The process of finding a cremation company can be much like the process you might use to find any other type of service provider with some key exceptions. Namely, time is not on your side. When you are looking at sourcing cremation services you don’t often have much time to find the right service provider as you would for something else. Also, emotions can weigh more heavily on your mind and take the place of logic/common sense. So at Arlington Cremation Services, we’d like to provide you with some simple tips to help you get the process rolling. So without further adieu, here they are:
Web Presence
What is the internet presence of the cremations service provider(s) that you are looking at? What are their reviews like and are there just one or two reviews or lots of them? An average of 4.5 stars based on 100 reviews tells more of a story than a 5-star average based on 2 reviews.
What is their website like? Is it modern and up to date? How easy is it to find other contact details on their site? What type of packages and pricing do they provide and how easy is it to find that information?
Ask Friends and Family for Recommendations
Your friends and family have undoubtedly gone through some form of loss at some point. Do they have any recommendations to offer or could they at least point you in the right direction or introduce you to someone who may have more first-hand knowledge on the process?
Visit Cremations Service Providers On-Site (Unannounced)
Once you are satisfied with a potential service provider’s web presence and reviews, show up on-site (don’t tell anyone you are coming) and when you arrive, just take a little bit of a look around and keep your ears open so you can hear how staff are interacting with potential customers.
If you haven’t done so already by this point, check to see if the Cremation Service Provider(s) is a member of a professional organization. An example of one such organization would be the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). You would expect that members of this professional organization or others would clean and tidy.
Ideally, when you enter the premises you should have at least a little time to walk around uninterrupted before you get approached by one of their representatives. When you do engage with a rep do they clearly explain packages and pricing and do they answer questions forthrightly or do they seem cagey or devious. Many different cremation companies/organizations structure their packages differently so pay attention as it might be a little confusing trying to pick one company over another.
Whatever you do, start online first, ask for recommendations, narrow down your list and then visit your choices in person and compare and if you need more help just contact us at Arlington Cremation Services.