Bulletin 2013 August

August 2013 | NCBVA.ORG 1

2 NCBVA.ORG | August 2013

Bed Size: 50" W x 91" LBed Size: 50" W x 91" L

13 Hp Honda Electric & Pull-Start 13 Hp Honda Electric & Pull-Start

Engine (with hour meterEngine (with hour meter))

Combination Vault/Monument Combination Vault/Monument

Handlers also availableHandlers also available

3000# Winch Capacity3000# Winch Capacity

Self propelled at work siteSelf propelled at work site

Towable over the roadTowable over the road

Towable & powerful alternative Towable & powerful alternative

to conventional backhoesto conventional backhoes

Full size backhoe without the Full size backhoe without the

need of a trailerneed of a trailer

• Standard or heavy duty models

available• 3000# to 6000# hydrostatic

winch capacity• Loaded with standard features• Upgradable with choice of over

15 options• Won't track up cemetery lawn• Choice of color

• Set monuments safely and

quickly• Fixed 5" I-Beam• Two locking inner legs• Option of rubber on inside of

deck to protect monuments• 18 upgradable options

available

• Tow with truck, unhitch and

self propel to the grave site• No need to drive truck onto

cemetery lawn• Won't track up lawns• 2-yard capacity• Bed Size: 50” W x 91” L x 24” H• Customize with company logo

and colors

• Same capacity as a standard

backhoe• Unhitch from truck and self

propel in cemetery without

tearing up the lawn• 36” bucket allows for quick

openings at cemetery without

re-positioning• Painted with your color choice

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Table of Contents

President Michael cruMMitt Crummitt and Son Vault Company Martins Ferry, OH

President-elect Jerry russell Southern Ohio Vault Company Portsmouth, OH

secretary/treasurer Mark Bates Norwalk Wilbert Vault Co. Bridgeport, CT

iMMediate Past President huBert McQuestion Lake Shore Burial Vault Company Brookfield,WI

directors edwin Bruns Bruns Norwalk Vault St. Louis, MO

Paul cooPer Cooper Wilbert Vault Co. Barrington, NJ

steve handley Handley Precast Systems Glendale, AZ

curt shannon SIFuneralServices Ennis, TX

GreG tilley IdealBurialVaultCompany Depew, NY

affiliate directors Dave Long Eagle Burial Vault Association Joliet,IL

Blake swinford Trigard/Greenwood Plastics Danville,IL

steve vincent DoricProducts,Inc. Marshall,IL terry whitlock WilbertFuneralServices,Inc. Broadview,IL

association ManaGeMent Kimberly A. Fantaci ExecutiveDirector Donald J. Gaitten, Jr. AssociationExecutive Donald A. Mounce, APR The Bulletin Editor Richard L. Martin Magazine Production Manager J. Scott Calkins, Esq. Legal Counsel

56

11 14192122

Legal FocusUnions and Cremation Are LosersBy J. Scott Calkins, Esq., NCBVA Legal Counsel

Safety Focus Who To Invest Your Time In? By Ron Overton, Overton Safety Training, Inc.

Marketing FocusKnocking On Doors Persistently Pays Off By Andres Lara

Customer Marketing FocusHow To Handle Common Family Concernsin the ShowroomBy Jill Darby and Ethan Darby

Association Matters

Industry News & Calendar

NCBVA Membership

ON THE COVER

Accurate .................................................9

ACS ..............................Inside Back Cover

Axis ............................. Inside Front Cover

Crescent Bronze ...................................10

D & C Supply ........................................10

Doric ....................................................10

Edgmont ................................................4

Gator Plastics .......................................12

Holland Supply .......................................8

Long Machine Co. ...............................16

Mixer Systems Inc. .................................4

Nycon ...................................................17

Overton Safety Training ........................10

Paws & Remember ...............................21

RoMix ..................................................13

Rostine .................................................15

Trigard ..................................................18

ADVERTISING INDEX

National Concrete Burial Vault Association (NCBVA)136 South Keowee Street | Dayton, OH 45402(888) 88-NCBVA | Fax (937) [email protected]|www.ncbva.org

Trigard Burial Vaults notes that, in order to maximize your marketing success, you must position yourself as a trusted advisor to your funeral home and cemetery customers. See the story on customer marketing on page 14 of this issue.

Bed Size: 50" W x 91" LBed Size: 50" W x 91" L

13 Hp Honda Electric & Pull-Start 13 Hp Honda Electric & Pull-Start

Engine (with hour meterEngine (with hour meter))

Combination Vault/Monument Combination Vault/Monument

Handlers also availableHandlers also available

3000# Winch Capacity3000# Winch Capacity

Self propelled at work siteSelf propelled at work site

Towable over the roadTowable over the road

Towable & powerful alternative Towable & powerful alternative

to conventional backhoesto conventional backhoes

Full size backhoe without the Full size backhoe without the

need of a trailerneed of a trailer

• Standard or heavy duty models

available• 3000# to 6000# hydrostatic

winch capacity• Loaded with standard features• Upgradable with choice of over

15 options• Won't track up cemetery lawn• Choice of color

• Set monuments safely and

quickly• Fixed 5" I-Beam• Two locking inner legs• Option of rubber on inside of

deck to protect monuments• 18 upgradable options

available

• Tow with truck, unhitch and

self propel to the grave site• No need to drive truck onto

cemetery lawn• Won't track up lawns• 2-yard capacity• Bed Size: 50” W x 91” L x 24” H• Customize with company logo

and colors

• Same capacity as a standard

backhoe• Unhitch from truck and self

propel in cemetery without

tearing up the lawn• 36” bucket allows for quick

openings at cemetery without

re-positioning• Painted with your color choice


Edgmont Metallic Pigment Inc.

Phone: 1-800-610-1490 Fax: 610-429-4457 Email: [email protected] www.edgmontmetallic.com

Metallic powder & pastes Bronzing liquids Quality Glitters

Spray cans

EXCELLENCE IN METALLIC PIGMENTS 15 Shades of Water-Base Vault Paint

Mark IV Portable

Don’t let the compact size of our Mark IVP Portable Batch Plant fool you. It can fit your site, yet produce up to 300 yards per day. It offers three different mixer designs, with capacities from 1/2 to 2 cu. yd. It features one-day start-up and rigid skid mounting to keep your productivity on the move. And it can pay for itself in months. Contact us to find out how the little Mark IVP can have a big impact on your business.

Mixer Systems, Inc.190 Simmons AvenuePewaukee, WI 53072-0010 mixersystems.com M A D E I N U S A

262-691-3100 800-756-4937Fax 262-691-3184 [email protected]

Portable, affordable, incredible.

Concrete equipment. Concrete solutions.

HF PG SKIDMOUNT CONCRETE PRODUCT1 1 4/7/08 2:46:15 PM


FOCUSAs we all embark into the “dog days” of summer, there is little or no specific litigation or enforced regulation that adversely affects the concrete burial vault industry other than the mixed signals from OSHA and the regulatory revision by several national cemeteries. I searched for such specific information, but was unsuccessful, and am now seeking the help of the NCBVA members reading this article.

If you are involved in any litigation or regulatory decisions that impede, deny, or force you to incur major cost increases by cemeteries, let me know. Instances of such litigation and/or cemetery issues are usually not reported in the national research publications.

Union Rights Rule InvalidatedI am sure that many of you are already aware of the decision by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The court recently invalidated a regulation issued by the National Labor Relations Board that would have required employers to display the 11-by-17 inch notice in a prominent location where employees gather -- or face penalties and fines if they failed to do so.

The court ruled that the NLRB did not have the authority under the National Labor Relations Act to require such general notice postings by employers. More specifically, the court said Congress had never granted the agency the specific authority to do so, as it had other federal agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Cremation Alternative BannedNew Hampshire banned the use of alkaline hydrolysis as a cremation option. The state legislature refused to pass legislation to approve such option, which was based on several concerns raised by the opponents.

These concerns included infringement upon the dignity of the deceased, and that the liquid waste

resulting from alkaline hydrolysis could end up polluting aquifers and other water sources. Proponents argued that the neighboring State of Maine allowed the practice, and that the action by the New Hampshire legislature would force residents to cross the border to obtain such cremation option. Such arguments was insufficient to change the attitude of the New Hampshire legislators.

New Tax Proposals To ConsiderMost all of our NCBVA members have by now implemented the changes in the Tax Code approved in January 2012, affecting them individually as well as their businesses. I am sure that members sat down with their CPA, Estate Planning attorney, and financial investment adviser to incorporate all necessary changes.

Now, be ready for additional changes being recommended by President Obama and members of Congress, all of which could impact tax planning in 2013 and beyond. In my opinion, based on what I am hearing from the Administration and Congress, any major changes to the tax code will not take place until the end of this year or in 2014.

So far, President Obama has proposed to reduce the value to 28 percent of certain deductions, and exclusions that would otherwise reduce taxable income in the 33 percent, 35 percent, or 39.6 percent tax brackets. In addition, the President has proposed to limit contributions and accruals on tax-favored retirement benefits, including IRAs, qualified plans, tax sheltered annuities, and deferred compensation plans.

The limit generally would apply when a taxpayer accumulates total retirement amounts that exceed the amount necessary to provide the maximum annuity permitted for a defined benefit plan. Such changes and others which may or may not be incorporated into a Tax Code reform, but you need to be aware of such changes if they occur. n

LEGAL

Unions and Cremation Are LosersBy J. Scott Calkins, Esq.

NCBVA Legal Counsel


I felt obligated to write this article, not about safety training or safety concepts in the precast industry, but to hopefully clearly convey a very large marketing mistake made by my company, from which it took 18 months to recover. Hopefully others can learn from our mistakes.

A technological revolution has occurred over the past two or three years, and the methodology of continually marketing your company to current and new clients has changed dramatically. In the past, some direct mail pieces, thank you letters, a few personal phone calls, a website, and some advertisements in the yellow pages were really all that was required to protect your current

client list and put enough information out there to attract new clients to your business.

We prescribed to the 90-20 rule--contact and protect your existing clients to make up 90% of your business each year, and contact or have new clients contact you to make up 20% of your business each year--for a 10% sales growth each year. This is the way it has always been done, and we saw no reason to change a winning formula.

Social Media ChangesIn January of 2011, my company made the decision not to enter into the Twitter, Facebook,

and LinkedIn social media craze and stick with what had got us to where we were. We were confident as a group that our website, selected paper advertising, and direct contact would protect our company’s client base and continue to get additional customers as it had in the past.

Our most brilliant move was to hire someone to rebuild our current website to a newer and more user-friendly version. This would provide our clients with the ability to see not only the 28 different programs we can provide, but also to register online for any or all of the 360 open enrollment training classes we hold across the United States each year.

After an interview process to find a website “professional,” we

FOCUSSAFETY

Learning From Mistakes of Others By Ron Overton


SAFETY FOCUS

settled on an individual who appeared to have all the answers. Although he had no specific examples of exactly what we needed, he had samples of good looking sites he had done in the past for other clients, and we rolled out the complexity of our website needs and ideas to him.

Since our website URL and domain had been established back in 1984, and was consistently updated and commented on, we had excellent ranking by the search engine services in all regions of the United States, when existing clients searched for us by name or when potential clients searched for services using key words. We were always on page one on all the searches, regardless of where they searched from. Later we found out (too late, I might add) that your existing coded website information and longevity is very, very valuable. What we were unaware of was the new way that the search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and even Bing were changing in how they rank your company website.

Huge MistakeSo after a period of six months, rather than update our existing website, our “website professional” built an entirely new website separate from our existing website in a “Beta or Testing Mode.” When it came time to activate the site, he deleted our existing site and replaced it with the new version.

This turned out to be a “huge mistake” and cost us dearly for the next 18 months. As it turns out, when you delete a website entirely, even reusing the same website address, you lose all placements and ranking with the search engines and have to start all over again building up your ranking, regardless of location.

So even though we were one of the largest training providers in the Pacific Northwest, and one of the largest nationally, we were not showing up on any search engines until the fifth or sixth pages of listing when people searched for our services and not our name. We had totally lost our ranking nationally, and in our own home state of Oregon as well.

To make matters worse, the options we required on our new website with all of its class listings, and online registration features, now

appeared to be beyond the technical ability of the “website professional” to fully implement and activate. We basically had the same information as our previous site showed, without our class listing and without the ability for online registration.

After an additional 60 days of fruitless effort, our “website professional”

admitted this was beyond his scope of expertise. He then resigned, leaving us high and dry.

Rebuilding our BusinessNine months later, we started to rebuild our website. Obviously, our phones ceased ringing (I mean they died), and I called the phone company multiple times to check on our “trunk lines” because I was positive they were not operating properly.

The phones lines were fine, but we had lost our primary advertising means, which we depended upon so much in the past. We went from handling 100-120 calls per day (on nine phone lines) to about 20 calls per day total.

Our sales dropped immediately by 35% over the previous year (we were trending up +15% year to date). It took us another full year (all of 2012) to find a competent website professional who could fix our website debacle, and get it

(B)ut we had lost our primary advertising means, which we depended upon so much in the past. We went from handling 100-120 calls per day (on nine phone lines) to about 20 calls

per day total.


ABOUT THE AUTHORRon Overton, a NCCCO Certified Mobile Crane Operator and Accredited Practical Examiner, is the President, Owner, and an Instructor for OVERTON Safety Training, Inc. of Beaverton, Oregon. OVERTON Safety Training has been providing professional services and materials for the safe operation of forklifts, heavy equipment, aerial/scissor lifts, rigging and signaling, personnel lifts, loaders, and cranes on a worldwide basis since 1991. For additional information, contact Ron at (866) 531-0403 or [email protected], or visit the company website at www.overtonsafety.com. These insights are the opinions of the author, and not necessarily those of the NCBVA.

to the level of customer service, class information, and online registrations we required.

It took even longer for the new website professional to help us rebuild our search engine

ranking, to now where we show up on the second pages of search engines instead of the fifth or sixth pages. I still do not fully understand how the search engines rank.

However, we are now confident that our new website person does. During the first half of 2013, we began steadily to regain our ranking in the search engines.

The phones began ringing again. And our sales began climbing back to the levels prior to our debacle.

Learning from this experience, we made a decision to pursue other means of additional marketing opportunities, including social media and contact information forums such as Twitter, Facebook, and Linked-In. I am surprised and even shocked at how much business we now derive off the social media realm.

Diversity in marketing is now our mantra, deciding not again to ever put all our eggs into one marketing basket. Fool me once, shame on you; but fool me twice, shame on me!

Take care and work safely! n

SAFETY FOCUS

Learning from this experience, we made a decision to pursue other means of additional marketing opportunities,

including social media and contact information forums such as Twitter,

Facebook, and Linked-In. I am surprised and even shocked at how much business

we now derive off the social media realm.


Providing professional operator safety training, qualification and certification services since 1991.

OPERATOR AND TRAINER PROGRAMS FOR:Mobile Cranes • Tower Cranes • Overhead CranesRigging & Signaling • Forklift Trucks • Vault Carts

Loaders • Personnel Lifts • NCCCO Preparatory Training

P.O. Box 6297 Aloha, OR 97007-0297 (503) 356-0403 • Fax (503) 356-0401 • Toll Free (866) 531-0403

www.overtonsafety.com

National Certification Prep Training & TestingRigging & Signaling Classes

Courses meet WA & national requirements7 accredited NCCCO examiners

Specializing in the Burial Vault and Precast industries

OVERTONSafety Training, Inc.

TRAININg & CeRTIfICATIoN AVAIlABle ThRough:

On-site ClassesOpen-Enrollment Classes

Materials for In-House Training


Whether you are a business person trying to get more sales, a manager trying to find the right hire, an IT employee trying to write new software, or just the average Joe trying to get the most out of existence; your life will be a lot easier if you understand some basic, yet often disregarded principles. These are the arts of persistence, determination and influence.

Keep in mind that whether you are a salesperson or not, you are always knocking on some kind of physical or mental door and your level of success and happiness will depend on how good you are at getting through those doors. So, as you go on knocking at the doorsteps of bigger and better things, keep the following five ideas in mind.

1. Be Patient.No door was ever built with the purpose of being closed for eternity; for a wall would have

been erected in its place. If you have been knocking on a door for quite a while and nobody has answered... be patient.

However, do not confuse patience with laziness. Laziness is doing nothing.

Patience, on the other hand, is actively waiting. It’s suppressing negative emotions like

complaints, restlessness, or annoyance while confronted with the universe’s timing.

You must understand that the world doesn’t revolve around your timing; you revolve around it. And just like a farmer understands the timing of a seed and will not expect it to sprout

any sooner. You should understand that some

doors will open at their own time and not any sooner. The universe will reward you handsomely once you learn to be patient and respect the fact that some things just take a little longer to materialize.

Knocking On Doors Persistently Pays Off

By Andres Lara

Keep in mind that whether you are a salesperson or not, you are always

knocking on some kind physical or mental door and your level of success and

happiness will depend on how good you are at getting through those doors.


Whether you are a business person trying to get more sales, a manager trying to find the right hire, an IT employee trying to write new software, or just the average Joe trying to get the most out of existence; your life will be a lot easier if you understand some basic, yet often disregarded principles. These are the arts of persistence, determination and influence.

Keep in mind that whether you are a salesperson or not, you are always knocking on some kind of physical or mental door and your level of success and happiness will depend on how good you are at getting through those doors. So, as you go on knocking at the doorsteps of bigger and better things, keep the following five ideas in mind.

1. Be Patient.No door was ever built with the purpose of being closed for eternity; for a wall would have

been erected in its place. If you have been knocking on a door for quite a while and nobody has answered... be patient.

However, do not confuse patience with laziness. Laziness is doing nothing.

Patience, on the other hand, is actively waiting. It’s suppressing negative emotions like

complaints, restlessness, or annoyance while confronted with the universe’s timing.

You must understand that the world doesn’t revolve around your timing; you revolve around it. And just like a farmer understands the timing of a seed and will not expect it to sprout

any sooner. You should understand that some

doors will open at their own time and not any sooner. The universe will reward you handsomely once you learn to be patient and respect the fact that some things just take a little longer to materialize.

Knocking On Doors Persistently Pays Off

By Andres Lara

Keep in mind that whether you are a salesperson or not, you are always

knocking on some kind physical or mental door and your level of success and

happiness will depend on how good you are at getting through those doors.


2. Reasons Make More Sense on Paper.From time to time, you might grow weary. If this happens, it’s because you are getting too caught up on the mere routine of knocking on doors.

It is easy to get discouraged and lose hope when you lose sight of what initiated your quest. It helps to have a list of at least ten reasons why you must get through this particular door.

Keep this list in a place you see frequently like on a refrigerator door, bathroom mirror or even in your wallet. This will fuel your daily knocking with purpose.

3. Knock with Confidence.Just like you would probably regard a couple of soft knocks in the middle of the night as someone knocking on the wrong door and ignore them; your knocks, if done reluctantly and infrequently, will also be ignored. Your frequency and loudness will broadcast a message about whether or not you believe you are knocking on the wrong door. Conviction is contagious. Increase the frequency and loudness of your knocks and this will convey conviction, which will open more doors than you can ever manage to go through.

If you are ever concerned about turning off a prospect by your high level of confidence or eagerness, look back on specific instances when someone in the past rejoiced at the fact that you didn’t give up on them. It’s also helpful to remember that those who like you will like you no matter what you do and those who hate you would have hated you anyway.

4. Affirm Yourself.Before you knock on any door, repeat this statement aloud and with enthusiasm at least ten times: “Whatever brought me to this door I am currently knocking on understands that somehow I possess something of immense substance which only I can deliver.”

Conviction is contagious. Increase the frequency and loudness of your knocks and this will convey conviction, which

will open more doors than you can ever manage to go through.











At times, affirming yourself is more important than the actual act of knocking. This is because the frequency of your state of mind usually arrives days before you ever get to any door.

5. Have Faith. If getting through the current door you are knocking on will help you create relationships that will make your wildest dream come true, would you ever stop knocking on this door? Perhaps the only thing missing right now in your life is the fact that you are not treating whatever door you are knocking on as such.

Believe that something bigger than yourself brought you to this door. And remember that faith is the beginning to every accomplishment.

Call to Action: Knock on every door today with extreme confidence as though a positive response is awaiting you. Approach the day as though the opportunity of a lifetime is right behind one of the doors you are going to be knocking on and since you don’t know which door it is, treat every door with the utmost respect.

Keep in mind that the frequency of your state of mind gets to a door days before you even get there. So constantly affirm yourself with statements like, “The opportunity of a lifetime is waiting for me behind a door.”

Fuel your daily efforts with purpose by seeing the list of reasons why you are doing what you are doing. When all else fails, remember to be patient and that not now doesn’t mean not ever.

These concepts can be summarized with Calvin Coolidge’s statement: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” n

About the AuthorAndres Lara is an international-selling author and sought-after motivational speaker who speaks to companies and groups from all walks of life on the psychology of how to move forward when you feel like quitting. Connect with him at [email protected], www.TheCubanGuy.com, www.Facebook.com/Motivation911, @motivation911 or call (239) 424-9152.











FOCUSThe amount of information available on the internet has created a new buyer/seller relationship in many industries. Buyers are well-informed thanks to their own extensive online research before they enter a store. Sellers are no longer viewed as “experts” with exclusive knowledge.

Our industry is a rare exception. Families purchasing burial vaults still mostly count on funeral homes and cemeteries as reliable sources of information.

As a vault dealer, you can articulate the features, benefits, and importance of a burial vault. But you are rarely, if ever, the person interacting directly with the family during the purchase.

In order to maximize your success, you must position yourself as a trusted advisor to your funeral home and cemetery customers. You can become the person who not only supplies them with outstanding products, but also helps them sell better vaults.

We interviewed four funeral directors to find out what challenges they face in the showroom when presenting burial vaults -- and how they overcome objections. We encourage you to share this scripting with your customers as a resource to help educate the families they serve about the importance of a burial vault.

Introduce the VaultsOne funeral director/general manager we spoke with explained that families tend to become overwhelmed once they enter the selection room. And when they feel overwhelmed, they quit listening.

To counteract this, this director tells the family what they will see in the selection room before

they actually enter. He uses this preview to set himself up for success.

Realizing most people know more about caskets than vaults, he always asks the family “Are you familiar with vaults?” Regardless of their answer, he always explains the purpose of the vault, focusing heavily on protection.

This information given outside of the selection room helps focus the family’s attention. It also empowers them to make the best decision for their loved one.

Common Concerns During ArrangementThere are some concerns that our panel of funeral directors consistently hears from families. Here’s how they respond.

Family Concern: “Who cares what the vault looks like? You aren’t going to see it anyway.”

Response: “The vast majority of graveside services display the vault. The vault is the final symbol of a loved one’s passing that a family experiences. It helps provide that final piece of closure. At this point in the service, the vault becomes even more important than the casket.”

Family Concern: “Our funds are limited.”

CUSTOMER MARKETING

How To Handle Common Family Concerns in the Showroom

By Jill Darby and Ethan Darby


FOCUSThe amount of information available on the internet has created a new buyer/seller relationship in many industries. Buyers are well-informed thanks to their own extensive online research before they enter a store. Sellers are no longer viewed as “experts” with exclusive knowledge.

Our industry is a rare exception. Families purchasing burial vaults still mostly count on funeral homes and cemeteries as reliable sources of information.

As a vault dealer, you can articulate the features, benefits, and importance of a burial vault. But you are rarely, if ever, the person interacting directly with the family during the purchase.

In order to maximize your success, you must position yourself as a trusted advisor to your funeral home and cemetery customers. You can become the person who not only supplies them with outstanding products, but also helps them sell better vaults.

We interviewed four funeral directors to find out what challenges they face in the showroom when presenting burial vaults -- and how they overcome objections. We encourage you to share this scripting with your customers as a resource to help educate the families they serve about the importance of a burial vault.

Introduce the VaultsOne funeral director/general manager we spoke with explained that families tend to become overwhelmed once they enter the selection room. And when they feel overwhelmed, they quit listening.

To counteract this, this director tells the family what they will see in the selection room before

they actually enter. He uses this preview to set himself up for success.

Realizing most people know more about caskets than vaults, he always asks the family “Are you familiar with vaults?” Regardless of their answer, he always explains the purpose of the vault, focusing heavily on protection.

This information given outside of the selection room helps focus the family’s attention. It also empowers them to make the best decision for their loved one.

Common Concerns During ArrangementThere are some concerns that our panel of funeral directors consistently hears from families. Here’s how they respond.

Family Concern: “Who cares what the vault looks like? You aren’t going to see it anyway.”

Response: “The vast majority of graveside services display the vault. The vault is the final symbol of a loved one’s passing that a family experiences. It helps provide that final piece of closure. At this point in the service, the vault becomes even more important than the casket.”

Family Concern: “Our funds are limited.”

CUSTOMER MARKETING

How To Handle Common Family Concerns in the Showroom

By Jill Darby and Ethan Darby


Response: “I understand. I believe we can find something that will work with your budget. Keep in mind that the vault is the main source of permanent protection. The casket is a secondary source of protection.”

NOTE: Our panel of directors came to a crossroads here. Should they advise the family to spend more on a casket or on a vault?

As a vault dealer, it’s important to understand this pull between priorities that funeral directors face. Consider helping them understand that a vault provides permanent protection and might be the right place for a larger investment instead of the eye appeal of casket features.

Family Concern: “What is wrong with simply purchasing a concrete box or grave liner?”

Response: “Concrete boxes are not lined and sealed. A concrete box has holes in the bottom that leaves the casket as your loved one’s only form of protection. A lined, sealed burial vault provides a clean and dry casket space.”

Family Concern: “What happens to my earthly body doesn’t matter. My soul will be in a better place. I don’t need to include a vault with my pre-arrangement.”

Response: “I respect and understand your views. I recommend talking to the rest of your family and making sure they are comfortable with your choice to have your casket in an unlined, unsealed container. In my experience, the protection of a lined, sealed burial vault gives many families peace of mind and can actually help your family begin the healing process.”

Family Concern: “Why do cemeteries require vaults? It seems like just another way to get our money.”

Response: (Depending on the regulations in your cemetery) “Aside from protection, the burial vault bears the weight of the earth placed above it. The weight of soil along with extremely heavy cemetery equipment requires the vault to be capable of withstanding thousands of pounds of pressure in order to keep the ground from collapsing.”

CUSTOMER MARKETING FOCUS


In a perfect world, you could transfer all of your vault knowledge directly to your customers so they can give families all of the information they need to choose the right burial vault for their loved one. So how can you make a difference when you’re not there? Be sure that your customers have the right tools to explain the importance of a burial vault.

Marketing TouchOur funeral director panel emphasized the importance of quality graphics and videos that are designed to educate families. Vault companies offer a wide range of family-focused materials that can be customized for each of your customers.

If you already have tools in place, reach out to your customers to be sure that they are trained on how to use them seamlessly. And, offer this scripting as an additional tool for the showroom. n

About the Authors Jill Darby and Ethan Darby, are part of the Darby family that owns and operates Trigard, which is based in Danville, Illinois, The company has catered to the varying needs of the death care industry since the 1960s. They regularly host Trigard University, a program dedicated to assisting burial vault dealers and funeral directors by providing the necessary tools to make their firms succeed in today’s funeral industry. Trigard believes that working closely with other death care providers enhances their knowledge of the industry, and allows everyone to stay a step ahead in today’s changing marketplace. You can contact Jill and Ethan at [email protected] and [email protected] respectively, or call (800) 637-1992 with any questions.

CUSTOMER MARKETING FOCUS


Abel Vault & Monument Co. Pekin, IL

American Concrete Industries Bangor, ME

American Vault Company Cleveland, OH

American Wilbert Company Bridgeview, IL

Arnold-Wilbert Company Goldsboro, NC

Arrow Vault Company Lafayette, IL

Atlas Vault Company Orlando, FL

Badger Burial Vault Co. Eau Claire, WI

Bailey Monument & Vault Co. Waycross, GA

Baumgardner Products Co. Akron, OH

Baxter Burial Vault Service, Inc. Cincinnati,

Baxter Vault Company Baxter Springs, KS

Beck Vault Company Rome, NY

Bell Vault & Monument Inc. Miamisburg, OH

Brewster Vault And Monuments Millville, NJ

Brown-Wilbert, Inc. Morris, MN

Bruns-Doric Vault Company Saint Louis, MO

Brutsche Concrete Products, Inc. Benton Harbor, MI

Brutsche Concrete Products, Inc. Battle Creek, MI

Buckeye Vault Service Mansfield, OH

Carolina Doric, Inc. Florence, SC

Cemex Callaway R/M Precast Lake Worth, FL

Central Burial Vaults, Inc. Tulsa, OK

Century Burial Vault Oxford, MA

Cheboygan Cement Products Cheboygan, MI

Chesapeake Burial Vault Co. Barclay, MD

Christy Vault Co. Daly City, CA

Concrete Vaults, Inc. Newton, KS

Cooper Wilbert Vault Company Barrington, NJ

Cordeiro Vault Co., Inc. Vallejo, CA

Creter Vault Corporation Flemington, NJ

Crummitt & Son Vault Corp. Martins Ferry, OH

D Of K Vaults, Inc./Gray Brothers Columbus, OH

Dardanelle Vault & Monument Co. Dardanelle, AR

Deihl Vault & Precast Company Orangeville, PA

Detroit Wilbert Vault Corp. Detroit, MI

Doody Burial Vaults, Inc. Winchendon, MA

Doric Manufacturing Company Boaz, AL

Doric Of Northeast Arkansas Jonesboro, AR

Doric Of Tennessee, Inc. Nashville, TN

Doric Vault Co. Of Central Ga. Griffin, GA

Doric Vault Of Eastern

New York, Inc. Hudson, NY

Doric Vault Of Western New York, Inc. Buffalo, NY

Esterly Burial Vault Company West Reading, PA

Evans Eagle Burial Vaults Leola, PA

Everlasting Vault Company Randallstown, MD

Fond Du Lac Wilbert Vault Co. Fond Du Lac, WI

Gettysburg Burial Vault, Inc. Gettysburg, PA

Golden Eagle Vault Services, Llc Rocky Mount, VA

Grable Burial Vault Service Logansport, IN

Gross Vault & Monument Thomasville, GA

Hairfield Vault Company Morganton, NC

Hairfield Vault Company Morganton, NC

Hardy Doric, Inc. Chelmsford, MA

Harn Vault Co. Massillon, OH

Harris Precast, Inc La Porte, IN

Hicks Industries, Inc. Mulberry, FL

Huntingburg Vault Company Huntingburg, IN

Jefferson Concrete Watertown, NY

Lake Shore Burial Vault Company Brookfield, WI

Master Grave Service, Inc. Bogart,GA

McDowell Vault Co. Fletcher, NC

Mercer Vault Company Fredricksburg , VA

Minchew Sand & Concrete Products Waycross, GA

Minnick Services, Inc. Fort Wayne, IN

Montgomery Vault Rockville, MD

Neher Burial Vault Springfield, OH

Nor-Don Vault Company, Inc.Strafford, MO

Odon Vault Company, Inc. Odon, IN

Omaha Wilbert Vault Omaha, NE

Ostwalt Vault Company Concord, NC


20 NCBVA.ORG | August 2013 April 2013 | NCBVA.ORG 2020 NCBVA.ORG l December 2012

Name of Plant ___________________________________________________________________________

Plant Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________

Plant Street Address_______________________________________________________________________

Plant Telephone_________________ Fax Number_______________________________________

Owner’s Name_____________________________ Evening Phone______________________________

Plant Manager/Contact Person__________________ Evening Phone_______________________________

Types of Outer Burial Receptacles Produced Top Seals Air Domes SectionalsOther________________________________________________

Please return this application with full payment to:

The National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc.P.O. Box 917525Longwood, FL 32791(888) 88-NCBVAFax (407) 774-6751

For a NCBVA member in good standing, the Plant Certification Inspection fee is $1295.

National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc.Member Application for Plant Inspection

NCBVA Certified Vault Manufacturing Plants(Continued)

Pennsylvania Concrete Vault Co. Greensburg, PA Perfection Vault Woodson, ILPhenix Vault Phenix City, ALPioneer Vault, Inc. Doylestown, PAPoplar Bluff Doric Vaults, Inc. Poplar Bluff, MOPrecast Concrete Products, Inc. Blissfield, MI Precision Precast Inc. Pittsfield, MAQuality Burial Vault Co. Houston, TXRex Vault Service Newton, ILRocky Mountain Monument/Vault Sandy, UTRoland-Wilbert Vault Co. Clinton, IARoland-Wilbert Vault Co. Marion, IASaginaw Wilbert Vault Corp. Saginaw, MISam Green Vault Corp. Lynchburg, VASt. Louis Wilbert Vault Co. St. Louis, MO

Saline Vault Co. Sweet Springs, MOSanteiu Vaults Inc. Livonia, MISexton Wilbert Corporation Bloomington, INSheldon Vault Co. Sheldon, IAShore Vault & Precast Co. Exmore, VASimerly Concrete Products, Inc. Bristol, TNSimerly Vaults, Inc. Knoxville, TNSouthern Ohio Vault Co. Portsmouth, OHSouthern Vault Service Blakely, GASpoerr Precast Concrete Sandusky, OHSI Funeral Services Cedar Hill, TXSI Funeral Services Gerard, PASI Funeral Services Parsons, KSSI Funeral Services San Antonio, TXSunnycrest, Inc. Auburn, NY

Superior Burial Vaults, Inc. Salt Lake City, UTSuperior Vault Co. Bryantown, MDSuperior Vault Co. Charlestown, INSuperior Vault Co., Ltd. Mississauga, Ont., CanadaSwan’s Concrete Products Westbrook, METurner Vault Company Toledo, OHVanden Boomen Burial Vaults Inc. Appleton, WIVanden Boomen Burial Vaults Inc. Wausau, WIVincent & Son, Inc. Galena, ILWashington Wilbert Vault Works Inc. Laurel, MDWarga Concrete Products Inc. Fort Wayne, INWatts Vault & Monument Co. Des Moines, IAWayne Burial Vault Co., Inc. Indianapolis, INWelte Vault Co. Danbury, IAWest Plains Vault & Mfg. Co. Pomona, MO

Whitman Vault Co. Whitman, MAWicomico Vault Co., Inc. Salisbury, MD Wieser Precast Stewartville, MNWieser Doric Vault Co. LaCrescent, MNWilbert Burial Vault Co. Atlanta, GAWilbert Burial Vault Co. Waycross, GAWilbert Burial Vault Co. Muskegon, MIWilbert Burial Vault Co. Traverse City, MIWilbert Services Lancaster, NYWilbert Vaults of Houston, Inc. Houston, TXWillbee Concrete Products Jackson, MI Williams Wilbert Des Moines, IAWilliams Vault Company Emporia, VAWillmar Precast Co. Willmar, MNZeiser Wilbert Vault Co. Elmira, NY

136 South Keowee StreetDayton, OH 45402(888)88-NCBVAFax (937) 222-5794

Palm Vault Co. Ada, OK

Patriot Vault & Precast Park Hills, MO

Pennsylvania Concrete Vault Company Johnstown, PA

Phenix Vault Phenix City, AL

Piedmont Precast Atlanta, GA

Precast Concrete Products, Inc. Blissfield, MI

Precision Precast Inc. Pittsfield, MA

Rex Vault & Mausoleum Service, Inc. Newton, IL

Roland Wilbert Vault Co., Inc. Marion, IA

Saginaw Saginaw, MI

Saline Vault Company Sweet Springs, MO

Sam Green Vault Company Lynchburg, VA

Santeiu Vaults, Inc. Livonia, MI

Sheldon Vault Co. Sheldon, IA

Shore Vault & Precast Company Exmore, VA

Si Funeral Services Fairport, NY

Si Funeral Services Ennis, TX

Simerly Concrete Products, Inc. Bristol, TN

Simerly Vault, Inc. Knoxville, TN

Southern Ohio Vault Company Portsmouth, OH

Southern Vault Services, Inc.Blakeley, GA

Spoerr Precast Concrete, Inc.Sandusky, OH

St. Louis Wilbert Vault Company Saint Louis, MO

Sunnycrest Inc Auburn, NY

Superior Vault Company Bryantown, MD

Superior Vault Company, Ltd.Mississauga, ON

Turner Vault Company Northwood, OH

Vanden Boomen Burial Vaults Inc. Kronenwetter, WI

Vanden Boomen Burial Vaults Inc. Kronenwetten, WI

Vincent, J.P. & Sons Inc. Galena, IL

Warge Concrete Products Fort Wayne, IN

Washington Wilbert Vault Works Laurel, MD

Watts Vault & Monument Company Des Moines, IA

Wayne Burial Vault Co. Indianapolis, IN

Welte Vault Company, Inc. Danbury, IA

West Plains Vault & Mfg. Company Pomona, MO

Western Michigan Burial Vault Muskegon, MI

Wicomico Vault Company, Inc. Salisbury, MD

Wieser Doric Vault Co. La Crescent, MN

Wieser Precast Stewartville, MN

Wilbert Burial Vault Co. Traverse City, MI

Wilbert Vaults Of Houston, Inc. Houston, TX

Willbee Concrete Vaults, Llc. Jackson, MI

Williams Vault Company Emporia, VA

Wimmer Manufacturing New Castle, IN


Camille Creter Passes Camille L. (Crincoli) Creter, age 63, of Flemington, New Jersey, died following a long battle with cancer on Saturday, June 1, 2013. Born in Argentina, she was the daughter of the late Pasquale and Concetta (Tanga) Crincoli. She was raised in Union, N.J., and settled in Flemington in 1985. Camille served as secretary-treasurer for the family business, Creter Vault Corporation, for many years. A homemaker first, Camille took great pride in caring for her family. She was deeply devoted to her faith, and was a parishioner of St. Magdalen de Pazzi Roman Catholic Church in Flemington. She leaves behind her husband, Richard “Dick” Creter, with whom she joined hands in marriage on June 28, 1970; loving son, Rich and wife, Leslie Creter, of Raritan Township, N.J.; daughter, Amanda and husband, Jim Reed, of Lebanon, N.J.; daughter, Alysia and husband, Jon Geller, of Montclair, N.J.; son, Matthew Creter of Morristown, N.J., and daughter Alexa Creter of Flemington. She will be deeply missed by her loving sister, Sandy Crincoli of Raritan Township, and her seven cherished grandchildren, Leah, Julia, Kayla and Sean Creter, and David, Bella and Natalie Reed. n

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National Concrete Burial Vault Association“Serving the death care industry with the very best”

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Key Contact____________________________________Nickname_____________Title ______________________________________________________________Company Name _____________________________________________________Street Address _______________________________________________________City _____________________ State _______________ Zip __________________Phone ___________________________ Fax ______________________________E-mail ____________________________________________________________Company Web Site ___________________________________________________

Check here if you prefer to have your mail sent to your home.Home street Address _________________________________________City _____________________ State ______________ Zip ___________Home Phone _________________ Home Fax ______________________

COMPANY INFORMATION Burial Vault Manufacturer Funeral Director Crematory Cemetery

Doric Wilbert Eagle Trigard Con-O-lite Other Provide Graveside Services

Metal Vaults Plastic Vaults Fiberglass VaultsOffer sizes for Children Adults Oversize

Associate Member: Tell us in 25 words or less about your product/services

Please enroll me in NCBVA today!Signature indicates that you have read and agree to abide by NCBVA’s Code of Ethics and the rules that govern the National Concrete Burial Vault Association. Signature is required before this application can be processed.

_________________________________________ ___________ (Signature) (Date)

Dues Schedule

Manufacturer MemberDues are based on total units sold at this location.

Please check appropriate level: 1-999 Units .........$225 1000 - 1999 .........$350 2000 - 3499 .........$430 3500 - 4999 .........$580 5000 and more ....$700

Associate Member .....$300

Franchise Group .......$1000

Payment InformationInclude payment with this completed form. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express

Check is enclosed

Please charge my Visa

American Express

MasterCard

Account #_____________________

Expiration date _________________

Mailing Information

NCBVAP.O. Box 917525

Longwood, FL 32791(888) 88-NCBVA

Fax: (407) 774-6751

www.ncbva.org

We believe that concrete is an ideal material for the construction of burial vaults for the interment of human remains and that a properly constructed concrete burial vault is worthy of acceptance by the public. Our sales and advertising policies will be governed by standards acceptable by the public and the funeral profession and by principles advocated by the National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc. We pledge fair trade practices to our competitor, whose product we will not dispar-age. We shall conduct our business on sound business principles, striving to build a relationship of respect and confidence for the burial vault industry with the public, with the funeral director and with the cemetery’s management. We will abide by the rules and regulations of the National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc., thereby contributing to a stronger and greater national industry.

CODE OF ETHICS

18 NCBVA.ORG l December 2012

National Concrete Burial Vault Association“Serving the death care industry with the very best”

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Key Contact____________________________________Nickname_____________Title ______________________________________________________________Company Name _____________________________________________________Street Address _______________________________________________________City _____________________ State _______________ Zip __________________Phone ___________________________ Fax ______________________________E-mail ____________________________________________________________Company Web Site ___________________________________________________

Check here if you prefer to have your mail sent to your home.Home street Address _________________________________________City _____________________ State ______________ Zip ___________Home Phone _________________ Home Fax ______________________

COMPANY INFORMATION Burial Vault Manufacturer Funeral Director Crematory Cemetery

Doric Wilbert Eagle Trigard Con-O-lite Other Provide Graveside Services

Metal Vaults Plastic Vaults Fiberglass VaultsOffer sizes for Children Adults Oversize

Associate Member: Tell us in 25 words or less about your product/services

Please enroll me in NCBVA today!Signature indicates that you have read and agree to abide by NCBVA’s Code of Ethics and the rules that govern the National Concrete Burial Vault Association. Signature is required before this application can be processed.

_________________________________________ ___________ (Signature) (Date)

Dues Schedule

Manufacturer MemberDues are based on total units sold at this location.

Please check appropriate level: 1-999 Units .........$225 1000 - 1999 .........$350 2000 - 3499 .........$430 3500 - 4999 .........$580 5000 and more ....$700

Associate Member .....$300

Franchise Group .......$1000

Payment InformationInclude payment with this completed form. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express

Check is enclosed

Please charge my Visa MasterCard

Account #_____________________Expiration date _________________

Mailing Information

NCBVAP.O. Box 917525

Longwood, FL 32791(888) 88-NCBVA

Fax: (407) 774-6751

www.ncbva.org

We believe that concrete is an ideal material for the construction of burial vaults for the interment of human remains and that a properly constructed concrete burial vault is worthy of acceptance by the public. Our sales and advertising policies will be governed by standards acceptable by the public and the funeral profession and by principles advocated by the National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc. We pledge fair trade practices to our competitor, whose product we will not dispar-age. We shall conduct our business on sound business principles, striving to build a relationship of respect and confidence for the burial vault industry with the public, with the funeral director and with the cemetery’s management. We will abide by the rules and regulations of the National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc., thereby contributing to a stronger and greater national industry.

CODE OF ETHICS

136 South Keowee StreetDayton, OH 45402

(888)88-NCBVAFax (937) 222-5794


NCBVA|136 South Keowee Street|Dayton, OH 45402-2241

The BulletinThe Bulletin is the bi-monthly publication of the National Concrete Burial Vault Association. We would very much be interested in hearing from you!

Make sure to add us onto you mailing list for news releases about your company, special events, staff promotions or additions, and new products and services that would be of interest to the association and its members.

We would also look forward to receiving any photos of products or installations you have, either color or black & white. If they are at least 300 dpi and 1 mg at 8 x 10 inch format, we will even consider them for the cover!

And, we are also interested in receiving any thought leadership articles on industry trends and techniques, along with case study stories that promote the high standards of the association. (Or, if you just have an idea, let us know and we can write it for you or with you!)

Please contact me at any time!

DonDonald A. Mounce, APR | The Bulletin Editor National Concrete Burial Vault Association (NCBVA) 136 South Keowee Street | Dayton, OH 45402 (888)88-NCBVA | Fax (937) 222-5794 [email protected] | www.ncbva.org

Bulletin 2013 August

Documents

Transcript of Bulletin 2013 August