On Friday 16th December 2020, the Competition & Markets Authority published its Final Report on the investigation into the Funeral sector. The report details their findings and recommendations – known as remedies.
There’s a lot to digest, and over the coming weeks we will learn more about implementation and timescales – as well as the Government’s response. In the meantime, however, it’s clear that eFD is already well placed to support funeral businesses of all sizes in implementing many of the remedies contained in the report.
Pricing & transparency/communication
Our first call email facility enables you to send pricing information, or links to that information on your website, at the earliest appropriate opportunity before a client has committed to any agreement or purchase. One of the UK’s leading funeral regulation experts recently highlighted this functionality as an important step in providing transparency and reassurance to funeral consumers.
Creation of funeral types
Our arrangement classification of “Type” and “Sub-Type” allows you to set established funerals and workflows, This functionality can be used to create a CMA “Standardised Funeral” for colleagues to follow, establishing the checklists, and pre-populating the product elements in the funeral arrangement. Similarly, a CMA “Non-attended Funeral” type can also be created. Many eFD clients are already using this to manage set packages, such as Simple funerals.
Reporting
Noting the CMA’s requirements for funeral directors (with 10 or more branches) to provide every 6 months a report detailing a) total number of funerals (by funeral type offered) and b) revenue (excluding disbursements) – eFD’s integral reporting already generates this report, in seconds – with far more information readily available at your fingertips.
We know that the publication of this report brings a further degree of uncertainty in an already complex time. We will continue to work to ensure that eFD provides you and your colleagues with compliance by default continuing to enable you and your colleagues to provide your unique and caring services without untold additional compliance burdens.