53 Rooftops, 12,000 families: Perfect Service at Scale | Jimmy Altmeyer (Altmeyer Funeral Homes) #48
In the world of funeral service, scaling a business without compromising care is no easy feat. But for Jimmy Altmeyer, it’s the standard. With over 53 rooftops, 30 brands, and 12,000 annual calls, Jimmy has built one of the most complex and successful funeral home networks in the country: serving families across all price points, preferences, and platforms.
In his appearance on the Direct Cremation Podcast, Jimmy broke down the business strategy, cultural philosophy, and operational discipline it takes to manage funeral homes at scale; without becoming just another commodity. His secret? It’s not just about growth. It’s about meeting families where they are and offering them real service.
Let’s unpack the key takeaways from this episode and what they mean for funeral professionals navigating a rapidly changing industry.
From One City to 30 Brands: How It Started
Jimmy didn’t walk into a dynasty. His father returned from Vietnam to take over the family funeral home in Wheeling, West Virginia after the sudden passing of Jimmy’s grandfather. Years later, Jimmy turned down law school to join his father and grow the business. That decision led to a decades-long journey from three rooftops to 53.
The growth didn’t happen all at once. Jimmy and his father acquired neighboring funeral homes, opened new ones from scratch, and eventually launched discount cremation brands to fill market gaps when corporate buyers drove acquisition prices too high. This dual approach, acquire when the numbers make sense, build when they don’t, and became a core part of their expansion strategy.
Today, their network includes traditional funeral homes, discount providers, online-only cremation brands, and pet crematories. In other words, it’s full-service funeral home management but diversified and deeply intentional.
The Multi-Tiered Model: Serving Every Family, Every Time
One of Jimmy’s most powerful insights? Families don’t all want the same thing. That’s why he doesn’t force one brand or price point to serve everyone. Instead, his funeral homes operate across three tiers:
- Full-Service Brands – These include legacy funeral homes and they offer high-touch, full-facility memorials and arrangements.
- Mid-Tier Limited-Service Brands – Serve families who want a small service or simple visitation in a clean, accessible setting.
- Online and Discount Cremation Brands – Platforms like Simply Cremation and Cremation Society of Virginia provide streamlined online cremation arrangements for families seeking affordability and convenience.
This strategy doesn’t just maximize market share, it creates real options for real families. And it protects the core brand while reaching price-sensitive customers who would otherwise turn to competitors.
Cannibalization or Control?
Some funeral directors worry that launching a low-cost cremation brand will cannibalize their full-service business. Jimmy flips that concern on its head:
“Either you cannibalize yourself, or someone else will.”
The key is in how you manage your funeral arranger teams. Every call, every inquiry, every walk-in, no matter the brand, gets the same attention. If a family calls the discount cremation brand but clearly wants more, the arranger offers full-service options. If someone calls a traditional location and wants only basic cremation, the arranger explains the value of full service but doesn’t push.
That flexibility depends on systems and training. Jimmy’s teams use funeral home software and cremation software to manage handoffs and track service preferences, ensuring families get exactly what they need. Nothing more, nothing less.
Service Quality at Scale
Maintaining consistent quality across 53 locations is no small task. Jimmy and his leadership team meet weekly with each of their 14 regional clusters to read through customer reviews—many of which come from surveys conducted by Johnson Consulting. Every review is read aloud, and the funeral director who served the family presents it to their team.
This level of feedback creates accountability, celebrates great service, and keeps everyone focused on one goal: delivering an exceptional experience. And the results speak for themselves—his operations consistently maintain a Net Promoter Score above 90.
This is funeral tech in action. Whether it’s a funeral planning software integration or tracking feedback to improve internal training, Altmeyer’s team uses data to drive better decisions.
The Tools Behind the Brand: Treasured Memories
Jimmy also launched Treasured Memories, a platform that offers tools other funeral homes can use, like secure online ID verification (SecureView), travel protection, and TM Community Funding (a GoFundMe alternative designed specifically for funeral expenses and memorial donations).
These aren’t just add-ons, they’re differentiators. They demonstrate what innovative funeral home ideas can look like when built by operators, not outsiders. And they help position his brands as both high-tech and high-touch.
Looking Ahead: Funeral Service in 10 Years
Jimmy predicts that the national cremation rate will hit 80% and stay there. But that doesn’t mean service disappears. It means funeral professionals must get better at offering value with every arrangement, no matter the price point.
His call to action? Start offering services to every family, every time. Don’t treat cremation as a transaction, treat it as a starting point.
He also reminded this important CTA: stop saying you’re in the funeral “industry.”
“We are in the funeral profession, if we don’t see ourselves as professionals, no one else will.”
Funeral service software, online cremation services, and compassionate care can all coexist—when led by professionals who understand what families truly need.
Watch the full episode with Jimmy Altmeyer here.