September 2002
The Director - Features
Learning From Those Whom We Serve
A complaint can be regarded as “just a complaint” or it can offer deep insight into a funeral home’s practices and behaviors
Of the more than 800 complaints received by the Funeral Service Consumer Assistance Program (FSCAP) last year, an overwhelming majority (61.8 percent) related to the manner in which funeral homes handle at-need funerals. More specifically, these complaints concerned consumer perceptions of unprofessional treatment. A complaint can be regarded as “just a complaint” from “just another” disgruntled family member, or a complaint can offer deep insight into a funeral home’s practices and behaviors.
In Learning From Those Whom We Serve, John DeBerry presents several examples of complaints received by FSCAP and several solutions as to how to handle those complaints in a positive and professional manner. DeBerry has served as the intervener for the Funeral Service Consumer Assistance Program since 1990 and is also the Bereavement Coordinator for the Palliative Care and Home Hospice Program of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.
