can help create a funeral that will bring healing for years to come.

Help them feel prepared to make the perfect selection

Since most Great Expectations aren’t comfortable planning online on their own, use your online planning tools alongside these consumers (Passare’s Planning Center is a great option here. 😉 ). Utilize your tools to show them all of their options in person.

These families will enjoy having the ability to spend as much time as they want to explore their options to create a meaningful service. Plus, your online planning tool can help keep Great Expectations on budget!

Tracking made easy

90% of Great Expectations think funeral homes are caretakers of the deceased more than the living, which means they’ll expect to know that their loved one is in good hands. Their age range also suggests they are likely a primary caretaker and will be in charge of at-need services.

Give Great Expectation families peace of mind by using Barcode Tracking. Through this feature, families will know where their loved one and their personal belongings are at all times.

Never give your families anything to worry about when misplacing an item or body with tracking technology. Here are some other benefits of Passare’s tracking tool:

1. Keep track of everything on one platform…even third-party transfers

2. Stay in tune with your team

3. Higher level of service to families

Processes made efficient

We’ve touched on some technology to help you provide a wonderful experience to the Great Expectations group. But how can you ensure your funeral home stands out from your competition?

Your funeral home’s internal processes need to run like a well-oiled machine so you can focus on providing 5-star service. When your funeral home runs smoothly, your families will take notice and be more likely to leave you with a positive review for others.

Trust us, the Great Expectations consumers are always listening when others are buzzing about the quality of services.

Here are a couple of examples of how improved systems within Passare are known to improve teamwork, resulting in a higher level of customer service:

As long as you constantly improve your service worthy of those glowing reviews you’re searching for, families will take notice.

Great Expectations exceeded

To sum up, Great Expectations care about service, quality, and value. They enjoy traditional funeral elements and choosing the best options. You might have to start getting a little more creative to go above and beyond for your families to earn a 5-star rating with our Great Expectations consumers. Try out some of these ideas, sit back, and watch the raving reviews flood in. ⭐

For more information about Great Expectations and the other consumer types, please download our New Funeral Consumer eBook.

Want to know how else Passare can help you connect with consumers? Request a demo.