Detailing at the funeral home is keeping me busy!

Redcar GUY said:
Well my title is Funeral Directors assistant, but it is way more than that. I do about everything except for the actual embalming. I go on Death calls, work funerals and viewings, park cars, Drive the hearse, Drive the Family to the burial in the family car, wash cars, do lawn care, do maintenance on the building and cars, Drive to other cities to pick up “remains�, take the deceased to the crematory, Deliver funeral flowers to the families home, help dress and prep the bodies for the funeral, I could go on and on. I was hired to be a assistant but in just 3 weeks it has grown to many more jobs than that title entails. The car care part was just a plus, I never knew that my love of detailing would help me get the jobs of my dreams. It looks like in the future I may be going back to school to be a mortician and or a funeral director, I have time to think about it but in just the last 3 weeks or so my boss is already dropping hints about paying for the whole thing ;)



PS my favorite part is the families, I love people and getting to help them in the hardest time of their life is a big deal to me.
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But I admire the fact that you can do that. Congrats and I hope it leads you to more success.
 
Glad you like the new job, but are you sure they are not just taking advantage of you with the detailing. take detailing the cars for example. if you did all 4 each day and charged 125 each, that would be 500.00 for that day. Then you said you wash the cars everyday as well.

I know you like your job but i would set some ground rules with the boss before i start to detail any of the cars.

just looking at it in a different way
 
NY detailer said:
Glad you like the new job, but are you sure they are not just taking advantage of you with the detailing. take detailing the cars for example. if you did all 4 each day and charged 125 each, that would be 500.00 for that day. Then you said you wash the cars everyday as well.

I know you like your job but i would set some ground rules with the boss before i start to detail any of the cars.

just looking at it in a different way
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NY detailer,

True at face value he is perhaps handing out free samples of his work below market value. But RedCar is establishing priceless connections (networking) and potentially lining up a career ( funeral business) with it's education paid for. Maybe even a partnership with the establishment he is presently working for. I give RedCar great credit for actually making a presentation to this employer to create his present position. Many people sit back and moop after lay-offs and such. He attacked the situation and is now moving forward. Many companies give away "free" samples in order to establish a customer base. These "samples" he has incorporated into his present job may and will be noticed by others which in turn may create some moonlighting opportunities and / or future full time detailing business if he decides not to go into the funeral business.
 
It appears that the funeral home that RCG works for values his talents, they in turn have empowered him to allow him to excel, and in turn those talents will be rewarded.



I have realtives in the funeral business. Preparing a body for display at a wake is a lot like detailing. We strive to make our cars look great. The funeral home strives to make the deceased look as they do in life, for the families, it is the final impression they have of their loved ones... it's the "ultimate detail", done with dignity.
 
NY detailer said:
Glad you like the new job, but are you sure they are not just taking advantage of you with the detailing. take detailing the cars for example. if you did all 4 each day and charged 125 each, that would be 500.00 for that day. Then you said you wash the cars everyday as well.

I know you like your job but i would set some ground rules with the boss before i start to detail any of the cars.

just looking at it in a different way
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Playing Devil's advocate:



With employment, the employer pays a number of things that he/she wouldn't pay for a subcontractor. I'm not sure what all it would be in the U.S., but in Québec, there would be workman's compensation, employment insurance, Québec Pension Plan, and Québec health insurance. There could also be a private pension plan, dental plan, prescription drug plan, supplementary health insurance, life insurance, etc.



There is also the "security" of a steady pay cheque, even in rotten weather. The overhead is also gone.



I see clients who want to go out on their own all the time. I have to convince them that they are going to have to charge a lot more than they have been "charging" an employer, just to break even. And the shocker to a lot of folks, putting aside money for income tax, because there is no longer any tax withheld from paycheques.
 
I'd have to agree with Taxlady and BlkZ28 here. He is getting paid a rate to work. Whether that is shoveling or washing a car or mowing or picking up a body or whatever. If he's detailing, he gets to enjoy that part of the day. If he were to charge per detail, i.e. detail for a living, then he doesn't get paid for any down time or time setting up or cleaning up after a job, and would have expenses like product, location, water, machines, etc. In this case he gets paid for his time, and he isn't buying anything out of pocket. He is also washing and waxing vehicles of a known cleanliness. It isn't like everyday he's washing some dump-mobile.



If he has high skills detailing, mowing, and such, then he may want an hourly rate that reflects what he is bringing to the table, but I suspect he is getting that already (although I don't know that for sure).



So it sounds to me like it is a very enjoyable and rewarding job.
 
blkZ28Conv said:
NY detailer,

True at face value he is perhaps handing out free samples of his work below market value. But RedCar is establishing priceless connections (networking) and potentially lining up a career ( funeral business) with it's education paid for. Maybe even a partnership with the establishment he is presently working for. I give RedCar great credit for actually making a presentation to this employer to create his present position. Many people sit back and moop after lay-offs and such. He attacked the situation and is now moving forward. Many companies give away "free" samples in order to establish a customer base. These "samples" he has incorporated into his present job may and will be noticed by others which in turn may create some moonlighting opportunities and / or future full time detailing business if he decides not to go into the funeral business.
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I couldnt have said it better myself, some things you just cant explain......
 
Redcar just keep doing what you are doing. For one moment don't think that your boss doesen't realize that he has a real find. You sound like the one in a million employee that we are all looking for today. Congratulations
 
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