Michigan Dignity Memorial(R) Providers First in Industry to Partner With J.D. Power and Associates
15 April 2005 - 12:39AM
PR Newswire (US)
Michigan Dignity Memorial(R) Providers First in Industry to Partner
With J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Metrics
Applied to Funeral Homes and Cemeteries in New Survey GRAND RAPIDS,
Michigan, April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dignity Memorial funeral,
cremation and cemetery service providers of Michigan have partnered
with global marketing research giant J.D. Power and Associates to
understand what makes the Baby Boom generation tick. This
notoriously demanding and unconventional generation is now making
final arrangements for their parents -- as well as planning in
advance for their own celebration of life -- and the Dignity
Memorial provider network believes extensive customer satisfaction
metrics are essential to helping them meet this group's needs. At
the same time, the data will provide additional insight into the
diverse cultures and generations who utilize the services of
Dignity Memorial providers. "We have found that a professional
survey is one of the best ways to measure the performance of firms
that provide services, even though we often think of auto makers
and similar businesses when we think of consumer surveys," said
Market Manager Vern Pixley. "By partnering with J.D. Power and
Associates, we are emulating other progressive, consumer-oriented
service companies who believe this well-known research firm is one
of the best ways to gain extensive data regarding customer
preferences. The survey will strongly enhance our knowledge of how
to best serve those who come to us in need, and also benefit
consumers and our industry as a whole," added Pixley. The J.D.
Power and Associates survey represents the second generation of the
Dignity Memorial network's quest for customer metrics. The network
launched its first customer survey in 2000, which made it one of
the first in a slow-to-change industry to use professional survey
methods. The move to a partnership with J.D. Power and Associates
is in keeping with the network's interest in obtaining extensive
customer metrics to help them meet the needs of today's families.
This focus has been driven by the Boomer generation, which has
shown less interest in polished caskets and engraved markers, and
more concern in celebrating the lives of loved ones with unique
end-of-life events. "The Dignity Memorial network has stated that
they intend to re-invent this category. Our work with the Dignity
Memorial group (a first for this industry), should allow them to
understand their performance across the families they serve, and
provide a road-map to improved customer satisfaction and stronger
customer loyalty," said George Owens, Director at J.D. Power and
Associates. "We want to take care of our customers, like any good
company. To do so we will refine what constitutes the best possible
customer experience and develop appropriate processes to meet this
goal, something that has long been an objective of the Dignity
Memorial network and is a primary reason for our continued
success," said Pixley. J.D. Power and Associates has a 36-year
history of helping companies improve the quality of consumer goods
and services. The research firm conducts more than 350 major
tracking studies each year for some of the world's largest
companies, including numerous Fortune 500 firms. A staff of more
than 600 associates conducts quality and customer satisfaction
research across a variety of industries including automotive,
commercial vehicles, telecommunications, travel, real estate,
finance, marine, healthcare, utilities, sports, retailing, office
products, and professional services. J.D. Power and Associates is a
business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP). The Dignity
Memorial providers of Michigan include the following firms: Pixley
Funeral Home - Davis Chapel 3530 Auburn Road Auburn Hills 48326
248-852-1800 Estes-Leadley 325 West Washtenaw Street Lansing 48933
517-482-1651 Estes Leadley - Delhi Chapel 2121 North Cedar Street
Holt 48842 517-694-2631 Patience-Montgomery Funeral Home 406 First
Street Jackson 49201 517-782-0591 Reyers North Valley Chapel 2815
Fuller Ave. NE Grand Rapids 49505 616-363-7755 Pixley Funeral Home
Godhardt-Tomlinson Chapel 2904 Orchard Lake Road Keego Harbor 48320
248-682-0200 Ever Rest Funeral Home 1783 East Keating Avenue
Muskegon 49442 231-777-3557 Elton Black & Son Funeral Home 1233
Union Lake Road White Lake 48386 248-363-7135 Elton Black & Son
Funeral Home 3295 East Highland Road Highland 48356 248-889-1500
Chas. J. Burden & Son Funeral Home 1806 E. Michigan Avenue
Jackson 49202 517-784-3104 Brown Funeral Home 1616 Davison Road
Flint 48506 810-239-8636 Pixley Funeral Home 322 West University
Drive Rochester 48307 248-651-9641 Jennings-Lyons Funeral Home 520
West Main Owosso 48867 989-725-7171 Muehlig Funeral Chapel 403
South Fourth Avenue Ann Arbor 48104 734-663-3375 Hosmer-Muehlig
Chapel 3410 Broad Street Dexter 48130 734-426-4661 Reigle Funeral
Home 5501 West Pierson Road Flushing 48433 810-732-1448 Brown
Funeral Home Hill Road Chapel 1480 E. Hill Road Grand Blanc 48439
810-606-1300 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Vern Pixley Michigan
Funeral Homes Market 322 West University Drive, Rochester, MI 48307
248-651-9641 DATASOURCE: Dignity Memorial Network CONTACT: Vern
Pixley of Michigan Funeral Homes Market, +1-248-651-9641 Web site:
http://www.sci-corp.com/
Copyright