Organizing a cremation, or funeral, is an unpleasant business. Everyone experiences the loss of a loved one at least once in their life. But it is on these days of mourning that the relatives of the deceased need to gather their thoughts and deal with the issue of burial or cremation of the body of the deceased person. If the deceased during his lifetime managed to convey his last will to loved ones about exactly how he would like to be buried, the situation in this case is unambiguous. It is not customary to act against the wishes of the deceased person. The burial option may also be specified in the will. When relatives do not have such a document or it does not indicate the will of the deceased regarding this, the decision on burial or cremation is made at the family council.

Cremation Permit

What exactly is chosen (cremation or burial) depends on the further actions of the relatives of the deceased person. If it was decided to bring the body to the ground, then it is placed in a coffin and a traditional burial is carried out in a cemetery. If another method is chosen, then people involved in the organization of cremation must take into account some of the features and nuances of this procedure.

The cremation process does not require any special permission. In big cities, about 50% of the bodies are sent to the crematorium. Such popularity is explained by the lack of places in the cemetery for standard burials.

And the urn with ashes can be buried in an already existing grave belonging to a close relative of the deceased.

Cremation is legal in Russia. This method of burial was used as early as 1927. At that time, the first crematorium in Russia was opened on the territory of the Donskoy Monastery. This method of disposing of the body is common in countries with a predominantly Buddhist, Shinto, and Hindu population. This method of burial of a person is not the main one among Catholics and Orthodox. The Church does not approve, but does not prohibit cremation. However, even in the case of burning a human body, it is first necessary to make a mandatory one over it.

Cremation decoration

Unlike conventional burial, the cremation procedure is a very new method that has 2 significant advantages:

• insignificant material costs;
• environmental Safety.

Before taking the body of a person to the crematorium, the relatives of the deceased must complete some documents. First of all, you need to take care of obtaining a death certificate. Then you need to take the clothes to the morgue, in which the person will be during the funeral service in the church, and directly during the burning. As a result, it is necessary to agree on the issuance of the body on a certain day. When everything is ready, you can contact the crematorium. There, initially you need to decide whether it will be a general or individual cremation. The choice of option depends on material possibilities, since a single burning is much more expensive.

Possible problems

Problems can occur at various stages of preparation for cremation. The crematorium will refuse to conduct the ritual due to the lack of a complete package of documents. In order for the body of the deceased to be admitted to the crematorium, the accompanying person must bring:

• own identity document (passport);
• death certificate (copy);
• receipt-contract confirming payment for services.

Of course, the brought passport is returned to the person back. If a person who died a violent death or as a result of an accident is brought for cremation, then additional written permission from the investigative department will be required.

The same document will be required if a person is brought to cremation without identification.

Insufficient number of crematoria is another significant problem. It is especially relevant for residents of small settlements, where it is much easier to organize a ritual in a cemetery. At the moment, crematoria are available only in large cities:

• Moscow;
• St. Petersburg;
• Volgograd;
• Novosibirsk;
• Yekaterinburg;
• Yaroslavl;
• Khabarovsk;
• and in some others.

If the deceased person lived in a city where there is no crematorium, and relatives do not want to bury him in a cemetery, then they need to contact a long-distance passenger transportation company. It is better to order a car in which the body will be delivered for cremation in advance. In this case, it is necessary to make sure exactly what hours the crematorium works. There shouldn't be any other problems.

Cremation and issuance of an urn with ashes

The most important moment comes when relatives have to say goodbye to the body of a deceased person. Many are interested in how cremation takes place and what is appropriate to bring to the ritual of farewell to the body. Currently, there is a general and individual cremation. In the first case, the ritual of farewell to the bodies of cremated people is practically absent. Several bodies are immediately placed in a furnace and burned.

The ashes are placed in urns and given to relatives.

Individual cremation is an expensive ritual. Relatives of the deceased can bring flowers to the cemetery, make farewell speeches. After an individual cremation has been completed, relatives are given an urn with the ashes of the deceased. If for some reason the urn was not taken away, it is stored free of charge in the morgue for 40 days. Then a fee of 5 rubles for each day of storage begins to accrue. If after a year the relatives do not take the urn, it is buried in the cemetery in a common grave.

On average, individual cremation costs from 5 to 6 thousand rubles. The price depends on the region. For the ritual of general burning, you will have to pay from 3 to 4 thousand rubles. If the relatives themselves do not want to organize cremation, they can contact funeral agencies. The staff of the funeral service will be engaged in paperwork and preparation of the body of the deceased.

People usually don't like to talk about death. Planning your own funeral, when life is raging nearby, seems illogical. But the human body, unfortunately, is not eternal. Sooner or later, relatives have to deal with the funeral of a deceased person. The modern burial industry offers several options at once.

Some people choose to turn their ashes into a diamond, become part of a coral reef, or even go to the moon after death. Increasingly, in the civilized world, they are trying not to bury the body in the ground, but to cremate it. During this process, the corpse is burned at a high temperature, even the bones become brittle and turn into ashes. The tradition itself dates back to prehistoric times, but has become popular today.

Cremation is preferred because of the convenience of this option, it turns out to be both more practical and more convenient. Yes, for many, the very burial in the ground with the subsequent decomposition of the body causes disgust. Nevertheless, cremation is still a mystery, acquiring numerous myths that frighten people. It is worth refuting some of the most popular misconceptions about this procedure.

Cremation is cheaper than regular burial. Many people choose cremation as it is considered cheaper than a traditional funeral ceremony. In fact, you can save on the fact that there is no need to conduct a public farewell ceremony with the embalming of the body and an expensive coffin. In the West, cremation costs between $600 and $1,000. In Russia, amounts are limited to thousands of rubles. But this value is not finite. Many people book a traditional embalming and farewell ceremony before cremation. Often, relatives want to bury the cremated remains in a cemetery or columbarium. Farewell memorial services are held, which are also expensive due to flowers, food and memorable gifts. Such additional services may ultimately make cremation even more expensive than conventional burials. If you try to minimize the budget, then burning the body will indeed be cheaper. But when choosing the option of saying goodbye to a friend or close relative, people often do not think about money or simply fulfill the last will of the deceased.

Cremation is prohibited by major religions. I must say that different religions in their own way relate to this procedure. You can often hear that in Christianity, Judaism and Islam, cremation is prohibited. The Greek Catholic and Protestant churches insist on burying the body. It is believed that there will come a time in the future when the dead will be resurrected. But over time, the Catholic Church softened its requirements. Cremation is now allowed after a requiem and permission from the bishop, although traditional burial is still considered to be preferred. But Orthodoxy takes a tougher traditional position on this issue. Judaism is loyal to cremation, because this is a rather ancient practice, which was followed by Jewish kings. In Islam, cremation is prohibited, as is the embalming of the body. It is considered disrespectful towards the deceased. In Buddhism and Shintoism, cremation is considered acceptable. In Hinduism, cremation in general is one of the 16 life rituals. It is believed that with its help the soul will more easily leave the body and then be able to find a new home. In any case, this practice is gradually gaining acceptance throughout the world, even where burial has traditionally been practiced.

Cremation is an environmentally friendly procedure. Whatever the fans of this method of destroying the body claim, it cannot be considered completely safe for environment. We can only talk about saving the space needed for burial. Cremation requires the burning of fossil fuels, which can leave behind harmful chemicals. These include carbon monoxide, nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, hydrofluoric acid and mercury. The solution to this problem could be the installation of filters in ventilation systems. This will reduce the impact on the environment, but carbon emissions will still remain significant. An environmentally friendly alternative is bio-cremation, in which the remains are dissolved with chemicals. To make the smoke really clean, you should not use special means for quick combustion. Toxic smoke can also be generated by rubber or plastic containers.

Cremation causes air pollution. Modern cremators already meet the most stringent air pollution requirements. Filters keep all dangerous elements. It is no coincidence that the US and Europe are not afraid to place crematoria in the centers of large cities. And this myth does not contradict the previous one. Only the most modern equipment and careful adherence to standards allows crematoria to remain environmentally friendly.

Cremation involves the destruction of the body in a fire. This statement seems natural, the more interesting it is to refute it. During the cremation procedure, the body of the deceased is placed in a specially designed oven, where it is exposed to very high temperatures. It shrinks the body by removing gases and softening the bones. After this process is completed, the remaining fragments are machined, which reduces the body to ash. This substance is passed on to relatives. Modern methods of cremation do not use fire, and the destruction of the body has become a quick and easy process.

Cremation turns the remains into ashes. Many people refer to cremation as the reduction of a body to ashes. In fact, the remains are not ashes. They resemble small stones, which are bone fragments. Once the body is exposed to extreme temperatures, the fluid evaporates and only parts of the bones remain. They are further processed in a high-speed blender-crusher. It turns the remains of the bones already into fine gravel, with a texture and color reminiscent of ashes. This sand is placed in a temporary container to be given to relatives.

Cremation implies the abandonment of traditional burials. For some reason, many believe that the cremation of a loved one implies the rejection of the traditional farewell to him in an open coffin. In this regard, cremation is no different from ordinary burials. Relatives can hold traditional farewell ceremonies with their loved ones by ordering any services related to the funeral. It is also possible to hold a memorial service.

The body is placed in a coffin for cremation. Even if you do not watch the sending of the human body to the furnace, it will still be placed in a special container. The transfer of the deceased from the funeral home to the crematorium is done in the best manner, as respectful as possible for such an occasion. And it is preferable to leave the body in a coffin. However, there are many forms of such a container. There is no reason to leave the body in an expensive coffin that will not be visible during the entire procedure. The most economical container options are generally made from cardboard, and many crematoria offer this option for free.

At the moment of burning the body, the head explodes like an egg in a microwave. There is a common misconception that a whole, unwounded head will simply explode during cremation. However, this legend was debunked by forensic experts who specifically observed the burning of several dozen bodies, wanting to debunk the myth. And the legend itself appeared thanks to firefighters. They often found bone fragments of the victims' skulls separate from the body. In fact, the bones of the head have thin sections in some places, becoming brittle under the influence of fire. From falls or jets of water from pumps, these fragments can separate from the skulls.

All that remains of a person after cremation is a pinch of ashes. Complete burning of the average body lasts 2-3 hours. After that, from one and a half to 4 kilograms of dust remains. There is no need to talk about a "pinch". The mass of the remains depends on the structure of the bone tissue and the volume of the body. But non-severe newborns do not even have bones yet, only cartilage. From them after cremation there may be nothing left at all.

In cremation, the body does not need to be embalmed. Usually embalming is not required. But if you are planning a long-distance transportation of the body to the place of cremation or a long farewell ceremony, then it is better to turn to embalming.

When cremated, you must purchase an urn for the remains. After the body cremation procedure, the ashes of a loved one are returned to their relatives in a temporary container. What to do next is up to them to decide. An urn is a common solution, although there are many other options for storing ashes. It is poured into the sea (in America there are even certain standards that set the distance from the coast), placed on reefs, sent into space and turned into decoration. In modern cemeteries, you can place the remains of a loved one in a columbarium, an individual memorial, a family crypt or niches. Since the ashes are non-toxic, there are no restrictions on the type of container used.

The procedure for cremation for animals is quite different from that for humans. The process of pet cremation is almost identical to that offered for humans. Usually a veterinarian organizes the process, but you can also contact a crematorium specializing in working with animals directly.

Cremation is a rare procedure. Today, cremation is becoming more popular in big cities where there are obvious land problems. Even in St. Petersburg and Moscow, 50-70% of the dead are cremated. This method is also popular in the West. It is believed that soon every second deceased in the world will be cremated.

In the crematorium, several bodies are sent to the furnace at once. Some relatives are frankly afraid that their loved one will be cremated at the same time as someone else. This can lead to a mixture of ashes. However, this is contrary to all existing rules. Moreover, most ovens are not designed to process more than one body at a time. Sometimes relatives, on the contrary, want two bodies to be cremated together. But here you can only advise a special urn for storing the ashes of two people at once.

A body or organs that have been in the morgue for a long time can no longer be cremated. Such a body can also be cremated. The cold stopped the decomposition process and the body seemed to be mummified for a while. And cremation will happen even better, since the tissues will be dry and burn better. Successfully cremated and exhumed remains.

You can't see the cremation process. Most crematoria offer such a service, but on a paid basis and in the case of a person's involvement in a specific funeral. No one can just come and watch a stranger burn without a good reason. Relatives of the crematorium are offered a special room where they can observe the process.

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The paramount question that is associated with the word cremation is whether or not the dead can be cremated, based on religious considerations? Some are interested in the question of what is cheaper funeral or cremation? How does cremation take place? What are the reasons for denial of cremation? Are Muslims cremated?

The topic of cremation raises many questions to which we will have to give ambiguous answers. We will also consider the question of how much cremation costs in 2018 in Moscow or another city. In some cases, cremation is generally the only correct solution. Let's start in order.

Christianity and other religions condemn cremation. It is believed that the burning of the body of the deceased is equated with pagan rites or represent the hell of hell. The basic rule for all religions is the same; dust to dust, the body must be buried. There is no point in theological debate on this matter. We will return to the issue of religious norms and rules at the end of this article.

Not everyone is destined to die in their bed. Natural disasters, fires, wars, industrial accidents claim many lives. If the body of the deceased was burned in the fire, then is the church really not going to bury the deceased? Whether it happens by accident or purposefully cremated doesn't matter. Religion does not directly prohibit calming in fire. The second point: the urn with ashes is also buried in the ground or the ashes are blown in a certain place. Ashes to ashes. Everything depends not on the attitude of religion to cremation, but directly on how religious the family and relatives of the deceased are.

How does cremation take place?

Cremation is carried out in a stream of gas from 900 to 1000 degrees. Even exposure to such high temperatures is not capable of turning bones into dust. A cremator is used to grind the remains of unburned parts. The human body is mostly fluid. After cremation, the weight of the ashes does not exceed 3 kg. and occupies a volume of approximately three liters.

What is cheaper funeral or cremation?

If you have to travel to a neighboring region to deliver the body to the crematorium, then the costs of a traditional funeral are definitely much cheaper than cremation. Again, no definitive answer can be given. It all depends on what ritual supplies and services you choose. Do not forget about transportation costs. To make it clearer, let's move on to the next question.

How much does cremation cost in 2018 in Moscow?

Consider the prices of 2018 for Moscow crematoria: Nosovikhinsky, Mitinsky, Khovansky and Nikolo-Arkhangelsk crematoria. Nosovikhinsky allows you to book a cremation for a specific day. The price for the ceremony starts from 8700 rubles. In other crematoria, the price of the ceremony when booking on a first-come, first-served basis will be 4,900 rubles. Without booking, it can reach up to 13,500 rubles.

An urn for ashes in the Nosovisinsky crematorium starts from 2100 rubles. In others, the urn will already cost a minimum of 5,000 rubles. Cremation also requires a variety of ritual supplies. A cheap coffin costs 2,100, and a polished coffin costs 12,000. Bedding and pillows, a bedspread, slippers - everything to ensure that the body rests in the coffin according to Christian customs. With paperwork and delivery in the complex, prices vary from 6,600 to 18,000. These are additional costs to the cost of cremation.

Transportation costs for the delivery of the body from the morgue based on the distance from the Moscow Ring Road and the route. For example, delivery to the crematorium costs 6600 + 25 rubles. surcharge for every 10 km. remoteness from MKAD. If a hall for farewell to the deceased, with musical accompaniment, is additionally rented, then this is an additional expense of 900-1500 rubles.

Storage and preparation of the body for cremation, a place in the columbarium and a number of additional costs that may not be claimed can make the cremation procedure quite expensive. Therefore, in matters of cremation, only you yourself can give most of the answers. The same is true for religious matters. In this case, not so much the worldview is affected, but the need.

Some people do not want to spend money on a coffin with magnificent decorations for cremation, not because finances do not allow. During cremation, the ashes from the body are mixed, respectively, with the combustion products of the coffin itself and additional ritual accessories. The weight of the ashes also proportionally increases.

Many can be jarred by the fact that in the urn the ashes of the deceased himself are less than the ashes from the coffin. For this purpose, they refuse a wooden coffin. A coffin made of cardboard or a wooden container is used. There are also coffins for the cremation of Muslims. Again, not an unequivocal point. The coffin and Muslims are not compatible, but cremation without a coffin is not performed.

Cremation and religion.

In the case of Muslim cremation, the religion forbids burning the body of the deceased. One of the hadiths is noteworthy, in which the father bequeathed to burn his body after death and scatter it to the wind. After he was resurrected, when asked why he did so, he answered that he was afraid to appear before the eyes of the Almighty because of his sins. Therefore, only fear and evil thoughts can force Muslims to abandon the traditional burial.

In the case of religious dogmas, this is a ban on burning when death occurred within the native walls. And situations may arise when a person dies away from home. What to do in this case? Let us suppose that death overtook one of the Muslims from Central Asia in Moscow. To what extent can the relatives of the deceased be provided in order to deliver the body of the deceased to their homeland?

If his family is so rich, then it is unlikely that he would have to work in Moscow in not particularly paid positions. How to proceed in this case? Moreover, in Islam they bury on the day of death. More details can be found in the article "Funerals and commemorations of Muslims" Muslims are buried in the land where death overtook.

Bury in Moscow on the same day or take the deceased to Central Asia? Or is the body to be cremated and buried in their native places? Situations in life and death are different. Therefore, the coffin may also be claimed by Muslims and cremation will be the only correct solution. Circumstances are sometimes the determining factor.

One thing should reassure believers. Sin does not fall on the one who has died. The one who made the decision to cremate did not act contrary to his religion, but was forced. This is not a mortal sin. In large cities where there is a crematorium, almost 60% of the population use its services.

If, however, it was necessary to spend funds in order to deliver him to another city for cremation, according to the last will of the deceased, then the sin will fall on both. There will be a repetition of the story from the hadeeth above. Following the meaning of this story, we can conclude that in the case of cremation, resurrection cannot be avoided.

In the pre-Christian era, it was customary to burn the dead. It is unlikely that this was done only from a sanitary point of view. At that time, the dominant role was played by religion, which was later called paganism and banned. Not only the ancient Russians burned the dead. This burial method was used by: Assyrians, ancient Germans and Greeks, Babylonians, Romans, Japanese. Apparently this was due to the belief that the soul of the deceased, along with smoke, would quickly get to heavenly places or Valhalla. Beliefs and goals are different, methods of execution are the same.

The same opinion is shared by psychics and one of the most ancient religions of our time, which is much older than Christianity and Islam. This is Buddhism, which appeared 5-6 centuries earlier. Cremation for Buddhists is the only proper burial. Psychics and representatives of this religion claim that the soul is on earth until the flesh has decomposed, so it is not advisable to keep it.

It is believed that if the body is not given to fire, then three more deaths await it: on the 3rd day the etheric body dies, on the 9th astral, on the 40th day the mental. Only after 40 days can the soul leave the dead body. Do these numbers after death remind you of anything? Memorial days in the Christian religion.

Christianity adopted most of the traditions from the Jews. Therefore, burning was included in the category of prohibited. The Bible describes more than a dozen cases when the dead were burned. There is not a single blame for these facts. Maybe the body is not as important to God as his soul? It is one thing when a religion forbids the cremation of the dead. In some cases, they may simply refuse cremation.

Reasons for denial of cremation.

There are certain rules for the cremation of the deceased. If the identity of the deceased is not established or the death is of a violent nature and a criminal case has been initiated on this fact, then cremation will be refused unambiguously.

There are also certain conditions under which they try to save expensive equipment. First of all, this concerns all kinds of medical implants in the body of the deceased: defibrillators and pacemakers, as well as glassware next to the body of the deceased. The same applies to silicone implants.

Of course, they will not allow household items, artificial flowers and favorite things of the deceased in the form of lighters and cell phones, etc. to be placed with the deceased. The presence of third-party objects interferes with the operation of the equipment and may disable it. Moreover, these pagan customs have nothing to do with religion.

They will also not accept a coffin that does not fit into the chamber in terms of dimensions and a certain weight. All this should be clarified in advance at the place of cremation. All metal parts are removed from the coffins. It also makes no sense to put jewelry and jewelry with the body. In the presence of dentures, cremation is allowed without their removal. This has its downsides. The atmosphere is polluted with harmful fumes.

It was also from this fact that the belief could come that after cremation, the crematorium workers take the precious metals for themselves. Allegedly, both coffins and clothes from the deceased are used repeatedly. How reliable is this? We will help you understand one of the articles of our YandexZen channel “The Terrible Truth About Cremation”.

After cremation.

After the urn with the ashes is given out, questions arise about where to place it and what to do with the ashes. If it was initially decided that the ashes would be scattered, then in this case some problems may arise. The urn will be issued only if there is a certificate of the place of burial. It turns out that they are obliged to buy a plot of land in the cemetery, regardless of whether you were going to dispel the ashes or bury them. They will offer a place in the columbarium of the local crematorium.

This may suit people who wish to visit the final resting place of the deceased. There are special bio-urns for burial, which quickly decompose in the soil. Also marble urns for storage in the columbarium niche. In most cases, they are cremated at the direction of the deceased. He can also ask to scatter his ashes in a certain place after cremation. Few dare to refuse the last request of the deceased.

In this case, it makes no sense to buy places for burial. Around the world, the urn after cremation is disposed of at the discretion of the relatives of the deceased. Only in Russia are legally required to provide a receipt for payment for cemetery services. An unfounded law. The person responsible for the funeral has the right to decide for himself how to deal with the ashes. The ashes of the deceased cannot harm nature in any way. He is already a part of her.

We recommend that you write a statement that the ashes will be buried in another city. This will avoid buying unnecessary space in the cemetery and in the columbarium. In order to be able to dispel the ashes, there are urns with a special compartment for convenience. There are urns, but there is no law. However, there is no strict prohibition on this.

Those in charge of the burial, usually those closest to the deceased, can scatter the ashes according to the will of the deceased. One should not only forget that the townsfolk are unlikely to agree that the ashes be scattered over their heads. The location can also be determined by finances. Nowadays, if there is a certain amount of money, they can pick up ashes on a probe and dispel it in the stratosphere.

In Europe, ashes are often kept at home. This approach is rejected by the Russians as unacceptable. How to deal with the ashes after cremation is up to you, his soul rests in heaven.

An alternative to cremation.

This article has tried to touch on different aspects of cremation. Maybe the very fact of burning is not acceptable? Modern burial technologies have reached the funeral sphere. In European countries, there are technologies that are directly opposite to cremation, allowing you to merge with nature: biocremation and green burial.

You can learn about this and other important things by subscribing to our channel. Easy Funeral in Yandex Zen. There you will always find the necessary and useful information about funeral and memorial customs, which only our channel can report.

On the Easy Funeral website, you can order a funeral using cremation and get great deals from funeral agencies in your city https://easyfuneral.ru/request/strict/21/

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Posted: 10 months ago

Posted: 11 months ago

Posted: 11 months ago

An obvious but not always perceived fact is that your funeral business must change, whether you like it or not. Change constantly.

Technology is constantly evolving. Consumer expectations and demands are rising. And if funeral professionals want to keep up with the times, they need to constantly evolve to meet changing and growing customer expectations.

Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender are experts in retail customer experience. They conducted a survey of the opinions of all funeral homes in the US, analyzing what is needed to provide excellent customer experience. And also how funeral directors can exceed the growing expectations of clients. They compared it to the customer experience in grocery retail…

What did they learn? There is no one answer to all questions, there is no such “pills that cure everything”. In one of the NFDA sessions, called "The Science of Selling: How to Help Your Product Sell Itself," they described it this way in the words of customers: "I want it my way, I don't want it like everyone else." And while funeral directors claim they want to exceed their clients' expectations, they don't actually know what those expectations are.

The new role of modern funeral directors

“The new consumer is a whole new generation of people who want things to be done the way they want, not the way they are offered,” says Bender. When it comes to scheduling funeral services, they do their own online research on different options, they compare different funeral homes in their city, and they ditch the idea of ​​“packaged standard offerings.” If they walk into your funeral home and hear, "Well, we've always done that," they'll immediately lose interest.

"The fact that you've always done it this way is no longer an argument," says Bender. "Your story is of little interest to them."

So what do these consumers expect from funeral professionals? Information, inspiration and ideas."Customers don't know anything about funerals," says Kizer. "They're looking for options on how they can make funerals worth living, personalized."

How to promote the values ​​of a funeral agency to clients

While today's clients may surf the Internet to do research on options, that doesn't mean they're finding all the answers they need or finding the services that will be most valuable to them. "Relatives look back on their past funeral experience and say, 'I thought it would be different, I didn't know how it should be done...' but they don't ask funeral agents about it," says Kizer. Thus, it is up to the funeral directors to fill in these gaps and educate the relatives. You can do it in two ways...

1. Use the Internet

Many funeral professionals view Millennials (Generation Y - people born after 1981) as the generation they will have to deal with in the next 10 or 15 years... and plan the funeral.

So unless your funeral home is actively trying to connect with these consumers in the places where they make purchasing decisions - blogs, websites, social media, review websites, etc. - you lose sight of the largest and most solvent group of consumers.

“Millennials demand the ability to get answers to queries and questions 24/7. The Internet for them means "anything, anytime, anywhere". You have to be on the same channels as them,” says Bender. “So if it's 3am and these consumers want answers to their questions... do you have an FAQ page? Is your site interactive? Can I plan my own funeral? Can I order flowers online? »

Modern consumers expect full and comprehensive information online. If they visit your site and don't immediately find value in your content, they'll be off in ten seconds or less.

So now it's more important than ever that your funeral home has a helpfully informed and easy-to-navigate website that promotes the value of your services and meets the needs of today's consumers.

1. Turn your office into an interactive learning environment

Your website is not the only way your funeral home can educate your customers about the value of your products and services. Very few funeral homes offer custom funerals, to make them individual. Instead, they offer families affordable, standard options, show a few price options, and force them to choose. But it's not the kind of experience consumers in other industries are used to.

"Consumers compare your offerings to what they see in retail stores," says Kizer.

So how can you bring the familiar, convenient retail experience to your funeral business? Start by making your spaces as welcoming and comfortable as possible. Make sure all merchandise is at or near eye level so that older customers don't have to bend over. This is just one of the examples, you can easily find others yourself.

Then open your mind to new ways, personalized ways you could bring to your processes. “What if when a customer picks up an urn, there is a video next to it that talks about all the features and benefits of this product?” asks Kizer.

At the end

“The challenge is not to get new, innovative thoughts in your head. The challenge is how to get rid of the old stereotypes,” concludes Bender.

For more information on customer experience in the retail business, visit the Kizer and Bender blog http://www.retailadventuresblog.com/

Death is the inevitable end of the life of any person. Due to this funeral services market in Russia provides the population with a wide range of services related to burial. At the present stage, the socio-economic sphere of our state has a large number of gaps, which negatively affects the pricing policy of such an important ceremony as a funeral and the quality of services. This service area for the provision of funeral services has developed after a period of perestroika and has become a field for the activity of small and large entrepreneurs, which undoubtedly needs in the legal regulation of the funeral services market.

State acts

Because the funeral and ritual services sooner or later become a necessary need, the legislation of our country in the year 96 of the last century issued a law “On burial and funeral business”, indicating certain rights of citizens, guaranteeing them:

1. Worthy attitude towards the body of the deceased;

2. The possibility of obtaining a free site for burial;

3. Social allowance allocated for the burial of human remains;

4. Burial carried out by local executive authorities.

The paradox of the bill is that at its level the relevant federal body responsible for the quality of the work was not determined, and therefore the rights of consumers of funeral services are regularly violated. Despite the implementation of reforms in 2000 and 2003, the abolition of licensing for the provision of funeral services, the unified public service policy is still not perfect and needs to be modernized.

Burial services of municipal and commercial organizations

A service of this kind has a high social significance and demand, therefore, various funeral businesses provide a wide selection of all kinds of goods and rituals, designed for different solvency of the population. However, there is one significant difference between the two forms of enterprises - social or municipal and commercial. The social service of local government operates for the benefit of the state, while private funeral service agencies work for their own profit. Municipal, as well as private enterprises, without fail conclude with customers contract for the provision of funeral services, as a guarantor of the quality of fulfillment of its obligations to customers.

Advantages and disadvantages of municipal funeral services

The main advantages of social funeral services are:

1. Favorable cost of services and goods in comparison with commercial organizations;

2. Warranty of the terms of the contract and their transparency;

3. Free services to some segments of the population.

Cons of their activities:

1. Limited range;

2. Low quality of service.

Advantages and disadvantages of commercial services

Main advantages:

1. A wide variety of services, as well as the organizations themselves providing burial services;

2. High professionalism and individual approach to human grief on the part of funeral agents;

3. The possibility of organizing the transportation of the body to another city on the territory of the Russian Federation and beyond;

4. Embalming and posthumous makeup of the deceased;

5. Services for the reburial of ashes;

6. Possibility of ordering services for the care of the grave;

7. Organization of a memorial dinner and others;

8. Observance of religious rites.

1. High cost and “blurring” of prices, which can vary within wide ranges;

2. The imposition of additional services that were not necessary.

Therefore, the choice of organization presented in the market of funeral services, of one or another legal form is a private matter of each client. If your family has suffered the bitterness of the loss of a loved one, and you want to find an agency that organizes a funeral, visit our Mortem website. A wide range of professional organizations ready to provide you with a wide range of services at reasonable and affordable prices. The experience and competence of employees of ritual agencies will definitely help solve your problem, without violating the law.

A funeral director or else he is called a funeral agent. It is fundamentally wrong to confuse these two definitions. Abroad, they turn to the funeral director for help in burial. It is also called a funeral director or funeral adviser. Therefore, we will also resort to this formulation, the meaning of this will not change. Compatriots decided that if they use the services of agents, then the functional duties of the funeral director are appropriate. This is wrong. The funeral agent offers his services and the funeral supplies of his agency. Narrow specialization in comparison with the funeral organizer.

The very word "director" in our minds was deposited as "leader". This is true. The funeral director provides direction and organization of the entire funeral process. Again, you can try to compare it with the master of ceremonies of the funeral. Again, it does not reveal the potential of the director's capabilities. With the same success it can be compared with an embalmer, as they are trained in embalming abroad and have the appropriate license.

The funeral adviser will provide the full range of funeral agency services; from the preservation of the body, to the memorial dinner. On his own, or with the involvement of the necessary specialists, he leads a funeral procession, a funeral meeting, gives the floor for a farewell speech, places an obituary in a newspaper. In general, he removes the burden of duties from relatives on organizational issues, according to all the wishes of the family or the will of the deceased.

In order not to bore you with a list of possible services of a funeral organizer, let's consider the practice of European funeral homes. In Russia, we will turn to an agent and, in addition, to the services of a master of ceremonies, for a worthy farewell ceremony. Of course, you will need to use the services of an embalmer if you plan to keep the body for parting for more than 24 hours. Abroad, they turn to only one person who will provide everything that is necessary for the funeral. This is the funeral director.

For comparison, let's give an example of how a funeral service is organized in Europe. The funeral home provides not only services for burial and execution of proper documents. Often, funeral homes have their own specialized halls for farewell, chapels for memorial prayers, equipped rooms for embalming and preserving the body (refrigerators), shops with grave goods. Rehabilitation and psychological assistance in overcoming grief are carried out. Accordingly, almost everything you need is in one place. This service at a similar level is just beginning to develop in Russia.

All affairs in funeral homes are handled by funeral directors. Unlike most of our funeral agencies, where managers are not able to replace their specialists in the work, due to the fact that they were trained far from the funeral business. Their European counterparts receive specialized training for their profession. Only after confirming their qualifications and obtaining the necessary license, they have the right to work in funeral homes. Training is carried out within 2-4 years. This is followed by a one to three year internship under the supervision of an experienced funeral director. They train already conscious individuals who will deliberately receive this profession. In the United States, citizens over the age of 21 are eligible to study.

Subsequently, they will repeatedly have to confirm their qualifications in order to renew their license. This requires additional training. In addition to specialized subjects, funeral advisers pass such disciplines as: jurisprudence, record keeping, general civil law, management, grief therapy, communication ethics, management of a funeral home in specialized programs, etc. The funeral director abroad and in Russia is at the highest level of the hierarchy among specialists in the funeral business.

Often, Europeans turn to funeral advisers during their lifetime in order to organize their own funeral. It is no secret that the very topic of death is taboo for us. Therefore, such an attitude to their own funeral may jar some. Allegedly preparing for death, we bring it closer. This assumption is based on nothing. Even the prejudices of our ancestors have nothing to do with it. In the old days, grandmothers collected mortal bundles, and great-grandfathers cut their own coffins. In this case, the funeral will take place exactly as they wanted. They took care of the purchase of funeral accessories from their relatives.

What could be wrong with taking care of your own funeral? Only in this case there is no complete certainty that the scenario of the funeral and commemoration itself will go as it was bequeathed. Here, just an appeal to the funeral organizers and solves problems with organizational issues. All aspects of the funeral and commemoration are discussed in advance, as well as the solution of all kinds of problems related to this. Relatives, in this case, will generally only grieve, relying on the funeral director in everything.

The problem of organizing one's own funeral is well reflected in the domestic satirical film Frozen Carp. There are indeed many sensible people, not necessarily of advanced age, who are capable of appreciating such an opportunity. These can be athletes, military and just workers whose field of activity is associated with a risk to life. In order to take care of your own funeral, it is not necessary to invite funeral organizers from abroad. We have something similar and we have "Insurance policy of the ritual plan", the opportunity to leave a request for a Lifetime contract and receive advantageous offers from Funeral Agencies.

In fairness, it should be noted that changes in the ritual sphere also affected Russia. An independent assessment of the qualifications of specialists in the funeral industry has been introduced. To confirm your professionalism, it will not be superfluous to pass the exam of the attestation commission. The time is not far off when licensing will become mandatory for everyone. If you have the necessary experience and knowledge, you can become one of the first certified funeral directors. To be sure that you will be able to pass the exam of an independent attestation commission, we recommend that you study at our Academy of ritual work. Stay tuned for the news, we have already begun work on the creation of the first Academy of Ritual Affairs in Russia, using modern technologies and e-learning formats.

Master of Ceremonies at a Funeral

The master of ceremonies at the funeral is the guarantor that the funeral and commemoration will be held at the highest level. It may seem that this service is redundant at a funeral. In the past, the services of a funeral organizer were extremely rare. It was the prerogative of the ruling class and the intelligentsia. Now, people who think and appreciate order in everything often invite a specialist named for this purpose, the master of ceremonies, to organize the funeral.

We have the right to decide for ourselves how much additional expenses for burial are necessary. But it is worth recognizing the fact that only a professional in his field is able to do this work in such a way that non-specialists cannot compare with him. Regardless of the industry in which a professional has to work. Only a person who has reached certain heights in his profession can be called a professional. We are discussing at the moment the master of ceremonies, namely a professional, and not appointed from the relatives of the deceased. If the funeral will have to be carried out by persons for whom this is not their main activity, then there is no need to rely on quality.

What kind of quality of funeral arrangements can we talk about, you ask and you will be wrong. Sarcasm in this question is inappropriate for a simple reason. The topic of funerals and commemorations on the Easy Funeral website is not a place for unsubstantiated statements. Let's start with the fact that a professional master of ceremonies at a funeral may well replace a ritual agent.

1. He has sufficient information in the funeral business and is able to advise on any issues that arise: from the preparation of the necessary documentation, to traditions and funeral rites in various religions.
2. His duties include contacting all involved organizations in the burial: be it a morgue, a hospital or a cemetery. Consequently, he maintains direct contact with the personnel of these organizations, which may well help in organizing the funeral.

Nevertheless, the main duty of the master of ceremonies is to organize and monitor the observance of the farewell ceremony according to a predetermined scenario. All this will help to avoid unforeseen situations in the funeral. Is this not the main desire of the relatives of the deceased? The ability to get rid of unnecessary hassle. Concentrating and finding strength for organizational measures in the event of the death of a loved one is not an easy task. The presence of the master of ceremonies at the funeral will allow you to find peace, confidence that everything will be held at the highest level.

The master of ceremonies will first discuss with the relatives all the nuances of the burial and farewell to the deceased. The repertoire for the funeral orchestra is negotiated in advance. Select a room for the funeral and arrange it properly. For Orthodox Christians, he organizes a funeral service in a church or chapel. All this will be scheduled with a time frame in the funeral schedule, which must be strictly followed.

Be sure that the removal of the body, the organization of the funeral procession and the burial ceremony, in the absence of a clergyman from the church, will also comply with all the canons of religion. At the commemoration, the master of ceremonies provides the floor for condolences and monitors compliance with the regulations.

Directing the ritual ceremony will not allow you to go beyond the agreed time. Funerals and commemorations should not oppress those who came only with the bitterness of loss. A funeral rally, under the supervision of a professional, is able to fill the moments of farewell with solemnity. He is able to inspire everyone that this day should remain in the hearts, and the memory of the deceased will be preserved for many years.

In the event that someone becomes ill, the master of ceremonies is obliged to provide first aid. He has everything under control. There are a number of duties of the master of ceremonies that may be of interest only to professionals. We will not discuss this here. Of course, unless you are personally interested. In this case, you can get acquainted with the minimum knowledge that is necessary for qualified personnel in the funeral industry from the article "Specialist in the field of funeral business".

The master of ceremonies at the funeral is needed in 2 cases:

• the deceased was so close to you that you would like to keep the memory of him in the hearts of those present for a long time;
• you don't know at all how a funeral should be conducted. Or they are so heartbroken that they are not able to organize a funeral on their own at all.

In both cases, additional money is needed to pay for the services of the master of ceremonies. You should not go into debt to use the services of a funeral director. Still, the presence of the master of ceremonies at the funeral is an indicator of status. From the side you can hear condemning words that there was no need to invite the master of ceremonies if one of the relatives could completely fulfill this role. Custom master of ceremonies naturally looks only at the funeral of wealthy people.

For those who are masters of ceremonies by profession, but have not yet confirmed their qualifications, there is great news: on the basis of our website, the Academy of Ritual Affairs is being created. It will allow you to gain knowledge that will allow you to easily pass the exam and get the right qualification. Follow the news on our website.

The funeral service agent is the face of the company, whose professionalism and qualifications should not be in doubt.

A qualified specialist has sufficient knowledge to answer any question regarding the organization of funeral events. The ritual agent is primarily a psychologist. Relatives in grief experience shock, and as a result, they may well ask the same questions. Without fail, the agent will show sympathy for the grieving experiences. Having expressed words of condolence, he is able to give clarifications on various issues several times without raising his voice. What should an agent pay attention to when talking with a customer, and what knowledge do you need to have?

1. Psychology of relationship with the customer.

We have already touched upon the moment in which the psychological state of the customer was taken into account. Therefore, you should be very careful when talking. Clearly, casual familiarity is unacceptable in such a case. First, it is necessary to clarify with the relatives of the deceased who exactly will perform the function of the customer. Already directly with the customer, discussing all the details of the upcoming funeral events, it is necessary to prove yourself a benevolent person in the first place, and not a stiff agent.

It should be remembered that any careless word can negatively affect the agent's reputation. There are times when everything is agreed and the issues are resolved, the agent, through thoughtlessness, can say goodbye with the words "goodbye" or, even worse, "see you soon." Remember that the arrival of a funeral agent does not cause much joy. The agent is not a welcome guest and meeting with him does not bode well. Wishing well in grief would be more appropriate.

The ethics of a ritual agent should be aimed at supporting the loved ones of the deceased in difficult times. It is necessary to win over the customer and give him a sense of security from grief . The agent does not provide services, he provides support to the relatives of the deceased in carrying out the funeral. This should be felt not only by customers, but also by the agent himself. Without knowledge of the basics of psychology, it is difficult to achieve this.

1. Religion

One has only to stumble once in answering a question, the customer may immediately have doubts about the professionalism of the agent. Therefore, the agent must know in detail the funeral customs of various religious movements. Find the right solution when performing the religious rites of farewell, if required. This is the most important aspect when dealing with believing customers. For example, if an agent comes up with an offer to cremate the body of Jews and Muslims, then it is quite possible that the agency's services will be refused immediately. Posthumous burning in these religions is considered a sin. Burial customs of different religions must be taken into account.

It is not uncommon for a funeral agent to arrive earlier than people who know religious rites. No question should be left unanswered. Therefore, we recommend that you study how burial is carried out and the observance of funeral customs in different religions.

1. Regulatory documentation governing funeral services

Knowledge of the basic documents of the funeral industry is already an indicator of professionalism. The Federal Law of January 12, 1996 N 8-FZ (as amended on March 7, 2018) "On Burial and Funeral Affairs" contains almost all the answers to questions asked in terms of legislative decisions at funerals. According to this law, the customer has the right to request a free funeral at the expense of the state or receive information about social benefits. Ignorance of this law does not release the agent from the obligation to inform the customer about his rights and guarantees in the burial of the dead.

Moreover, ignorance of the laws and regulatory documentation of the funeral business can be a good reason to dismiss the agent himself from his position. The customer has the right to refuse the services of the funeral agency, which he represents.

1. Funeral agent services.

It may seem somewhat strange that only now the direct duties of a ritual agent have been touched upon. There is nothing surprising. All of the above is the foundation for an agent. Starting with the details in conducting religious rites and ending with the knowledge of all aspects of the funeral business. This is only a small fraction of the necessary knowledge.

The funeral agent will offer not only the full range of services of his funeral agency. Will help in compiling refusal documentation for an autopsy, receive a stamped death certificate, organize the delivery of the body to the morgue, provide all information on the funeral arrangements with an indication of upcoming costs, agree with a representative of a religious denomination on the necessary ceremonies, advise the customer on the opening hours of the morgues, registry office or MFC, will help in the purchase of ritual goods.

This list is again far from complete. The funeral agent has the full range of necessary knowledge for a decent funeral and subsequent commemoration. Please note that we are talking only about funeral professionals. Without knowledge and certain experience it is difficult to be called a specialist.

1. How to become a professional?

Since recently, competent specialists in the funeral business are certified by independent experts. The presence of a certificate stating that the agent has passed such an exam already confirms professionalism. knowledge of the theory professional standard of the industry "Specialist in the field of funeral business" supported by practical exercises.

In conclusion, I would like to tell some good news to those who still value their professionalism as a ritual agent. Our service involves the training of ritual agents, which will allow you to pass the exam of the qualification commission and receive a state certificate. Professionals are not born, neither are ritual agents. Our service will allow you to become a professional funeral agent. There is not long to wait. Track information on our website https://easyfuneral.ru.

In solidarity with the ritual agents, we want to wish everyone only the best. We don't say goodbye to agents. See you soon in our Academy of Ritual Affairs.

The correspondent of "KP" found out how the dead are made up and how much the most expensive coffin costs

Those who, by misfortune, had a chance to visit the Barnaul crematorium, know only its outer side - farewell and memorial halls, a ritual store, a small temple and a columbarium. The entrance to the cremation shop and other utility rooms is strictly prohibited for outsiders. But not to KP correspondents!

Crematorium director Andrey Chumachenko arranged for the "Komsomolskaya Pravda" a whole tour of the mourning institution.

Andrei admitted that from the tenth grade he dreamed of working in the ritual business. And when he was offered the position of director, without hesitation, he moved from Novosibirsk to Barnaul.

Lots of controversy over cremation. Personally, I think that cremation is a more humane way than burial in the ground, our hero said.

The crematorium was opened in the regional capital in May 2015. Since then, about 200 people have been cremated here.

The range of prices for a complex of crematorium services - from

19.5 to 45.2 thousand rubles. The store, which is located at the institution, has a large selection of coffins, funeral linen, clothes for the deceased and other things.

The most expensive coffin here is a varnished cedar sarcophagus worth 124,000 rubles.

This one was bought last year by a traffic police officer who died in the line of duty in September, - Andrey noted.

It is impossible to cremate in such a coffin, only to bury (by the way, the crematorium also provides burial services - Ed.). Due to its large size, it will not enter the oven. According to the director, they mostly take wooden coffins. Their cost is from 2.5 thousand rubles.

Funeral linen is here for every taste and color.

There are budget sheets - hebash and satin - for 700 rubles, and more expensive options - for 3.6 thousand rubles, - Andrey said.

Two small pillows lying next to me caught my eye ...

These are children's, - the narrator explained. - Children are also cremated here, fortunately, rarely. It used to be that parents of stillborn babies turned to us. But due to the lack of certain documents, we cannot yet cremate them.

The crematorium has two farewell halls. The smell here is specific, apparently saturated with human grief. During the ceremony, the coffin stands in the middle, on the sides of it are soft comfortable sofas for relatives, there are others around the perimeter of the hall.

Soon we will install a spotlight here, which will highlight the area with the deceased with light, - Andrey said.

During parting, the lights are dimmed, the music sounds softly, as a rule, they choose the classics. There is a plasma TV on the wall where you can watch a film about the deceased. According to Andrei, no one has used this service yet.

But they ordered a video from the funeral. The deceased had relatives in Germany. Here we cut them. In the future, we are going to make it possible to watch the funeral online, - the director of the crematorium explained.

In order to get away from gossip that before sending the body to the oven, jewelry is removed from the deceased, there is a service in the crematorium - viewing the beginning of cremation. This takes 30 minutes. Relatives are behind the glass and watch as the machinist sends the coffin with the body to the oven.

Glass is armored, you know, death is always grief, so people can behave inappropriately, including hitting glass. We had such a thing, - the narrator shared.

Andrey said that they somehow cremated the deceased, to whom relatives from Buryatia came, as expected, with a shaman.

So they performed their rituals while watching the beginning of the cremation: they lit lamps, read prayers, - the director recalled.

The cremation oven was brought here from the Czech Republic. The price is about 18 million rubles. The operator controls it. At a temperature of 1100 degrees, the human body completely burns out in 1-1.5 hours. All this time the operator controls the process through a small glass window in the oven.

By the way, there are things that cannot be put in a coffin during cremation.

From the experience of colleagues from Novosibirsk, I know that phones are put down, and other things. Therefore, before the body is sent to the furnace, the thanatopracticist inspects the coffin so that there is nothing superfluous. It happened that pacemakers were taken out of the "cores" - since these are also prohibited items, Chumachenko said. - After all, they have batteries that can explode in a fire and damage the stove.

After the furnace, the remains of the body of the deceased (as a rule, these are small bones - Ed.) are placed in the cremulator room. There, in a ball mill, they are ground into a fine homogeneous mass.

Then, the operator pours all the ashes into a capsule (it can be buried in the ground) or into a special bag, which is then placed in an urn.

Relatives choose the urn in advance. The most expensive here costs 33 thousand rubles. It is made from solid stone.

If the room with the stove is always warm, then the morgue is eternally cold. Even the doors here are heat-tight.

Preparing a body for burial in the ground and for cremation is not much different. Only during the cremation of the dead, as a rule, they do not embalm, - Chumachenko explained.

The dead women in the crematorium can be combed, made up. There is a whole set of cosmetics for this: foundation, blush, shadows, mascara, lipstick and more.

A temple was built on the territory of the crematorium. They enter it to light a candle in memory of the deceased. Today a candle burned here....

A priest is assigned to the temple. By the will of relatives, he can bury the deceased.

A bell is installed on the alley of memory. After the farewell procedure, relatives and relatives of the deceased call him, thereby paying tribute to the memory of the deceased.

Behind him is the family crypt of the founders of the crematorium. The large territory of the crematorium, 2.5 hectares, allows you to install other crypts.

A columbarium rises nearby. It is designed for 9 thousand urns. So far, there are plenty of vacancies. However, there are - reserved. These people made sure that they were cremated.

You can draw up a contract during your lifetime, it costs 1.4 thousand rubles, pay for a range of services and appoint an executor who will monitor its execution, the narrator explained.

After the death of the customer, you will not have to pay anything extra for his cremation.

So a man came to us and said: “In two weeks I have a difficult operation, I’m afraid that I won’t survive.” We made a cremation contract.

A separate building is reserved for cremation of animals and biowaste. There are two ovens here.

They bring cats, dogs, rabbits and even hamsters, - Andrey shared.

The cost of cremating an animal depends on the weight. The minimum price is 2.5 thousand rubles.

There are also urns for animals. I found them pretty funny. Although, according to the director of LLC "Vetrituals" Mikhail Serdyukov, sometimes the owners of dead animals are killed more than people.