Wisconsin Funeral Home Re-invents its Facility to Create a "WOW" Experience for Families
From the parking lot, Wichmann Funeral Home appears as "typically traditional" as you might expect a 50-year-old facility in Appleton, Wisconsin.
But with one step inside, your senses are engulfed by pleasant aromas and sounds usually reserved for upscale bakeries or coffeehouses. And that's exactly the point, says owner Dan Densow.
"We really tried to bring the ambience of a community coffeehouse and re-create that in the funeral home," Densow explained. "Those places evoke such a sense of well-being and comfort. They are a place to relax, converse. I wanted it to feel like you were not in a funeral home."
The new Gathering Room at Wichmann's is a stunning example of continuing efforts by funeral directors across the country to achieve the maximum results from their facilities.
"We've seen the trends develop with more visitations being held at churches and higher cremation rates. We've had fewer families use the facilities in general," Densow said.
The Gathering Room was converted from one of two small visitation chapels. It was the least utilized space in the building. In less than three months, the transformation was completed in October, 2006.
The Tuscan-inspired design features many natural elements, from hardwood flooring to warm leather, stone and wrought iron furniture. A new sound system with light jazz music fills the room, which also features a kitchenette and gourmet coffee and tea bar.
"It's a 'WOW' experience, totally unexpected when people walk in there," Densow said. "Families migrate from our chapels to that room for a more intimate and casual conversation."
"Guests of all ages can relate to this type of environment. It's become the most utilized space in the building."
Re-defining Traditional Spaces
The challenge facing Densow is one that most funeral professionals confront-how to maximize the funeral home facilities to enhance the experience for families. The trend of re-defining the traditional "spaces" has yielded significant results.Bryan Evans at Platt's Funeral Home in Augusta, GA., faced a similar shortage of space.
"We needed to have more office space for our staff. We couldn't build out or up, we had to make the most of the building we have," he said.
The answer: Platt's overhauled their large selection room and transformed it into an arrangement office and smaller selection room where they now use Aurora's Family Advisor arrangement system.
"We had 25 caskets and a vault display. We were able to cut that back to just eight caskets-the requirement in Georgia. We previously had a warehouse stocked with caskets as well," Evans added. "In one day, with Family Advisor, we saved $65,000 on insurance, inventory and warehouse space."
Platt's is among the hundreds of funeral homes who have rebuilt former selection rooms into more valuable space-from offices to chapels to new gathering or reception rooms.
This trend is creating more value for families and revenue opportunities for funeral homes.
The redesigned space at Wichmann's has exceeded Densow's expectations.
"Every member of our staff would testify that our families' satisfaction with the facility has risen dramatically," he said. "With this room, we are creating greater value to the consumer for a visitation or memorial gathering being held here. That's the most important thing."
Re-defining "traditional" one cup of coffee at a time.
Getting the Most from Your Facilities
Does your funeral home need a facelift? Have you considered re-aligning your facility to offer families a reception room or comfort kitchen?
Aurora's Customer Solutions Team has worked with hundreds of funeral homes to design spaces that deliver bottom line results. Whether transforming the selection room or eliminating that space altogether by using Aurora's Family Advisor arrangement system, our team works with you to create a customized plan.
Three-dimensional drawings and even video walkthroughs provide you with a real sense of how your space could look.
Contact your Aurora representative today or call Aurora Answers at 800-457-1111 to learn more about the custom retail solutions that only Aurora provides.