Even when dealing with something as precious and complicated as the death of a loved one, the difficult decision of choosing a funeral director often comes down to trust. Whereas years ago, funeral directors may have been fewer and focused solely on their local area, these days we have a much larger variety. This choice can be an advantage for some families, but can also add to the pile of decisions by considering whether an independent funeral director or one of the national chain of funeral directors.
As with any service, we often associate trust with brand awareness, it’s a simple shortcut to something that we know will provide the results we think we want. And after all, when are we more time short than when needing to organise a funeral within just a couple of weeks? In these situations, families are far more likely to opt for a name they are aware of rather than spend time searching for someone seemingly unknown.
Ultimately what most of us want is an affordable and trustworthy service that we know will treat us with dignity and respect. There are plenty of reasons why choosing local and independent might be more beneficial for your family, despite the extra effort it could take to find your perfect match.
The History of Funeral Directors
The concept of an ‘independent’ funeral director, like with many industries in the modern age, is actually relatively new in relation to the history of the industry. Historically speaking, funeral directors or funeral homes were family traditions and businesses passed down through the generations. However, as with the old fashioned butcher, baker and candlestick maker, the local traditions become a novelty rather than the norm.
Of course, the concept of the funeral director as a whole has changed dramatically, as is to be expected when the tradition is quite literally thousands of years old; there are even records of funeral directors being called upon in Ancient Egypt. But in more recent history, funeral directors were associated more with craftsmanship, as they were tasked with creating coffins and caskets for people in their local communities. Ultimately, they were the people who would deliver a loved one to their final resting place. Most importantly, however, they were local, well known by the community and trusted.
As we have added various frills and certain luxuries to the funeral process, the role of the funeral director has changed, most explicitly in the role they play within our local area. No longer are they the trusted custodians of the dead who take care of all our loved ones in the community; now they are a service like any other which can be shopped around for and ultimately chosen out of an online catalogue. With thousands of funeral directors to choose from and the ability to search far outside of your local area to do so, independent funeral directors are almost like a window into what the profession was for many years and still is to many people around the country.
Saving Money With Independent Funeral Directors
For so many families, it doesn’t necessarily matter where the funeral director is located or how attractive their services seem, many people by choice or through necessity will go with the cheapest possible option. With the rising cost of funerals, that is hardly surprising, but what many people may not know is that independent funeral directors can often save you significant amounts of money.
Because many independent funeral directors are not as motivated by profit as by service to the community, they are often able to offer the lowest and more flexible prices than their chain counterparts. Independent funeral directors are run and managed in one place and do not answer to CEOs or regional managers and have complete control over their pricing structures and payment options. Many of them are extremely transparent with their pricing structures, both on their websites and in person, meaning that you have peace of mind that you are paying for what you can actually afford.
And of course, independent funeral directors offer the added financial benefit of being supported by prepaid funeral plan services such as Golden Charter. services such as these can provide incredible financial relief for families who are not able to pay for a funeral upfront from their own savings. While funeral plans do require a certain amount of forethought and planning, and not all independent funeral directors will be covered by all providers, it is just another way in which you may be able to save some money with a local provider.
Knowledge of Local Communities
One of the ways in which independent funeral directors manage to keep prices so low and flexible is not just in their business approach; it is also thanks to their long standing relationships and deep understanding of the local area, services and businesses. Many independent funeral directors have been around for decades and only source their services and products from other local companies, which means they have established and trusted relationships with them that in turn benefit you. Independent funeral directors are often able to get the best product for a good price by sourcing from local and reliable suppliers that have also often been in their line of business for decades.
Financials aside, however, the integration that independent funeral directors have in their communities also allows them to keep in touch with some of the oldest local traditions, while still offering modern or unique types of experiences. The personal and thorough knowledge of a particular area simply cannot be recreated in an environment that is not rooted so deeply in the area which they serve.
And of course, it’s that service and relationship with the local community that allows independent funeral directors to become truly devoted to the people who live there. They are not simply a funeral home, but people you may see at a local charity event, or even bump into them at the post office. The relationships that are forged with those that provide such a personal and admittedly, upsetting service, are present even after a funeral is over. It is this cycle of positivity and long term commitment that makes independent homes so unique and allows them to offer something personal and meaningful.
Independent Funeral Directors & The Personal Touch
The entire ethos of most independent funeral directors is ‘people first’. Many of these establishments are discovered through word of mouth, long standing relationships with families and communities and it’s this personal contact and relationship that so many people love about independent funeral directors.
Staff members are thoroughly trained in order to be able to deal with sensitive issues and topics at hand and more importantly, to see the individuals as people. Even if not every independent funeral director is conveniently located or the cheapest option in your area, the care and attention you receive from these establishments is usually second to none.
Independent funeral directors are there to cater to the needs of individuals rather than restricted to a rigid formula like many chains unfortunately are. There is no overarching agenda or one-size-fits-all funeral package that cannot be altered. In fact, the sky really is the limit when it comes to flexibility for most independent funeral homes. Families are often able to use their own coffins if they have one, have the ability to store a loved one’s ashes for a longer period of time if they are not ready to receive them right away, or any number of requests that require a flexible approach.
The independent business model allows these directors to go above and beyond with catering for each and every need, reducing stress for the families and making them feel valued. Whether it’s sitting with grieving families for hours over a cup of tea or providing kind gestures for free, the kind, personal touch is absolutely essential to the inner workings of most independent funeral directors.
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Ultimately, independent funeral directors are there to create an environment that prioritises a human connection, an empathetic and kind approach as well as generally affordable prices that are free from costly overheads. They are a window into our past, whilst still learning to adapt to the changing needs of the funeral industry and most importantly, they are here for you.
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Hadaway & Denton are independent funeral directors in Ashford, Kent. We proudly provide affordable funeral products, funeral packages and more, all with a friendly and understanding approach.
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