10 Ways to Make the Best Choice

10 Ways to Make the Best Choice

Choosing a funeral home or cremation firm can be a difficult and stressful decision, often needing to be made quickly. In serving the community, we would like to assist people in making the BEST choice for them. We have developed these 10 Ways to Avoid Choosing the Wrong Funeral or Cremation Firm. There is a DIFFERENCE in funeral homes and cremation firms. We make a difference, because we are different.

10 WAYS TO AVOID CHOOSING THE WRONG FUNERAL OR CREMATION FIRM

1. Funeral homes are not all the same.

When planning an occasion and expenditure as significant as a funeral or cremation, gathering information makes sense and lends itself to making the best choice.

2. Know the difference between corporate and independent firms.                                                                                                                          

People who work at corporate funeral homes are often torn between their good intentions and the conglomerate they represent. Corporate firms are almost always significantly more expensive than independent ones.

3. Being family owned is not always a positive guarantee.

Many funeral homes take pride in having been passed along many generations. It might be comforting to know that the business has longevity, but what matters the most is how they treat you, what they charge, and whether their attitude or facilities are adequate for your current needs?

4. Are the prices on their website?

The internet is here to stay and should be used to help people. If a firm does not post their prices on their website, they are either behind the times, or hiding their prices.

5. Ask about their cremation process.

Nearly half of the population today chooses cremation. While many funeral homes have added the word cremation to their sign, you would be alarmed at how many of these same funeral directors have never seen the crematories they use.

6. Cremation societies are FOR profit.

Many people believe or have been misled to believe that cremation or memorial societies are not-for-profit organizations. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most cremation services are owned by funeral homes, and they are always operated by funeral directors because it is the law.

7. Don’t pay to join a cremation society.

Does it annoy you to go to a grocery store and be asked for a membership card? Shouldn’t they be charging valued customers the lower price anyway?

8. When dealing with a reputable firm, you have no need to buy your casket at Sam’s Club.

There are many options today to purchase caskets including low cost caskets made in China. Good funeral firms sell competitively priced caskets made in the USA, by Americans.

9. If the most affordable options they have are not shown, leave.

Many firms try to charge the highest prices possible. A reputable firm establishes the goal of serving the most number of families possible by offering the most distinctive service at the lowest cost possible. The package you might prefer is not a special, mystery plan that remains a secret unless the firm realizes that you will not pay a higher price.

10. Look for someone that is willing to discuss the psychological and emotional value in honoring the life of your loved one.

You may not take your doctor or lawyer’s advice but you still want to hear it, right? If your funeral director does not offer appropriate, sensible, affordable suggestions for you to honor the life of the one who has died and express your love and grief, you should look for another firm that will meet your needs.

Written by Robert J. Moynihan

© Central Chapel, Inc. 2011. All rights reserved. No portion of this may be reproduced without express written permission of Central Chapel, Inc.
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