Compassionate and obliging to all of our needs. The celebrant, Jenny Tacken, that was recommended was also excellent.
The experience was a first for my family and I. The service I received was impeccable and professionally done. Michael delivered as promised and I am impressed with the service. I will recommend Australian Pensioner Funerals to others.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Althea. I really appreciate you taking the time to provide us with some feedback at what I'm sure has not been an easy time. It was lovely to meet yourself and your family and I wish you all the best in 2014. Kind regards, Michael
- Just great value for money
- Fitting tribute to my mother
- Trish Bainbridge was excellent
- Music and photo effect was very good
Thank you, Tony, I really appreciate that you took the time to provide us with feedback. I'm so glad to hear that you found Gladys' service to be a fitting tribute to her and will pass on your feedback to Trish also. Kind regards, Michael
As far as I'm concerned the whole process was enlightening and very well put together. I commend the thought that was put into place at a very trying time. I would recommend APF.
Thank you John for your kind words, it was a privilege to have been able to help you at your time of need. I'm so glad you were pleased with Marylin's service. Take care. Regards Robyn
Very understanding and supportive. Top rate.
Thank you, Erin. It was a pleasure to meet you and your lovely family and I'm so pleased that you were happy with the service we provided for your husband. Thank you very much for taking the time to provide us with feedback. Best wishes, Michael
Dear Robyn,
I am writing to express our gratitude for the wonderful service you provided for my late father.
From the moment we met you we were impressed with your caring manner. You answered our questions patiently and put us at ease.
We thought the funeral service was beautiful. It was a wonderful tribute to my father. Friends and extended family who attended the service told us afterwards that they were greatly moved by the presentation of the life story of my father.
On behalf of my mother, brothers and extended family, I wish to sincerely thank Australian Pensioner Funerals for their outstanding service.
Sonia
Thank you Sonia for your kind feedback about your father Giovanni’s funeral. It was a great tribute put together by such a beautiful loving family. It was my absolute pleasure to have had the opportunity to help you prepare his funeral for you, your mum Grace, Fab and Marco.
Regards Robyn
I was very satisfied. I could not fault anything about the quality of service and attention given to us on the day of Mum's funeral.
Dear Gloria,
It was a privilege to be with you and your family and to help you at what was a very difficult time. Thank you most sincerely for taking time to show what it meant to you. Kind Regards, Kester.
The role of a funeral director encompasses many and various activities: obtaining the signature of the attending professional who pronounced death and lodging it with the Registrar; transferring the body to their premises; help work out the budget and plans with the deceased's relatives (or executor), including religious or other memorial service and location; arrange with clergy and other officials such as at the cemetery. The director can help select music, compose announcements for the media, clothing, viewing, poems, readings and flowers, making the arrangements with a florist. The director also may supply acknowledgement cards, registers or memorial folders and transportation to and from the service.
I have no idea what quality or value for these services APF provides although their advertised complete packages are at highly competitive rates.
I have to say though that I consider the “Pensioner†part smacks more of clever marketing than anything else. The company advertises extensively in publications for Seniors and retired people. If the deceased was a poor pensioner or you are acting for one in organising a funeral when the estate is not large enough to cover the costs there are other organisations and agencies which will assist, some even supplying a dignified funeral service and cremation that is subsidised.
My circumstances were such that all that was required was for someone to collect the body from the hospital and deliver it to the crematorium with the essential paperwork. At the time I could find no cheaper than APF for a no frills arrangement.
I live 3 hours drive from Melbourne and the person had died in Dandenong, another hour across town. I was at a disadvantage in lots of ways so I appreciated that I could organise everything by telephone and email, and make payment direct into a bank account. The man on the end of the telephone line was immensely supportive and helpful.
I can't say that this arrangement was without hitch. There was a demand for all money upfront before the cremation would take place.I understand if they didn't want to be stuck with an unpaid account from a mysterious person up whoop-whoop yet I can imagine someone else in this situation being very distressed, feeling the deceased was sort of held to ransom.
I had very limited income so the bill was a stretch, especially as the executor involved was obstructive. Despite the requirement that a funeral/disposal has to come out of the estate the executor, who is a solicitor, was slow to reimburse me. (Another story, another Womow one day)
All the same I have to say that APF did accommodate me, and politely, which I can't say for other funeral directors I contacted who seemed miffed that I considered their prices too high for a basic disposal. – a couple of fellows go to the mortuary, put the body in the wagon, drive it to wherever and thence later to the crematorium: how much outlay is in that? In part I remain astonished at the expense however, I know expenses rarely are questioned when people are under stress.
There are options like cardboard coffins being offered by some undertakers. It is worth shopping around. Unfortunately when there has been a death people are not necessarily thinking straight. Grieving relatives often are very vulnerable and few people realise that proper disposal is essentially a health issue and in law there is very little one is required to do because once the person is dead he has no rights.
A person shouldn't be bullied into having to do "what is expected" nor have to pay large sums.
I am happy with the service and respect I got from this 100% Australian company.
It is encouraging to see an in-depth and candid review on such a personal topic. Thank you! Unfortunately, this is just another industry that facilitates the ‘milking’ of suffering/grieving individuals. Far too many people (particularly the aged) are being conned into ‘funeral plans’ that are far too expensive and totally unnecessary. Can’t wait to read the upcoming review for the executor!
Interesting and thorough review. However, I am not sure why you feel you have a problem asking for money up-front. Some companies operate on this basis because there are many dishonest people out there, and do reduce overheads, need to maintain the cash flow and not spend countless man-hours chasing unpaid debts. You could have always gone for a paupers funeral. I can tell you first-hand that the funeral directors are not responsible for the fees that the cemetery or crematorium charge. In fact, for many of these smaller parlours, there is very little profit margin. Did you consider the fact that employing staff, premises, utilities, maintenance all cost business money? Would you like people to work for free just because you have little money? Think responibly next time you take a stab at someone. Understand the business before criticising. I work in retail, and see these uneducated remarks constantly.
Cardboard coffins, by the way, if you researched them before complaining, often cost as much as, or more than a basic dignified coffin. I've done my homework. Have you?
Susan Baker was the consultant who visited us at our home to make the funeral arrangements for both my Dad and Auntie. On each occasion, she was caring, friendly, helpful , professional and punctual. She helped and guided us through two very difficult periods and I would recommend her and this company to anyone. Excellent value but still first class.
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Charmaine, thank you so much for your lovely feedback. It was an honour to be involved in the process of paying tribute to your father, and I'm so pleased that you were happy with the service. Best wishes, Robyn