WESTLAKE, OH, July 17, 2017 – United Consumer Financial Services Company (UCFS), a leading financing company offering businesses the ability to finance their consumers’ purchases, announces they have begun financing funeral-related services and products.
“UCFS has provided financing for almost four decades and expanding into the memorial market is a natural step. We recognize that families may struggle to quickly secure funds to cover funeral expenses. Offering flexible financing products and services to funeral homes, crematories, and monument companies means families can be better served and merchants can grow their business,” says Joe Francesconi, UCFS President.
UCFS can approve a consumer loan in minutes, offers competitive APRs, amounts from $1,000 to $10,000, and with closed-end term loans of up to 36 months. Loans can fill the gap while families wait for others to share funeral costs. UCFS business customers enroll in a program customized to their specific needs.
In addition, UCFS announces a strategic partnership with two industry-leading payment organizations so non-cash payments for funeral services or products from any of these three providers are simple and fast:
- United Consumer Financial Services: closed-end, term loans
- Memorial Payment Solutions: credit card and EFT processing
- C&J Financial: insurance death claims processing
Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home in Hamburg, New York subscribes to all three of these payment provider services. Charles Castiglia, owner of Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home says, “These services help grieving families through a most difficult time because of an unplanned expense. One, two, or all three payment providers have combined for a single funeral. We’ve even had several family members take on different payments to contribute to the total cost so the family could truly honor the loved one’s life.”
“Funeral and memorial providers are desperate to help, but we also can’t lose money,” Mr. Castiglia continues. “With these payment options, our customers, friends, and neighbors don’t need to whittle away service options because of available funds. In the past, we might have needed to walk away from the business because of that difference. Now we can be fully funded.”
Mr. Castiglia is also President of the Order of the Golden Rule, an invitation-only association of independently-owned funeral homes pledging strict ethical business codes and service standards conduct.
Memorial and funeral providers enrolling in all three programs have:
- Three payment partners handling all non-cash payments
- Funds paid directly to a memorial provider – not families – in 1-2 days
- Families choose memorial amenities and options they desire – helps avoid eliminating services
- White-glove customer service
- Reduced administrative time and costs
- No up-front costs.