With Halloween around the corner, this month’s message was simple: don’t let the numbers haunt you. We were excited to welcome back Taylor Clifford, Program Manager for Client Engagement at J3Tech Solutions, Johnson Consulting Group’s sister technology company and the team behind Performance Tracker X. Taylor is one of the analysts behind our 2026 Trends & Insights Report, which is built from 654,327 sales and survey records gathered over five years. Here’s what stood out.
The Survey Experience Starts Before the Invite
Taylor reminded us that “the survey journey definitely starts before we actually even send out the invite.” Directors and arrangers who mention the survey “help response rates and also prepare the family that they’re going to receive a request for feedback.” It’s working: response rates hit 40%, up 3.6 points. Email still leads at 56.7%, followed by SMS at 27.7% and paper at 15.5%.
Scores Hold Steady. The Comments Make the Difference.
Scores barely move by channel, ranging “between 970 and 975 for the overall performance score.” What changes is the open-ended feedback. As Taylor put it, “The quality of those comments sometimes is really the bread and butter.”
When a location flags about 10% of cases as “do not send,” Taylor looks closely at which ones are left out. “Worst case scenario, it could be a huge red flag for an organization or for an arranger to where they’re picking and choosing, trying to skew their scores.”
Listen for the Silent Detractor
Taylor’s biggest concern is the silent detractor. “When we’re only listening to the families who actually speak up, we’re really missing the ones who matter most, the ones who have already decided silently to themselves that they’re not coming back.”
Perceived Value Is on the Rise
Perceived value showed the biggest gain of any metric from 2024 to 2025. Taylor credits arranger education and survey transparency: “The education needs to be there, and then the tools like the survey need to be there.”
Mid-sized firms (151–300 families served) posted the strongest perceived value. The survey asks families to rate value based on the price they paid, and “that little part of ‘based on the price you paid’ can mean so many things to so many different people.” In Taylor’s view, “mid-sized firms specifically have a better handle on explaining pricing and presenting options to their families.”
Small Markets Lead, and Appearance Matters Most
Small-market firms lead every metric, with the widest gaps in attention to detail, timeliness, and the appearance of the loved one. Appearance surprised Taylor most. “Families often carry that image for the rest of their lives,” she said, calling it one of the “few moments in life where there’s no second chance to make it right.”
Professionalism and care scores dropped only about 6 points between small towns and big cities. Taylor called that “a blessing in disguise,” because “the problem is more in the process itself, which can be fixed.”
Why Some Services Feel Like Less Value
Immediate and graveside burials scored lowest on perceived value. Taylor pointed to the invoice itself: “You’re seeing a longer invoice, you’re seeing more items on there. You’re thinking maybe I didn’t get as much bang for my buck.”
About 29% of cremation families still choose a memorial or traditional service. For those who don’t, Taylor sees an opportunity: “Some families might skip a service, not because they don’t want one, but because they never realized that they could have one at a lower cost, something that they can afford.”
Price-Sensitive Families Can Be Your Loudest Advocates
We couldn’t talk about the data without understanding the perspective of price-sensitive families, who actually report higher perceived value. As Taylor explained, “When someone receives more than they bargain for, they’re going to be appreciative of it. They’re going to be loud about it.”
Traditional cremation has the highest discount rate, with 49% of cases discounted. “You can go above and beyond for your families without discounting. I promise you can do that,” Taylor said. She added that “arranger discretion and comp structure should not be overlooked here.”
Visibility Today Earns the First Call Tomorrow
With cremation growing, Taylor stressed that “your reputation is a huge factor,” and one you need to cultivate over time. TV, social media, and print bring in few families directly, but “they help build the familiarity and trust that show up in the net promoter scores.” Visibility today earns the first call tomorrow.
The Top Priority for 2027
I asked Taylor what a funeral home owner’s top priority should be, based on what we know from the data. Her answer came back to customer experience (CX): “Staying ahead of the curve is going to be the most important priority that you can make. And you can do that by prioritizing your CX training.”
Families are telling us more than we think, and the firms willing to listen will head into 2027 with a real advantage. Take one finding back to your team this week, and don’t let the numbers haunt you.
Download the 2026 Trends & Insights Report →
Up Next on Johnson Consulting Conversations
Join me for the next Johnson Consulting Conversations on Wednesday, November 18, when I’ll be talking with Chris Duncan, Director of Tax Services for Johnson Consulting Group. Yes, we’re doing taxes now! JCG’s new Tax Services practice delivers full-spectrum support, and you won’t want to miss it.
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