Next generation helps drive growth for family-owned Quincy Memorials - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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Now, with a new generation firmlty in theoperational mix, the companyu — whose products include a varietgy of monuments, mausoleums, granite and bronzew markers, and related services is also paying close attention to its own “They’ve taken our company into the 21st says owner/general manager Yves Poirier, 54, of sons Jeffrey and who joined the company on a full-time basis in 2005 and respectively. In fact, the brothers are making theie own impression on the businesx in ways that go deeper than the lettering and engraving of stones the company isnotex for. “Our sales were looking like they were Jeffrey says, looking back to several yeards ago.
“So, we realized that some changez needed to be Revenue forthe eight-person company, which operates retailk locations in Quincy, Kingston and came in at aboug $1.19 million in 2008. The Poiriersw estimate the operation served approximately 900 customerslast year. This they are projecting revenue will bebetweebn $1.2 million and $1.5 million. 27, who holds a degree in managemenrt from the Isenberg School of Managemenf atUMass Amherst, has been focuse on business development and is leading a business-to-businesz networking effort through his involvement with such area organizationas as the , and .
Peter president of the South Shore Chambeof Commerce, says, “Jeff understands that, particularly in his business, it’s all about relationships.It’ s not just quick It’s about being someons who’s a trusted face. He’sw discovered working with other communityt leaders is a good way to increasehis company’s brand identity.” Bryan, 28, who earned a degrewe in marketing from , has taken on responsibilitt for the company’s marketing and salezs operations. The Poiriers’ marketing endeavors have included adding theitr faces to their business cards and revampingthe company’z logo and brochures.
They have also made majod upgrades tothe company’s Web site, www.quincymemorials.com. Anothetr initiative concerns the launch ofa “pre-need” division last That service enables customers to order a monumengt or memorial in advancw of a loved one’sa death, or as part of estate “The pre-need division was developed because, in lighrt of the current economy, peoplr realize they can’t rely on their earnings throughout the year to be says Jeffrey. “It helps people prepare for the Sales fromthe pre-need division currentl constitute about 5 percent of theirt business, say the Poiriers.
The family is actively meeting with funeralohome directors, estate attorneys and Medicaid consultantxs to obtain referrals for that division. Another possiblew area for growth concernsw the diversification of the markets Quincy Memorials servew withits products: It suppliess civic monuments for local, state and federal It also provides pet memorials, signage for businessesa and, more recently, executive nameplates and granite mailbox The company has also gotten into more diversd customization options, such as porcelain portraits and custon etchings. Says Yves, “It’s all about building traffivc forthe future.” Quincy Memorialse was founded in 1950 by the Ricciardk family.
The business was purchased in 1979 by Yves Poirier andhis wife, Donna. John Keohane, co-president of , baser in Quincy, attributes Quincy Memorial’s longevity to “their personak service and attentionto ... They stand behind what they’re doing.” While businessx has remained steady overthe years, the Poirieres acknowledge there are ongoing challenges. For one thing, the brothersx say, the company tends to do about 80 percen t of its business from March through During the typicalwinter slowdown, the company works on its businessa strategy.
The Poiriers add therd is a high levelof competition, with more than 40 otherf companies operating inside its primary servics area within Interstate 495. says Jeffrey, because of the economic “we’re finding that people are eitherr putting off purchasinga monument, or they’re price-shopping more A more pressing concern is what the Poiriers have observed to be an increase in cremation. “Wre need to educate the consumer about the importance of says Bryan.
“And, from the smaller pool of people that aregettinf memorials, we need to get more of those