We recently used this funeral home to arrange for our mother's transportation to Guatemala, and while Maria, our advisor, was kind and helpful in setting things up, the overall experience was disappointing due to poor communication and serious negligence.
Lack of Communication - Throughout the process, we often found ourselves waiting for calls, emails, or texts from Maria that never came. We had to constantly reach out for updates instead of being kept informed.
Unforgivable Mistake Before the Wake - The day before the wake in the U.S., we were shown the wrong deceased person--dressed in the clothing we had provided for our mother. A staff member insisted it was her, despite me repeatedly telling him my mother had no hair. It wasn't until I showed him a picture that he finally checked the name bracelet and realized their mistake. This level of negligence--failing to verify the full name and date of birth--is unacceptable. We were then told to wait an hour while they prepared our actual mother. Despite this major error, the manager we were promised never came to speak with us.
Insensitive Management - When I asked to speak with a manager for an explanation, I was connected with Chantelle Ferguson, the director. Instead of offering an apology, she was dismissive and cold, stating that "this is why we do these day-before check-ins." A mistake of this magnitude should never happen in the first place.
Unprofessional Follow-Up - Later, she called me back--not to apologize, but to accuse me of attempting to record our conversation without her consent. While that was my mistake for accidentally pressing the button, her tone was unprofessional and unnecessary, even making a comment like, "Not sure if you do this on a regular basis."
Delays in Documentation - The funeral home in Guatemala needed a document corrected before they could claim my mother's body. Despite the urgency, it took several days to get this done, and we only received it two hours before my mother was picked up. This added an enormous amount of unnecessary stress to an already difficult time.
The entire experience was frustrating and emotionally draining. For a place that deals with grieving families, their lack of communication, professionalism, and attention to detail is deeply concerning. Seeing so many other negative reviews only reinforces that this isn't an isolated incident. I sincerely hope they take these issues seriously and improve their services. read more
