The Vendor Trap: Why New Tech Keeps Missing the Mark in Funeral Service

Funeral service is more than a job. It is a calling grounded in compassion, trust, and unwavering service to grieving families. It is a human centered profession where emotional intelligence matters as much as operational accuracy, and where sincerity cannot be automated.

I’ve lost count of the “new” digital planning guides to be a startup this year. Yet almost every few months, another tech startup enters the space claiming they will reinvent funeral service. They bring bold visions of innovation and disruption, often without realizing that funeral homes already offer many of the digital features they are trying to introduce, or that those features were crafted through decades of practical experience and service.

📊 The Data Tells a Clear Story

• The global digital funeral services market was valued at approximately USD 1.51 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 7 percent, reaching USD 2.62 billion by 2033 (Market Growth Reports, 2024).

• More than 5,300 funeral homes in North America and over 12,000 in Europe already offer web based arrangements (Market Growth Reports, 2024).

• The funeral home software market was valued at USD 13 billion in 2024, and is projected to grow to USD 21.5 billion by 2032, at a growth rate of 6.4 percent annually (Credence Research, 2024).

• The United States funeral homes market is estimated at USD 13 billion in 2024, with projected growth of 6 percent annually, expected to hit USD 18 billion by 2030 (Grand View Research, 2024).

OBVIOUSLY yes, digital transformation is happening, but many tech vendors still fail because they fundamentally misunderstand the soul of the profession. They think the wheel is broken, when in reality it just needs to be maintained and respectfully evolved, or worse they didn’t explore well enough to realize their product/service already exists.

Common Mistakes That Repeat

1. They do not understand grief
   This work is deeply emotional. Families sense anything impersonal or transactional. Technology must honor the human element. Otherwise it feels cold or even exploitative.

2. They reinvent what already exists
   Online planning tools, livestreamed services, digital memorials — these have existed for years. Success comes not from inventing something new, but from improving what already works and respecting why it was built the way it was.

3. They overlook the frontline
   Many platforms are designed for owners or executives but fail to consider funeral directors, arrangers, office staff, or embalmers. If a tool adds friction or confusion to daily operations, it will not last. The most valuable asset of any funeral director or cemetery staff member is TIME.

4. They misread culture and compliance
   Funeral service is governed by legal, ethical, and cultural frameworks that vary by region and community. Missteps in these areas lead to lost trust and often serious consequences Thanks FTC

5. They treat grieving families like customers
   This is not retail. This is not software as a service. These are human beings facing loss. Any product that tries to optimize for volume instead of empathy will backfire.

The Simple Truth

Funeral professionals are not opposed to technology. In fact, many are early adopters; when the tools are made with intention, understanding, and respect. What they reject are platforms that ignore the emotional, cultural, and operational truths of the profession.

If technology is going to serve this space well, it must start by listening.

Humbly Submitted,

Dr. Ryan S. Reyes