Death Notice Rip Off - the cost of putting them in the local paper.

[HeadingNorth]

Why is he calling any body a Git. The people who work on BMDs are only doing their job, the policy about having a rose at the top of a death notice has nothing to do with us, we all disagree with it and as I have said before we are sensitive to people

 

You say you are. The OP says that the person who dealt with him, was not.

[Darth Vader]

Some poor souls must have been talked into lengthy eulogies as well as roses.

 

 

No one talks anybody into lengthy notices, if anything we do the opposite. We tell them how much per line it would cost and ask them if they want to change anything in their notices. Some people insist on listing every family member by name followed by a long verse and then wonder why it's so expensive.

 

With respect, the price of even the shortest of listings is ridiculous.

[onewheeldave]

I am guessing then that you are of an older generation.

 

I never read local newspapers and only read national newspapers when on public transport. The two most recent deaths that have effected me (both of them friends) I have learnt about via facebook. This may seem alien to older people, but is it really any less personal than a message in a shabby newspaper like the star??

 

Both funeral arrangements were spread on facebook, allowing everyone who cared for the people to be involved in a way that wasn't possible before social networking. As said above it is only the current older generation who will post notices like this really, if I die at an old age (im 25 now) I VERY much doubt that the death of myself or my peers will be communicated by the printed word.

 

Condolences for your loss OP. My mother died some years back and we were charged from every direction, it can come as a real surprise.

 

One advantage in passing the news on via email/facebook, is that you have control over how you do it- you don't for example, have to insert a compulsory rose.

 

This is a PR disaster. The Star should just say:

The minimum charge for a death notice is £20 and then so much per line. By the way there is a rose symbol included, do you have a colour preference?

You don't want the rose? That's fine sir/madam.

Trouble is the Star seems to employ idiots.

 

That is a very sensible approach.

 

You lot really don't like the Star do you?

Three pages and only one positive comment as the usual rubbish gets spouted - "spelling and grammar" is a common complaint about newspapers, but with no substance.

 

My personal favourite in this thread was the comment about the Star making money out of people at their most vulnerable. So what about florists who open up near cemeteries, funeral directors, WI cafes at hospitals etc? Death is big business.

 

I would guess that florists etc treat their customers with respect though and don't try to rip them off.

[Bruce_Shark]

I work on the BMD section of the Star, it's no use shouting at us. We don't make the policy. We don't agree with it at all but like I say, we can't do anything about it. I can't believe that whoever you spoke to on the section was blunt or off hand with you. We have all lost family and friends and try our hardest to be sympathetic to the peole we speak too. Perhaps if enough people compained to the managers, they might do something about having to have a rose, cross or whatever at the top of the death notices.

 

Here's an idea, why not pass on customer comments (regarding the company you work for) to your management...

 

...you could start with a print out of this thread!

[rapido]

We are not GITS as you put it. We are sensitive to the people who ring in to place any kind of notice. I don't know who the person spoke to, it could even have been me and I can assure you I would NEVER be rude or off hand with anyone placing a family notice. As far as I can tell, they were complaining about the price not the people on BMDs.

Firstly, I am not calling you all gits, just the one who dealt with this person. I think if you re read this persons post you will find that he was displeased with the person he spoke to as he/she felt that they were spoken to very bluntly.

My father passed away recently and we didn't even bother puttting a notice in the Star, partly because of the expense and partly because we don't know anybody who reads it anymore. The Metro is better and that's free!

It what respect is Ok to force someone to pay £20 to have a tacky little rose attached to their notice?

[Dee01]

I am so sorry for your loss and the heartless way you've been treated.

 

It's a sign of the country we live in.

 

When my mum died suddenly at home, when they arrived to take her away the undertaker handed my a glossy brochure and they started trying to discuss different things

 

Fortunately, I knew an undertaker who did everything For me and charged a very moderate fee.

 

Rip Off britain it's everywhere

 

Hope you aren't hassled with anything else you have to organise.

 

Dee

[whiteley]

Trouble is the Star seems to employ idiots

 

I'm sure there are idiots in every job in every company and to generalise that the Star employs idiots is totally wrong.

[whiteley]

Here's an idea, why not pass on customer comments (regarding the company you work for) to your management...

 

...you could start with a print out of this thread!

 

I have already told my manager about this post, but until the customers start complaining directly to them I don't think they will do anything. I resent being called and idiot and a git. As I said before I am just doing my job so I can pay my bills.

[Guest busdriver1]

When my mother died recently, she left very clear instructions to place an ad in the local paper the day AFTER her funeral. Her reason for this was that her real friends would know anyway and all the morbid hangers on who "love a good funeral" would be p***ed off.

Worked a treat, she knew how to make an entrance and an exit my mother did.

[HeadingNorth]

I resent being called and idiot and a git.

 

You haven't been called either yet, but every time you post it becomes more likely.