Why You Should Choose an Independent Funeral Home

In all forms of business today, big international companies are making their profits through taking over small firms and the funeral profession is no exception. While you may think that all funeral homes offer the same services, this could not be further from the truth. From the cost to the level of care and support, there’s a big difference between small independent funeral homes and those managed by corporate giants.  At Perth Cremations, we are Perth’s leading independent funeral home and our motto is “to put people before profits”. Here’s our guide to why you should look for an independent funeral home when arranging a funeral for a loved one.

What are Independent Funeral Directors?

Rather than being managed by large corporate chains, independent funeral homes are privately-owned businesses run by smaller teams, often families. Providing a superior level of quality customer service, many have been in business for generations and offer a personalised service that can be tailored to the needs of each client. It isn’t not always easy to tell the difference between an independent funeral director and a large national chain, as many funeral chains continue to use the trusted family names on their signs.

Why Choose an Independent Funeral Home?

Who owns the funeral home can entirely change the experience of arranging a funeral, from what you can expect to pay to the quality of the service.

They pride themselves on their level of service.

Independent funeral directors are focused on looking after families during a difficult time, and are more willing to go the extra mile to offer support and provide continuity of service. By choosing an independent funeral director, you should be able to trust that the person who helped you through the funeral planning process will also be there to support you at the funeral itself. As independents are not constrained by corporate management, you’ll likely receive a much more personalised experience by a funeral director who will will support you throughout the process and provide you with compassion and support before, during and after the funeral.

Independents tend to be more reasonably priced.

Surveys have shown that the prices offered by funeral chains are up to 70% higher than those of independent funeral homes despite including the same services. Independents are able to give you a better price because they are not controlled by shareholders, they make a smaller profit on the funeral compared with the large corporations and have fewer overheads.

Their service is flexible.

Larger funeral brands owned by publicly listed companies such as InvoCare and Propel Funeral Partners, provide rigid packages that force customers into certain commitments and they often won’t be able to make changes to certain aspects of the funeral or help to arrange unusual requests. Small, independent funeral homes spend more time trying to understand the needs of the family and tailor their service accordingly, ensuring they will create the exact kind of funeral you want for your loved one.

Ongoing bereavement care.

Many independents provide ongoing support to the family even after the funeral. Some hold free annual memorial services around the end of the year to support all the families they’ve served and commemorate their loved ones.

How to Tell if a Funeral Home Is Independent

Don’t assume your local funeral home is independent. Many Australians are unaware that the majority of local funeral businesses are owned by public listed companies trading on the Australian Stock Exchange. The most well-known funeral home brands in Australia are owned and operated by InvoCare. InvoCare is Australia’s largest provider of funeral, cemetery, crematoria and related services, currently operating over 290 funeral locations and 16 cemeteries and crematoria, across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. InvoCare, owns well known funeral home brands such as White Lady Funerals, Guardian Funerals and Simplicity Funerals, and has control of more than 34% of the Australian funeral market.

At Perth Cremations, we’re not a big company and it can be tough at times to compete with the larger players, but we stand firm behind our promise to value people over profits. We understand that a funeral is the final opportunity to say goodbye and celebrate a life, and our dedication to personalised service combined with affordable pricing, has made us Perth’s leading independent funeral home. Contact us today.