The new online platform brings together funeral planners and trusted funeral directors in an all-in-one community. The service is specifically designed to make funeral planning simpler and more transparent, while offering the personal touch that customers associate with their local high street providers. It also allows funeral directors to support hospices, patients and those most in need of professional advice and guidance.
How it works.
The Farewell Guide uses smart technology to let funeral planners create a funeral that meets their needs in every detail. It supports both individuals to plan their own funeral in advance, and family members planning a loved one’s funeral at shorter notice.
The Farewell Guide let’s funeral directors provide accurate quotes for people in their areas based on a series of factors, ending the considerable lack of transparency in the industry about pricing.
Designed for funeral directors.
After more than a year of planning and collaborating with funeral directors, The Farewell Guide has designed the platform to streamline internal operations and manage the logistics of funeral planning more efficiently. It also allows for funeral directors to have a sales and marketing presence online without the need to build their own bespoke website; with The Farewell Guide, they have a microsite and lead generation tool built in.
Customers request quotes for a personalised funeral plan which are sent directly to funeral directors, who can accept or decline depending on suitability and available resources.
Currently, the funeral industry – estimated to be worth £2.7 billion – operates predominantly in the physical realm. According to 2022 research by financial services provider SunLife, 83% of families in the UK only get one quote for the funeral they are planning.
Rebecca Peach, Founder and CEO of The Farewell Guide said:
“Our mission is to provide an online resource to help funeral directors showcase their services to a wider range of clients, and also to make those services more transparent and tailored for consumers than ever before.”
“Many of us have heard stories of, or seen first-hand, funerals which in no way reflected the wishes or interests of the deceased. We think funerals should be as personal as possible, and by offering a supportive tool for individuals to record those wishes, we aim to make this a reality for all. Not everyone wants a horse-drawn carriage anymore – although it remains a popular choice. The future of the industry is about providing more transparent options and empowering consumers to make choices that will give them a personalised service that they can afford. We want to elevate the profiles of these dedicated providers who support consumers when they need it most and genuinely provide supportive choices. Match-making planners to trusted funeral partners will make users’ final funeral wishes a reality.”
Ollie Black, one of The Farewell Guide’ early investors, comments:
“My Brother Ben and I were early adopters in the childcare and eldercare market, where from a first hand perspective, we saw how individuals were really poorly served by the market and that they had a lack of access to the independent expertise to make really important life decisions. Having seen this in childcare and eldercare in our own careers, we were naturally intrigued by Rebecca’s experiences in the funeral care market, which seemed to resemble so many of the same characteristics of what we saw in our market.
“We, consumers, deserve better and by helping individuals navigate this space by giving them the independent help they need, we can make things a little better for all. This is why we are backing The Farewell Guide, as we believe that this is a market ready to do things a different way, and improve customer experiences in the process, with The Farewell Guide leading this charge.”
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