By Thomas A. Parmalee
Chptr, whose company founder was previously the subject of a profile by FuneralVision.com, is bringing its personalized video tributes, service listings and death notices to a number of Foundation Partners Group’s locations.
With more than 250 funeral homes, cremation centers and cemeteries across 21 states, FPG is the second largest provider of funeral services in the United States. The announcement comes on the heels of FPG’s launch of Afterall, a new digital hub that integrates content, community, connection and commerce into a simple and seamless experience for families.
Tulip, FPG’s direct-to-consumer cremation service, is rolling out Chptr’s solutions along with select FPG locations in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore areas, according to Rehan Choudhry, Chptr’s founder and CEO (pictured at top). Chptr plans to roll out its offerings at additional FPG locations in the first quarter of next year, he said.
The partnership will allow FPG’s funeral professionals to provide families with branded memorial videos that capture the essence of their loved ones along with digital death notices. Using Chptr’s technology, videos and death notices can now be shared on local media and TV stations nationwide, allowing communities to come together in remembrance.
“Chptr’s platform offers Foundation Partners a thoughtful way to both generate new revenue streams and provide families with necessary and beautiful new products to remember their loved ones,” Choudhry said. “By integrating video and social connectivity, we’re offering funeral homes a comprehensive and compassionate approach to memorialization that goes beyond traditional obituaries. Together, we’re helping funeral directors meet the evolving needs of their communities.”
In an interview with FuneralVision.com, Choudhry called the pact with FPG “a really big step for Chptr.” He added, “And it is a really big leap in the right direction.”
Choudhry has come to appreciate that it “takes awhile to get in” when it comes to making inroads in death care. “It’s hard to get considered part of the group – and you realize why pretty quickly,” he said. “It’s because intention matters quite a bit. So, being able to work with Foundation Partners Group has validated our product and who we are. We can add a lot to this industry.”
All his hard work on a business that he began in his living room is starting to pay off – and it’s a good feeling, Choudhry said.
“I was knocking on FPG’s door for months, and they were really gracious,” he said. “They heard everything, saw everything and said, ‘We acknowledge you are here.’” It was a relationship he kept on cultivating, and he’s grateful it has come to fruition.
“We have reached a tipping point in our product reach in this early stage,” Choudhry said. “There are enough funeral homes and television stations we are working with that people are starting to see there is something substantial here.”
In coming weeks, Choudhry plans to announce two more television station groups that are joining the Chptr network. All told, the company is now working with more than 230 stations nationwide.
“Ultimately, the idea is that every TV station in the country will be able to offer these types of memorials,” Choudhry said.
While Choudhry would love to continue signing on large firms like Foundation Partners Group, his company has been built to serve smaller, independent funeral homes, he said.
“A company like FPG has a very solid operations team, which typically makes deployment more efficient, but we started our business serving independently owned funeral homes,” he said. “So, our team is built to be able to go into a funeral home in Iowa doing five cases a month and serve that firm very well.”
The solution is resonating with all families, but particularly those who opt for cremation, he said.
“There is an assumption that people who opt for cremation are price sensitive, and there is a level of that for sure,” he said. “But I think that the price sensitivity is largely focused on the burial and the event around putting the person to rest. The desire to bring a community together and remember the person is still a category that if given the option, they will purchase. It just has to be priced reasonably and offer value.”
FPG has high hopes for the partnership.
“Combining Chptr’s cutting-edge technology with Tulip and our extensive network of funeral homes will transform how families and communities connect, share stories, and celebrate the lives of loved ones,” Lee Senderov, Foundation Partners’ chief marketing and digital officer, said in a news release. “This partnership enhances our mission of bringing ease and comfort to families, while also introducing new avenues for digital storytelling.”
Follow FuneralVision.com on LinkedIn.