What really attracts client families to your funeral home? What turns them away?

There’s a lot of research out there about how families see your funeral home, but the best way to find out is to hear their real stories about their experience with you. That’s why we’ve collected 10 REAL reviews to get families’ thoughts about funeral service in their own words. From the good, bad, and even the ugly, here’s what we found about families’ feelings on funeral service:

1. A Caring Attitude

“If you lose someone you love, I would recommend O’Connor Mortuary. They were amazing. I was stricken by shock and grief and they just loved me and cared for me.”

When a family is going through one of life’s major traumas, what they want most is to feel cared for. O’Connor Mortuary hasseveral Yelp reviews that point out the patience and helpfulness of their staff members and the fact that the funeral director took the time to listen to and understand their needs. It’s no wonder why they have a 5-star rating. Their great reviews show us that just by listening to what people say can help them feel positive about your funeral home.

2. Personalization

“They are knowledgeable in A LOT of the Asian and religious customs and practices and even helped recommend a temple that would come out and pray for my Mom for three days.”

One of the most important things you can do for a family is help them celebrate what was unique about their loved one. Thankfully, Winford Funeral Home went above and beyond for this particular family by not just respecting their customs and traditions, but helping them make them happen as well. Any funeral home that personalizes their services to fit their families’ needs instead of giving them a cookie-cutter services deserves a raving review in our book.

3. A Comfortable Environment

“Their Laguna Hills facility is very inviting, clean and comfortable; it gives a very home-like feeling.”

Funeral homes don’t have to be depressing. In fact, we’ve found research showing that many people think of funeral homes as uninviting and intimidating places. Compare that to the comment above, and you’ll see why focusing on the environment of your funeral home is just as important as focusing on your services. Think about it: if a place feels comfortable and home-like, it provides a better experience for families and they’re more likely to come back.

4. Going the Extra Mile

“Thank you, also for all the extras you did (notify Social Security, General Motors, etc.). And her physical viewing was done naturally and with great care.”

AGoogle review of Wasik Funeral Home in Michigan talks about all the extras their funeral home provided. Dealing with Social Security isn’t expected from families, but if it helps them and shows your willingness to provide additional care when they most need it, where’s the harm? And don’t forget, client families rely on you to be the experts; the more you do for them, the more likely they are to recommend you.

5. To Feel Special

“Absolutely fantastic. They try to schedule only one funeral at a time and it makes a huge difference.”

No-one wants to feel like their loved one is on some kind of funeral service conveyor belt. Taking the time to make each funeral unique and special is one of the reasons why Routsong Funeral Home in Ohio got a5-star review. Attention to detail in this case extended to ensuring there was plenty room to display memorabilia of a life lived and something to keep younger members of the family entertained.

6. Good Service

“He gives new meaning to rude, uncaring, and sarcastic.”

Client families expect great (not just good) customer service and funeral homes that don’t deliver will get recognized for it online. For example, thisOhio funeral home was distressed at the handling of the cremains after the funeral. A sensitive approach to all aspects of the funeral and the recognition that at this time, families need you to deliver your best can help your funeral home avoid a bad reputation online. Otherwise you could be like theMiami funeral home that reviewers characterize as too good to be true, never delivering on its promises.

7. To Avoid Being Scammed

“Trying to make more money off of the families that paid ridiculous sums to bury their loved ones is hardly ‘customer service’.”

Ouch! This review of a funeral home in Texas discusses the funeral home’s decision not to allow families to place fresh flowers on the grave and to add a charge if the funeral home did.Another review said that they thought this funeral home had their hands out for money the minute they walked through the door. This perception harms not just a single funeral home, but public perception of funeral homes and funeral directors in general (which already isn’t the best to begin with).

8. To Make a Connection

“They don’t return phone calls despite multiple calls requesting information on when someone’s funeral services will be.”

Do you want your funeral home to be defined by a single negative review? That’s what’s currently happening to thisfuneral home in Ohio. Families planning a funeral service need to make a human connection, even if it’s at the end of the phone. If they can’t reach you, they get frustrated and more upset at a time when they are already grieving. Thinking about the experience your potential families have with your funeral home – from the first call to months after the service – will help you avoid a negative reputation like this one.

9. A Celebration

“They help you through the entire process of loss, mourning and most important… celebrating your loved ones life with the dignity that they deserve!”

More than anything else, client families want tocelebrate a life lived. Mission Park Funeral Chapels in Texasscores highly for helping families memorialize andcelebrate their loved ones – both human and animal!

10. Peace of Mind

“Clifford and his team showed respect and professionalism from the beginning to the end giving us peace of mind and closure.”

One California funeral homegets 5-star reviews because of the out-of-this-world care they show to their families. Families want the assurance that they have memorialized their loved one in the most appropriate way and to know the options they have for celebrating a life lived.

Final thoughts

After reading through these funeral home reviews, we hope you’ve taken away two lessons: 1) That the best way to see how your funeral home is doing in customer service is to simply ask them and 2) Your reputation online matters, and can be the difference between a family choosing your funeral home or going to your competition for the care they deserve.

In today’s world, families expect an amazing experience with your funeral home, and they’ll search online until they think they’ve found it. That’s why focusing on your family experience both online and offline is essential to your business.

Rochelle Rietow

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