Investigating the role of the internet within the funeral profession, Funeral Service Time, London, United Kingdom, May 2010

2. 12 ONLINE OFFERINGS
The rise of
the e-funeral
REBECCA HOH investigates the growing role
of the internet within the funeral industry
O ver 80 per cent of funeral planning
now begins online in modern,
developed countries,” states Martin Dano,
From nding comprehensive suppliers
to online announcements, here are some of
the ways the internet is changing the way
founder of online death and obituaries people organise funerals, say goodbye, and
database Sysoon. Martin spent ve years ultimately remember their loved ones.
collecting research data on customs, rituals,
laws on death and funerals worldwide before Remembering
setting up the site in January this year.
“Nobody wants to spend much time talking One current pioneer in the online memorial
about death, and when it arrives people market is Lasting Tribute, owned by the
are now searching online for products, Daily Mail Group. Its mission statement is
prices and general related issues as a fast and to celebrate life and allows people to record
reliable way to get the information a loved one’s date of birth, death and
they need.” location, and to upload images and
It is not surprising that the funeral memories. Lasting Tribute’s Matthew Bailey
industry and the bereaved are utilising the says the change in what people want for their
internet, as it is such a huge part of our lives loved ones after death came as a combination
on a day-to-day basis. But it is remarkable of the rise of the internet and the pivotal
just how much the net has become involved moment of Princess Diana’s death at the end
in the whole process of bereavement, as of the 1990s.
well as single-handedly pushing forward the “Many people in the industry believe
practices within the funeral industry. that marked a turning point in the grieving

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process,” explains Matthew. “Grief had bereavement process. is is also an area now decided to open up a comprehensive
previously been a very private matter where Lasting Tribute comes into its own. range of products to funeral directors from
but suddenly there was a need for it to It is partnered with a number of charities one single source.”
be public and shared. One lady said she including Marie Curie Cancer Trust, When Of course, the internet has many faults,
came to the site because the funeral was You Wish Upon a Star, the British Heart but it cannot be denied that this incredible
not enough to commemorate her mother’s Foundation and the British Legion, and technological invention is really opening up
life; she felt her mum was much more it is working on linking the site up to any a whole new world of opportunity for the
than an announcement, a ceremony and charity so well wishers will be able to pledge funeral profession.
one obituary. e internet provided that immediately in connection with the online
something extra. It even allows her to ‘talk’ announcement of the death and funeral
to her in a way through the comments she itself. ere is also a ‘dedicate a tree’ or Information
can leave.” ‘dedicate a bench’ function, as well as the www.lastingtribute.co.uk
Of course people can use Facebook opportunity to plant a virtual da odil in the www.lrtipping.co.uk
and other existing sites to create similar name of the deceased at a cost of £5, half of www.sysoon.com
memorials, but one major di erence o ered which goes to Marie Curie which also plants www.wesleymusic.co.uk
by the dedicated sites is that they mediate all a real bulb in its da odil eld, which you can www.whitehousefuneralservice.co.uk
uploads. “ e internet has a bad name, with go and see.
horror stories on some online platforms such
as abusive messages or inappropriate pictures Service
– even false announcements of a death,
which make funeral directors very nervous,” A number of funeral directors and
says Matthew. “But on mediated sites there companies are adding a virtual element
are teams checking through the night that to the planning and implementation of
material is suitable and in good faith before the service as well, with one of the biggest
it is approved to go up.” developments being the uploading of a video
Matthew recently returned from of the funeral onto their website for absent
presenting the bene ts of the site at the family and friends to watch anywhere in
National Association of Funeral Directors the world. Whitehouse Funeral Service in
regional meetings in Newbury, and is now Darlington is one such company, which has
o ering an online memorial package for launched a funeral videoing service as an
directors where Lasting Tribute creates a optional extra to the planning process. ey
pro le of the deceased and an account for then provide a unique password that allows
friends and family, puts up a notice of the those unable to attend on the day to view a
funeral details and plants a tree in memory video montage of the funeral. Wesley Music
of the deceased. in Kettering, a specialised music service for
As previously mentioned, Sysoon is a the bereavement community, also o ers a
platform to record a loved one’s life but is service broadcast as well as an online music
also a huge source of data that is utilised request system where loved ones can choose
by many di erent types of user, such as songs and create a playlist for the day, which
marketing companies in order to delete is then sent through to their PCs.
people from their records, and for those who
have lost touch with loved ones to nd out Supplying
if they are no longer with us. Sysoon also
o ers a service to carry out custom manual e supply side of the funeral industry
research, where they send out a call to every has been generally serviced by the same
cemetery in the world with a photo of the family businesses for generations, meaning
missing person and can come back with an that directors and the bereaved alike were
answer anywhere between three days and restricted in terms of what was available to
three months. them in that town or county. e internet
When it comes to the funeral itself, if has helped to break down these barriers and
the deceased was unlucky enough to have allowed companies worldwide to increase
died without funds, the bereaved can collect awareness in new products. Indeed, people
money through a function on the website to planning funerals are now frequently turning
help with arranging owers and a gravestone. to search engines such as Google to nd the
Another unique idea is a review section products they want, and then informing the
where potential clients can nd testimonials funeral director of their choice.
and share experiences on the quality of work Leslie R Tipping began as a supplier to
of funeral homes, with Sysoon’s own ranking funeral directors in 1947 in Yorkshire, and
system soon to be a feature. established lrtipping.co.uk in 2009, as a
collection of over 2,000 worldwide products
Giving such as soft goods, co n linings and
mortuary supplies for UK funeral directors.
e internet, and more importantly online “ is increased choice has led to a shift
payment, has also given people another way in the type of funeral being requested by
to pledge money to charities – something families when arranging funerals,” con rms
that goes hand in hand with the funeral and managing director James Tipping. “We have