Funural Home Directors are Good Sales Men
Almost two months ago now, my two week old daughter died. After my wife and I left the hospital we immediately drove to a funural home to make the proper arrangements. I have never been on this side of a situation like this, so I had no idea what to expect when we went in there. The people there were very friendly and very sympathetic, even though I know that is their job. Being a cynical person by nature I couldn't just leave my cynicism at the door, no matter how hard I tried.
I noticed that they said things like,
"I know how it feels."
Unless you have lost a loved one...no you don't
Then they tell you what services they provide...all for free. They "make no money on services rendered."
Really
You are a business...you have to make money somehow, you aren't just doing this out of the goodness of your hearts.
Then they bring out magazines with all sorts of things you can buy to remember you loved one.
OK, so this is how they make money...selling things. And he was good. Get someone in the lowest part of their life and start playing on those emotions. We chose to buy nothing from them and then he switched to business mode.
To pick up our baby's body from the hospital...usually costs about 150 dollars, but he will only charge us 100. To cremate usually cost again 150 dollars, but he will cut it down to 100.
In Wisconsin you have to pay the county a fee to bury a person...if you choose to cremate then you still have to pay the county a fee for a "cremation permit"...150 dollars...(government must get their money somehow I guess)he can maybe get that waived.
WAIT A SEC...you just said you didn't charge for services...150 dollars to pick an infant up from a hospital. We had been traveling to the hospital everyday for 2 weeks...it only cost about 2 dollars in gas! I'll go pick up the body of my baby! And he is saying that he will cut the price for me? Maybe he isn't supposed to be making any money off me, but I guarantee that he isn't going to lose money because of me. So if he can "cut" the price this time, then just do it all the time...But of course you can't bring these observations up in a funural home...how rude would that be???
They probably think that we are so heartbroken, (which we were) that we won't be thinking right, and they can say whatever and we will just accept it.
Blah
Oh, and a few weeks later when it came time to pay the bill, none of those "price cuts" were on it. Full price, baby. Again, what does one do, cause a fuss in a place like that?
Double blah
I noticed that they said things like,
"I know how it feels."
Unless you have lost a loved one...no you don't
Then they tell you what services they provide...all for free. They "make no money on services rendered."
Really
You are a business...you have to make money somehow, you aren't just doing this out of the goodness of your hearts.
Then they bring out magazines with all sorts of things you can buy to remember you loved one.
OK, so this is how they make money...selling things. And he was good. Get someone in the lowest part of their life and start playing on those emotions. We chose to buy nothing from them and then he switched to business mode.
To pick up our baby's body from the hospital...usually costs about 150 dollars, but he will only charge us 100. To cremate usually cost again 150 dollars, but he will cut it down to 100.
In Wisconsin you have to pay the county a fee to bury a person...if you choose to cremate then you still have to pay the county a fee for a "cremation permit"...150 dollars...(government must get their money somehow I guess)he can maybe get that waived.
WAIT A SEC...you just said you didn't charge for services...150 dollars to pick an infant up from a hospital. We had been traveling to the hospital everyday for 2 weeks...it only cost about 2 dollars in gas! I'll go pick up the body of my baby! And he is saying that he will cut the price for me? Maybe he isn't supposed to be making any money off me, but I guarantee that he isn't going to lose money because of me. So if he can "cut" the price this time, then just do it all the time...But of course you can't bring these observations up in a funural home...how rude would that be???
They probably think that we are so heartbroken, (which we were) that we won't be thinking right, and they can say whatever and we will just accept it.
Blah
Oh, and a few weeks later when it came time to pay the bill, none of those "price cuts" were on it. Full price, baby. Again, what does one do, cause a fuss in a place like that?
Double blah
posted by Original Blog-surfer | 2:04 PM
4 Comments:
wrong, just wrong. I'm so sorry about that. Were there no other places you could go?
Yes, unfortunately death is one of the high-emotion occasions that marketers capitalize on. Also weddings, graduations, birthdays, etc., etc. "How could you do anything less than 'the best' for your loved one?!!" The sales people can be so sweet until they realize you're not buying. Then their whole demeanor changes. Frail and fickle creatures that we are! May God give us grace to recognize when we are doing this same kind of thing.
Love you guys! Bev
I am shocked, actually. I have unfortunately been in that situation, and was very impressed with their performance. Yes, it cost alot, but it was all set and business and adjusted to how we wanted it, no sales tricks. It sickens me that people will try to take advantage of people in that situation.
Fuck those bitches!!!!!! Yes... yes.. I have not yet grown out of my infatuation with the word "fuck". I will soon be writing why I love it so much..
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