Caveat Emptor

Contrariwise, you must be cautious not to pursue cost cutting too far. Competitive bargaining may get you an incredibly low quote, but his may lead to other problems, or hidden costs later.

There is a minimum level good services cannot fall below without cutting corners unwisely. So in the very cheapest segment of the market you should be just as cautious of anybody offering prices startlingly below most other low service providers, as you are of the corporations charging startlingly above.

Be careful that you do not go for a ridiculously low price, and finish up with a fly by night operation with only a station wagon in their home garage, who hope the deceased can stay at the local hospital until hours before the funeral because they have no mortuary facilities! Such companies regularly appear, and equally regularly close up again, often leaving families to find out months later that some required legal paperwork wasn’t done. Fixing these issues might overshadow any initial savings.

If the quote is unbelievably lower than anyone else’s, then don’t believe it. Moderation in all things, including moderation.

If in doubt, try and get recommendations from friends or health professionals. Good companies survive on referals, not flashy advertising.

(In fact the best companies do not need to advertise, because referals are enough... Amity has never needed television or radio ads. We grow - or decline - on the recommendations of our clients.)