Dear Mr. Gray:
"I am not sure exactly where to begin in thanking you for bringing some solace into the worst day of my life. After burying my mom three years ago, refraining from making all the painful decisions until the day of her imminent death, my sister and I decided to pre-plan my father’s funeral. I had mixed feelings about this, but we were applying for Medicaid so of course it was the practical thing to do, but in my heart I didn’t want to acknowledge that my dad, my very best friend, was going to be leaving me. I visited a local funeral home and while I didn’t expect to have a good old time, I left feeling somewhat annoyed. I realize everyone has to earn a living, but there are certain professions that I feel require enhanced empathy skills. I know I was just another customer with a sick father but a little warmth, albeit “forced” wouldn’t have been out of line. The cash wasn’t coming out of my pocket so this honestly wasn’t the issue, but I felt I was being steered into spending excessive money on unnecessary AND essential items. Ironically on my way to this particular funeral home, a friend called me and told me about your business, and since I had time on my side I decided to visit your store. I was hesitant at first because this really isn’t the type of comparison shopping that is fun to do. However, after talking to you for ten minutes, I felt it was the best decision I made regarding this entire depressing ordeal. First of all, you were honest.what a refreshing attribute to find in the business world! Second, you were able to “read” the type of person I was and tapped into my needs and feelings. You explained all I needed to know in a professional yet empathetic way. There wasn’t one ounce of insincerity in your manner, in fact you suggested that I spend LESS on a casket than I was originally planning to spend. You spent much more time than was even necessary, making me feel comfortable and at peace with my decisions. Because of this, I trusted you to make all the other arrangements (choosing the funeral home, selecting a priest to speak at my dad’s graveside, etc). When my dad died only a few weeks later, all that was required was a simple phone call and you were “there”. I not only respect you as a businessman but as a person whom I was fortunate enough to meet in this crazy, fast paced world. In fact, I find myself enthusiastically recommending your services to all my friends, even though I sometimes get some pretty strange looks! Thanks again and again.."