BMS Bachelor of Mortuary Science Funeral Home Business Management Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A funeral home manager decides to offer a 'Traditional Service Package' for a single price. According to the FTC Funeral Rule, how must this package be presented on the Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected?
- As a single line item with the total package price, without itemization.
- The package must be fully itemized, listing each component service and merchandise with its corresponding price. (Correct answer)
- The package can be listed as a single item, but only if the family does not request an itemized list.
- As a single line item, but a separate document must show the savings compared to purchasing items individually.
Correct answer: The package must be fully itemized, listing each component service and merchandise with its corresponding price.
The FTC Funeral Rule requires that even when services are sold as a package, the Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected must list each individual item of goods and services included in the package along with its price. This ensures transparency and allows consumers to see exactly what they are paying for.
Question 2: A funeral home in a small, close-knit community wants to build a long-term marketing strategy focused on establishing trust and a positive reputation. Which of the following initiatives would be most effective in achieving this goal?
- Running weekly discount advertisements in the local newspaper.
- Investing heavily in search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) online ads.
- Sponsoring local youth sports teams and hosting free community grief support seminars. (Correct answer)
- Creating a direct mail campaign that highlights the funeral home's lowest prices.
Correct answer: Sponsoring local youth sports teams and hosting free community grief support seminars.
Community engagement activities like sponsoring local teams and providing valuable, no-cost resources such as grief support seminars build goodwill and establish the funeral home as a caring community partner. This approach fosters trust and a positive reputation over the long term, which is more effective than price-focused or purely digital marketing in a close-knit community setting.
Question 3: The manager of a funeral home hires a new apprentice who will be assisting with removals and embalming procedures. According to OSHA regulations, which specific training must be provided to this employee *before* they are exposed to potential hazards?
- Grief counseling and communication techniques.
- Bloodborne Pathogen Standard and Hazard Communication Standard training. (Correct answer)
- Training on the safe operation of the crematory.
- General Price List (GPL) compliance training.
Correct answer: Bloodborne Pathogen Standard and Hazard Communication Standard training.
OSHA mandates that employers provide training on the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard (BPS) and the Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom) to all employees with potential occupational exposure to blood or hazardous chemicals. This training must occur at the time of initial assignment and *before* any potential exposure.
Question 4: When evaluating a funeral home's facility for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which of the following is a primary requirement for ensuring public accommodation?
- Providing an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for all arrangement conferences upon request. (Correct answer)
- Having Braille versions of all price lists and marketing materials available at all times.
- Rebuilding the main entrance if it has more than two steps, regardless of cost.
- Ensuring all merchandise, including every casket, is displayed at a height reachable from a wheelchair.
Correct answer: Providing an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for all arrangement conferences upon request.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires places of public accommodation, like funeral homes, to provide auxiliary aids and services, such as a qualified sign language interpreter, to ensure effective communication with individuals with disabilities, unless doing so would cause an undue burden. While physical accessibility is crucial, ensuring effective communication during the arrangement process is a key component of providing equal service.
Question 5: A funeral home sold 60 caskets last year and maintains an average inventory of 15 caskets at any given time. What is the funeral home's inventory turnover ratio for caskets?
- 0.25
- 4.0 (Correct answer)
- 75.0
- 1.5
Correct answer: 4.0
The inventory turnover ratio is calculated by dividing the Cost of Goods Sold (or, in this case, the number of units sold) by the average inventory. The calculation is 60 caskets sold / 15 caskets in average inventory = 4.0. This means the funeral home sold and replaced its entire casket inventory four times during the year.
Question 6: A consumer is considering a 'guaranteed' pre-need funeral contract. From the consumer's perspective, what is the primary financial advantage of this type of agreement compared to a non-guaranteed contract?
- The funds are fully refundable at any time without penalty.
- The interest earned on the trust or insurance policy is paid out annually to the consumer.
- The contract can be transferred to any funeral home in the country without modification.
- The funeral home guarantees the price of the selected goods and services will not increase at the time of need. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The funeral home guarantees the price of the selected goods and services will not increase at the time of need.
The core feature of a guaranteed pre-need contract is that the funeral home assumes the risk of inflation. By paying in full, the consumer locks in the price for the specific funeral goods and services listed, and their family will not have to pay more for those guaranteed items in the future, regardless of price increases.
BMS Bachelor of Mortuary Science Funeral Home Business Management Questions and Answers
A funeral home manager decides to offer a 'Traditional Service Package' for a single price.
According to the FTC Funeral Rule, how must this package be presented on the Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected?