When a loved one passes away, their funeral is often an important part of saying goodbye and getting closure.
The problem is, when you are searching for a funeral director, you are often dealing with grief and stress which can affect your decision-making ability.
Feel confident that you are giving your loved one the service they expected by learning how to choose the right funeral director.
What does a Funeral Director Do?
A funeral director’s role is often described as “one of service”. This is a good starting point, but funeral directors are actually responsible for far more than you may realise.
Rather than you having to plan all the aspects of a funeral yourself, a funeral director acts as an organiser and a liason. Some of the things they can help you organise include:
- Arranging the funeral service based on your wishes and budget
- Lodging all required paperwork, including cause of death and cremation certificates and death registration forms
- Organising a celebrant or member of clergy
- Providing your choice of coffin
- Providing flowers and other decorative or commemorative pieces
- Conducting the ceremony
- Performing a cremation
As you can see, the funeral director is responsible for a lot! Which means finding one that meets the following criteria is essential for you to commemorate your loved ones properly.
1. Confirm Your Budget
The first thing you need to do is confirm your budget. While most people will have the costs of a funeral reimbursed when the deceased estate is released to them, this doesn’t help with the upfront cost.
Once you know what you and your family are able to spend, make it clear to your funeral director that you can’t spend above that limit.
Now consider their reaction. If they continually try to upsell you this should be a red flag. In particular, watch out for emotionally loaded phrases like “It’s what your loved one would have wanted” or “Your loved one deserves the best.” These phrases are designed to guilt trip you into something you can’t afford.
Instead, a sign of a good funeral director is someone who helps you make the most of your budget, using their knowledge of the industry to get you the best value for money.
2. Compare Prices
Funeral directors will have set prices for their services. These will differ depending on what services they offer, what their suppliers charge, what their clientele are usually prepared to spend, and many other factors.
Make sure you don’t overextend yourself trying to afford the prices of a funeral director that is simply beyond your budget.
It’s also important to compare prices. While you are grieving, it is normal to want to get the process of organising a funeral over with as soon as possible. But don’t assume that the first price you get is the standard.
Compare prices of providers within your budget range and go with the one that you feel will provide the best service for your money. While a good deal is probably far from your mind at this stage, you will be glad you did your research after the ceremony is over and you’ve been able to say goodbye the right way.
3. Do They Have Good Reviews?
Price isn’t the only thing you should research. While a funeral director’s prices may tell you if you can afford to choose them, their reviews will tell you if you should choose them.
Go beyond the amount of stars they have and read the comments. If a lot of comments say the funeral director is a very awkward speaker, then you may want to avoid their service. Alternatively, you might find that a service that wasn’t on your radar comes up as the best reviewed.
Remember, price isn’t necessarily a sign of quality. If a premium service is reviewed poorly, question whether your money could be better spent elsewhere.
4. Do They Offer the Service You Need?
There is no ‘right’ way to hold a funeral. Some people prefer to be buried, others cremated. Some people want a large commemoration after they pass, and others would prefer to be surrounded by a small, intimate gathering of close friends and family. Making sure you can honour the wishes of your loved one is essential when choosing a funeral director.
While it is standard for funeral directors to provide burial and cremation, you may want a variation of these services. For example, some people prefer to celebrate the life of the deceased, rather than mourn their loss, and would prefer the burial to take place separate to the ceremony. This can also be requested for cremations.
If having a memorial, rather than a funeral ceremony, is important to you, make sure the funeral directors you approach actually offer it as a service.
Another common option is prepaid funerals. While it may be uncomfortable to think about, if you, or a loved one, are at a vulnerable age it may be worth considering a prepaid funeral.
Prepaid funerals come with a range of benefits, such as:
- Peace of mind
- Easing the burden of your loved ones after you pass
- Tax benefits
- Securing your funds
- Not affected by increasing costs
- Benefits to Aged Pension calculations
It’s important to review what, if any, prepaid options funeral directors offer, and make sure the one you choose offers what you want.
5. Do They Behave Professionally?
This may be the most important consideration on this list. A funeral director’s job isn’t easy. They have to support families during a period of severe grief, stress and pain. A good funeral director understands that one of the core services they provide is actually comfort and assurance.
The last thing a grieving family member wants to do is chase administrative errands days after a loved one has passed, so funeral directors must be thorough and organised. However, family members are also sharing very personal moments with someone who is a complete stranger, so funeral directors need to be efficient, but also understanding and empathetic.
If your funeral director is pushy, or emotionally cold towards you, don’t entrust them with the privilege of taking care of your lost loved one.
Likewise, if they are very friendly, but don’t seem very detail focused or proactive, you need to seriously question whether you want them to handle your service. This is especially true if you are planning a large or elaborate service with a lot of moving parts.
The final thing you need to watch out for is the overall presentation of the funeral home itself. Does it look clean and tidy? If it is messy or rundown, this may be an indication of what the funeral director finds acceptable.
6. Give Your Loved One a Proper Goodbye
At Coast Family Funerals, our team will work closely with you to organise a respectful farewell and funeral service, keeping the process simple and stress-free.
We offer funerals, cremations and also prepaid packages, so whatever your loved one’s wishes were, we are sure we can grant them.
For more information, visit our website.
To enquire about one of our services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.