When I was promoted to Foundation Partners Group in Columbia, South Carolina, market leader in 2017, our market had experienced some instability related to multiple changes in leadership and cultural expectations. It took tremendous effort and consistency to establish stability and a healthy culture for our team. Currently, I manage 64 professionals and support staff at four funeral homes, one crematory, two perpetual-care cemeteries and one decedent care center. Over the past four years, we have built a foundation for growth and success, increasing our overall market share and revenue while improving the visibility of Thompson FuneralHomes throughout the community.
Setting the Foundation From a very early age, I have been very active playing and, later, coaching various team sports. The lessons I learned on the field about creating a strong culture and team spirit have transferred to my professional life. Using a coaching approach, I began by informing every member of my team that there is nothing I am not willing to do and have not done in this business. This “can do” approach became increasingly important over the past year and a half, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused staffing shortages and challenged us to find creative ways to serve families in need with safe and compassionate care. Like any team, we came together and learned that we can do amazing things when pushed. In fact, there is nothing we cannot achieve when we work together to overcome a shared challenge.
A Strong Customer Service Ethic I like to say we do common things in uncommon ways. All funeral homes offer the same basic services and products, but how we deliver these services is truly what sets us apart. The way we fully educate families, provide uniquely designed services, incorporate a ShareLife approach to celebrations of life, and offer highly personalized options demonstrates our complete focus on serving families with excellence and exceeding expectations. The foundation of our local customer service ethic are the principles of purpose and vision spelled out by Foundation Partners’ “Five Unique Truths” They are:
1. Partnership: We honor the unique identities and personalities of our team members and partner firms. We do this by hiring based on an
individual’s character and then finding the best fit for those skills and interests.
2. Relationships: Everything we do revolves around relationships – with families, clergy, veterans, first responders, hospice and healthcare providers, and hospitals. We nurture and build these relationships because people matter. The stronger these bonds, the more likely we are to remain the first choice for those who suffer a loss.
3. Innovation: Looking to the future means creating new ideas, tools and technologies that enhance the lives of those around us. With the growth of cremation and reduced number of people seeking traditional funeral services, we understand and embrace changing family preferences. We’re committed to providing new generations with innovative technology allowing them to uniquely memorialize those they care about most.
4. Compassion: We must never forget that the greatest value we offer people is human compassion. We demonstrate our empathy in real and meaningful ways, which, in turn, engenders trust from the families we serve.
5. People-Focus: We take care of our team members so they can take care of our families. We never forget that our people are on the front lines, working tirelessly to offer compas- sionate care and grow our business. We always acknowledge and appre-ciate the extraordinary service they provide our communities. Their passion for funeral service – and ability to offer “above and beyond” care – will flourish as we continually recognize, support and reward them for jobs well done.
From Day One, I have impressed upon my team that community engagement is the key to growing both as individuals and as a business. Ours is a relationship-driven business – we meet people during the worst times of their lives and strive to provide them with the best possible experience. There’s no better way to develop trusting and lasting relation- ships than by working side-by-side with neighbors to serve community members in need. One of the first things we did was create a full-time community outreach coordinator position, which signaled to those inside and outside of our team that community involvement was one of our top priorities. Thompson Funeral Homes now has two full-time community outreach coordinators, allowing us to support a wide variety of philanthropic endeavors and host events of our own to give back to the community that has supported us over the years.
Over the past several years, I’ve worked hard to provide my team with the tools and training they need to grow and excel in their roles. The beauty of this profession is that every day with every family we have the opportunity to learn something new – about ourselves and about the families we serve. My job is to keep our team moving in the same direction and, as we navigate difficult waters, let them know that I am with them and supporting them every step of the way. I am thankful every day for the generous funeral service professionals who served as my mentors and am humbled by the leadership opportunities provided to me by Foundation Partners Group. I am dedicated to paying these blessings forward by leading by example and creating a winning culture here in the Columbia, market.
Over the past three years he and his team have achieved industry-leading growth.
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Foundation Partners is committed to serving cremation families; Teamwork Makes the Dream Work.
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