Funeral Complaint

theflowersmith

theflowersmith

Well-Known Member
Dec 13, 2003
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
www.theflowersmith.com
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PA
We met with a family last Thursday for a Saturday visitation of their Husband/Father/Pap. Family didn't have much money, but they ordered several small pieces with script on everything. Wife got an urn with "Loving Husband." Son wanted wind chimes with a 6" spath and "Dad." (Didn't want to pay for wind chime stand, so I assured him we would pick it up when we return for the urn. No charge of course). Son pulled me aside to order his because he wanted something more than the $50 his mother allotted. So part of his order went on Mom's bill and part went on his.

Grand daughter ordered a foot spray with "Pap" and a dish garden with "Pap" and "Big Boy" both in script. Another grand daughter ordered a corner corsage with "Pap" and 3 different colored roses inside the casket with "Pap" on paw print ribbon (from dogs). They were very particular about flower choices and colors and all five were in the store for about an hour.

When we delivered everything Saturday, we included a picture of the corner corsage along with pins for the funeral director. The family assured me he was wonderful and would take care of everything. (Not a funeral home we deliver to regularly).

Today, Monday, we get a call from the family. No complaints about flowers but the corner corsage was not in the right place, the script wasn't big enough and the ribbon wasn't big enough. They won't be using us ever again.

Our woman driver gave the corner corsage picture right to the funeral director and explained where the flowers were to go. Apparently a different funeral director actually did it. (and did no one pipe up and have it changed!!!!) We use #9 chiffon rather than #40 satin and to my knowledge, script only comes in one size!

Now as I type this, I'm wondering if, because we used #9 ribbon, they thought we used smaller script for it! Perhaps they were expecting the #40 satin ribbon. I plan to call them tomorrow, but wanted to get some input here first.
 
Sue,

I would sincerely apologize that the funeral director did not do as asked. I always use #9 for any of the pieces inside of the casket, #40 is far too large. The script I buy comes in two different sizes, I use the large for large pieces on #40 and the small on all small pieces such as plants using #9. If the script was the same size, but the ribbon was two different sizes just explain that "this is a normal thing to do because the large ribbon is too large inside of the casket, sorry that this was not covered in detail, it's just the way we do it."
 
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It's so hard to deal with funeral families sometimes.....it seems like the most unreasonable complaints come from them and I don't think it really has as much to do with the flowers as it does with the fact that they are sad and/or angry about losing a loved one.

I would tell them that the FD places the flowers and you did tell them how they were to be placed. The rest seems kind of ultra picky to me but a complaint is a complaint and you have to address it. If the pics they saw had #40 ribbon it makes a little more sense since you said they were so specific. I would try to accentuate the positive about the pieces (flowers all looked good) and try to explain that floral design is a creative art and that we can't usually recreate a picture exactly as it shown due to the nature of our products.

Good luck. I hate making those phone calls when you really don't know feel as though you did anything wrong-we just can't anticipate every little detail they may focus on!
 
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yuck. I agree with the others, I would first say how sorry you are! Then explain that the funeral director put it in the wrong place, but he would have moved it where the family wanted it to be if he had been asked. I tell immediate families, we'll set it up the best way but sometimes things get moved, (I don't mention it's sometimes by other florists) so if your piece is not where it needs to be let the funeral director know. Tell her you always use #9 ribbon for casket accents, otherwise it overwhelms the piece and would be out of proportion(tacky!). We always use #9 here too for those casket accents.
 
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I think your "answer" lays in the bolded "context" of your post!!
"I'm so very sorry that the funeral director that was in charge of your services, was switched without our knowledge, and that we would have loved to contact you about this matter, but, seeing as you've made up your minds to NEVER use us again, it is now out of our hands, with our deepest regrets......".....
 
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We've had this problem several times with one of our funeral homes. We have 2 funeral homes in town, one allows us to go into the visitation room and set up and the other funeral home has us put flowers in a room and they set it up.

We go so far as to leave very detailed instructions on paper for the funeral home that won't let us set up. Several times they have separated pieces that are to go together and then WE get angry phone calls wanting to know where the other piece is.

Then you have to find a way to explain it to the customer that it was the Funeral Home's fault, without badmouthing the funeral home and having that come back to bite you in the butt.
 
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If they don't use you again, it is probably a blessing. I would call and get their side, ask questions like, did you like the flowers, were they what you expected, etc. then explain how the corner piece was placed incorrectly even though explicit instructions were given. Sorry you didn't like the ribbon as that is what our standard size is that we use. Sorry for your loss. Thakn you for your feedback and hope you find a florist that will be more suited to your needs.

Generally when people are THAT specific, they are expecting a problem. JMO
 
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So, I got an education today from the funeral director!

I did call my customer back and she was very nice, but admittedly, a detail person who (I think) thought I should have gone to the funeral home personally and pinned the corner piece in. We ended on friendly terms; however, and she was very glad I returned her call and spent time letting her explain.

Later, I called the funeral director to ask when we could pick up our wind chime stand. When speaking to him, I asked if the family had complained to him about the flowers. I told him they were mainly upset because the corner piece wasn't where they expected. He told me that their loved one was viewed in a rented casket because he was being cremated and that no pin holes could be put in the lining of the lid!!

I was really shocked at that and thought I would share that info here! I guess now when someone wants something pinned into the lid, we need to make sure they're not being viewed in a rented casket!! In 30 years, I've never heard of that, but like the funeral director said "The times, they are a-changing!"
 
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Well I have a huge set up tomorrow. We have 7 family pieces, to a funeral home we have not really courted yet (most of the town uses one guy because of the kickbacks and we have started reaching out but it's a slow go). Anyway, I am hoping they will let me set up. The family ordered the entire spread out of the JH sympathy book plus 2 more standing easels. I am very nervous about delivery and placement. I want to make sure everything is 100% before I leave.

I never thought of rented caskets, that is a little different. We will add that to our funeral notes.
 
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Sarah Jane said:
Yeah, most cremations that also have a viewing involve a rented casket because why would you need to buy it just to use for a few hours? Many cremations don't have an open casket viewing but many families still want that even if the person wanted to be cremated.
Click to expand...

ok now i want to ask the funeral home here if they do that!
I had never heard of renting the casket before!
 
The casket rental is a common occurrence here. We seldom have issues as far as pins go, most of the inside lid pieces we do are just propped in the corner and require no pinning.

The pinning is something I never thought of as far as rentals go, there is the occasional rosary that they want hung inside the lid, so thank you Sue for posting it. I do hope your customer is calmer now and will at least not give you bad reviews to other people.
 
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The inside onf the caskets are completely taken out and redone is what my funeral director told me. But different areas different things I'm sure.
As someone else said most lid pieces are just laid in the lid unless there is not a ledge to lay it on.
I get to go in and set all of my pieces I am so thankful for that. Once delivered to a funeral home in a bigger city by us and they took all cards off that any sign of my shop name on them. They put the cards in back of the flowers said they didn't believe in advertising for shops. I thought that not very nice but what do you do??
 
Spookyflowers said:
The inside onf the caskets are completely taken out and redone is what my funeral director told me. But different areas different things I'm sure.
As someone else said most lid pieces are just laid in the lid unless there is not a ledge to lay it on.
I get to go in and set all of my pieces I am so thankful for that. Once delivered to a funeral home in a bigger city by us and they took all cards off that any sign of my shop name on them. They put the cards in back of the flowers said they didn't believe in advertising for shops. I thought that not very nice but what do you do??
Click to expand...

How are you supposed to know who sent the flowers? What a bunch of tools.
 
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She said we put the card on the back they can see who sent it when they take it home. I've been in the flower business for over 40 years ,off and on, and had never sen anything like it. There were other flowers there with generic cards on them so you didn't know what shop it came from. Guess I never thought to call about something like that. Just some of the silly rules we have to follow.
 
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