I guess that I can't give a review regarding the after life customer service given to family once I die!!!!!! But let me tell u how terrible customer service is wen trying to get a double payment (in error on my part I may add n regrettable to the ninth degree) n getting the financial Dept to reimburse my bank acct. It has been one excuse after the other....1st the error was made on 6/25 n a call to them later in the day to explain this error n ask for the refund was never placed in the comments area of my acct!!!!!! Not till 7/1 did I speak to n e one that accknowleged that things wud be taken care of since this is the 1st time comments were placed in my records. Talked to them 2 more times they said paperwk had to be taken care of by "upper"(intelligence) n wud be 7 to 10 days.....then day before yesterday made ANOTHER call to be told again 7-10 days...I said I shud just not have bothered since my July pmt wud be do soon...n I hung up in her face....she called back said we must have been cut off (if only) n proceeded to leave a message saying that the matter went to....wherever n wud basically be talked care if????!!!!! Today I called back n still no talk as to wen the refund wud be taken care of...have to admit by this time I told her I am NOT A F**KN BULL WITH A RING IN MY NOSE TO BE LEAD AROUND IN CIRCLES...then the call is dropped. I called back requested to speak to supervisor or higher the person on the other side said she was the manager cud she help....another explaintion n now the BS started...talking about the previous call n me saying might as well just keep it n apply to July pmt then no pmt due till Aug!!!!!..... My answer was that was NOT WAT I SAID N THE MESSAGE TO ME WAS THE PMY WUD BE TAKEN CARE OF...N E QUESTIONS PLS CALL.BLAH BLAH BLAH!!!! I called today cuz no reimbursement shown on my bank stmt n the previous day's conversation about applying the pmt to July bill....OMG....does n e body feel me....I just hope the customer service isn't as inept wen someone calls to report my death... course I'll be dead n won't know...will I !!!!!!!!!!!!! Rate at a 4 because of the financial dept n there lack of customer service read more

When I called Smart Cremations to arrange for my Mom's end of life services - I had the beautiful good fortune of meeting the most exquisite human being William Gupton "Trey" - if I could have crawled through the telephone line to speak with him live - I would have. I was sad, exhausted & emotionally drained after just enduring a very long and painful 3 month journey with my Mom; spending every single day by her side in the hospital for those 3 very difficult months! I am one of those people who believe we receive gifts along our life's journey ....Trey was "my gift" at a moment in my life where I needed someone on the other end of a telephone to help me process & deal with my Mom's final arrangements, who was as special as Trey! He exemplified human kindness in a way that touched my heart so deeply - during a time in life - like no other - losing your beloved Mom! We all have to go through this journey & what I can say is Trey eased my tears & went beyond "just doing his job" he was genuine, he was kind, he was patient, he was warm hearted & spirited, he was respectful ---he was all the mixed ingredients I needed after losing something so precious in my world, my beloved Mom He took extra time & care with me - I think he knew how much I needed the extra TLC - and Trey delivered every single step of the way ! He also went above & beyond .....he followed my case & ensured all went smoothly and circled back more than once to make sure all was well.....I can't tell you in words what Trey meant for me at that point in my life - it's so deeply profound - I don't know if there are words to express the depth of my gratitude & how 1 complete stranger could impact my life in such an incredible way - he will truly be someone I hold very special to my heart - forever! read more

My mom and my aunt (her sister) both purchased the Smart Cremation many years ago. They both have passed away, a few years ago. It was so easy to make a phone call to Smart and they took care of everything. They had purchased their plans when they lived in Northern California and both had moved several times and were living in Southern California when they passed away. You never know where you will be when your time comes. You may be living in a different area or even on vacation or visiting family far away from where you lived when you made your purchase. When my brother passed away a year ago, it was unexpected and he didn't have anything set up. He lived in a different state, I had driven out to be with him, and I didn't know what to do. I started calling local cremation services and got all kinds of crazy price quotes, way too expensive. They knew I was in a position that I needed to have something done immediately. I called a company and their price was more than I could afford. I was about to hang up when the guy said to hold on and he transferred me to another employee that could give me a better price. He dropped it to less than half the price of the first quote, so I took it. It was a huge headache to say the least. I was so glad to have dealt with Smart Cremation on the prior incidents. Since then I have recommended them to several friends that had family members that were ill and elderly. Now it's my turn to sign up. I just requested a quote from them today so while I was on their website I decided to write a review. I know from experience how easy it is to have it planned out. You don't want to be calling around when you have so many other things to worry about. read more

Can there possibly be a more difficult task than making decisions and arrangements for one's most beloved person immediately after their death? When my husband, John, passed away I had to set aside jarring grief to face the utilitarian tasks of what to do with his body. I know many people make these arrangements in advance, but we hadn't. How could my mind function well enough to do this? Hospice connected us to Smart Cremation and I had the great blessing to be contacted by William Gupton. My clearest memory of working with William is the way he personally reached out to me and seemed to understand the special love I shared with John, and that this was much more than a business arrangement. I appreciated his sensitivity; but he was also knowledgeable and efficient in handling the necessary details. He informed me of available options and pricing but never tried to lead me to more expensive choices once I made a decision. He never seemed like a "salesman" but rather a partner in completing a daunting responsibility. I will gratefully share my experience with others in the hopes of lessening their burden during what is likely a very traumatic period. I know my burden was lightened by this company and by William. Thank you, William (Trey), for your compassion and professionalism during an intense and sorrowful time. You may remember that we talked about my gratitude for the love John and I shared. As deep as my grief was, my gratitude was even stronger. It still is. I'll always remember your empathy; I'll always remember your kindness. Thank you so much. Linda read more

My name is Ronald Addison, and if you're reading this, you're anticipating orchestration of your final act on the stage called life. As a recent widower, I want to share my experiences involving the Smart Cremation family. Just as you, I believed that due to our taking ownership of our final arrangements, we were totally prepared. Nothing could have been further from the truth, as questions arose about licensing laws, permits, etc. which I had not previously considered. While my loss remains fresh in my consciousness, I want to take a moment and give a shout-out,... a word of Thank-you, to my funeral director, Ms. Markia Gupton, MSW, whose expertise, guidance, humaneness and laughter made working through one of my life's difficult and stressful periods, a little less so. As you may have noticed, I referred to the 'Smart Cremation "family,"' because just like a family member, Smart Cremation, under the direction of Ms. Gupton, were there for me,... as I'm certain they will be there for you. Additionally, my survivors has been instructed to execute my final wishes, using Smart Cremation. I met a stranger I now call friend. So, while making those final arrangements, give Smart Cremation a consideration. Again, Markia, Thank-you. Ronald Carl Addison A Smart Cremation Client read more

My Mother had chosen Smart Cremation prior to her death and gave me their card to keep in my wallet for when the time came. Last week that time came. One phone call was all it took. I was treated with dignity and respect throughout the process. They came to my Mother's house and took her to their facility and then transported her to Fullerton the following day. I spoke with both Connie and Peggy and they arranged a viewing that same day for myself and my sister. My sister lives out of state and missed saying goodbye to her Mother by 19 hours, so the viewing was very important for her to see and speak to our Mother. That time with the three our us was very special, allot of laughter and tears. After my Mother was cremated, she was delivered to me at my home by two very special men. The gentlemen that brought my Mother to me were dressed respectively, knelt down next to me and explain about the box my Mother was in and asked what my final wishes for her are. At this time I do not know, so he gave me a couple of suggestions and how to go forward with those if I choose to. This is a very hard time for me as I lost my Mother. Smart Cremation made the process so smooth,which allowed me to place my focus/energy on other family matters. read more

I am so grateful that I met with David today. I entered the diner and was immediately greeted by one of the nicest men I have had a pleasure to meet. I have to admit I attended the seminar with a heavy heart and after sitting and listening to David and his expertise on the entire cremation process I without hesitation completed my final arrangements and left the facility feeling relieved and happy knowing a major burden had been resolved. There were a lot of factors which made me take the direction I took, each one explained clearly and completely by David. He took his time, never rushed or made me feel obligated at any point to secure my future needs. I went to the seminar to make these arrangements easy for my family, but after meeting with David.....it became very clear to me, that I was doing this for myself, knowing the very special care I would be receiving after my journey here on earth was done. Thank you David for your professionalism and the caring manner in which you handled such a delicate situation.......you are indeed an asset to the Smart Cremation Family. Thank you Smart Cremation for all the wonderful benefits your company provides to those of us who have the pleasure of being in your care. Gratefully, Debbie G read more

I lost my husband of 49 years on August 27, 2015. I had the pleasure of having Tonda Stewart White to help me thru this sad process. Not only does she have a kind heart, she is compassionate, understanding and very professional. Every time she said she was going to call me she did. When they picked up my husband from the hospital she called. That's important wanting to know where he is. When he arrived at his destination she called me. When they cremated him, she called me and when he was on the way home she called me. And even checked in to see if he arrived. I am fully aware that this business is a sad business so its hard to be up beat not knowing how the client is going to react but Tonda has a gift of kindness that just makes you feel good. She deserves a big kudo and a raise because of her follow thru me and three of my friends are buying a pre planned cremation package. I want to thank her very much for getting me thru this trying time. I was originally going to go with Neptune but my friend had used Smart Cremation in Oregon and was very pleased so he told me try them in California, and I am glad I did. Not only did I get great service, but it was half the cost of Neptune. Thank you Smart Cremation. Myra S read more

It is sad to read the experiences of the other families that felt inclined to give a 1-star rating based on their experiences with Smart Cremation. My experience was very different and through the very difficult loss of my veteran dad who lived in California, while I live in Arizona, I could not have felt more taken care of from the very beginning with Tiffany Sias first, Markia second, and through the whole process by Susan Thomas. They were all very understanding, compassionate, and did a great job of explaining the process to me. Because I worked mostly with Susan Thomas, I must point out how thorough and kind she was with great follow up and service throughout. It looks as if many of the complaints were in regards to being able to get in touch with a representative or delivery of the remains. I had neither of these problems in the slightest. I was able to get in touch with Susan easily and the delivery of my dad's remains occurred as expected. I will continue to work with Susan as the memorial service I intend to have for my dad will include an honor guard that Susan will help me organize, I rest assured that she will continue to deliver the compassionate and effective service I received all along. read more

Director Susan Thomas and Connie Swain were extremely caring and efficient in all matters concerning the handling of my Aunt's cremation remains and Death Certificate. My Aunt's beautiful cherry urn was not found in her apartment ( she had pre-purchased it ) and it was replaced by Smart Cremation so that her remains were safely sent from California to Michigan. Later they also sent a second Death Certificate to our family because the first needed to be amended with final causes from the coroner. All said, they were very caring and efficient and answered every email and telephone call with empathy and kind service. They also gave many references to help answer questions and guide us through the process with care. You can imagine the difficulty of our family in Michigan losing an elder Aunt ,long distance, who was without family in California to care for her matters. We were guided and informed of all details. I can tell you that I called and emailed many times to get clarity of the issues and they always answered my questions or gave reference ideas. They were extremely patient. In a strange way it helped with the grieving process long distance. Thank you from the Family read more

My husband and I selected SMART CREMATION a couple of years ago, we thought it would be a good idea to be prepared when the time came. Theo came to the house and explained the process in detail and we signed up. Little did I know that only 2 years hence I would have to use those services. My beloved husband of 52 years passed away 3 weeks ago. In this most difficult time I was fortunate to have SMART CREMATION in my corner. They handled everything with professionalism and courtesy. From calling SS to getting me the necessary paperwork, from calling and inquiring about my wellbeing, Shay had the death certificate prepared in 3 days, therefore the cremation process was handled smoothly and efficiently by Tonda who was especially kind and very helpful during this time of grief for my family. My husband's ashes were delivered to me by a kind gentleman who also invited me to his church. Anyone looking for a cremation service I can say with honesty that SMART CREMATION was there for me, from beginning to end, with kindness and understanding. I am grateful. THANK YOU read more

My parents bought the pre-need plan years ago. My father passed away in 2012 and Smart Cremations did a great job in taking care of all the details in a timely fashion. My mother passed away last month and Smart Cremations picked her up from our home within hours of her passing. The cremation process took six days which was about the same as my Dad's. Since I live out of the area, Connie kept Mom's ashes until we were able come to Orange County to receive them. They were scheduled to be delivered on a Friday and we set up her memorial service for Saturday. Connie called to inform me that their delivery personnel were very busy that day and the delivery of Mom's ashes might be delayed. After I explained about our memorial plans and that family had travelled a considerable distance to attend, Connie put forth extra effort to prevail upon the delivery personnel to make the delivery. We received her ashes at 7:30 pm on Friday which means they went above and beyond to accommodate us. Thank you so much for providing us such great service. read more

I went to a seminar in Sun City, CA. Was very surprised at how little I knew about the process. When My father passed {he took care of all the arrangements - cremation - for my mother} we all knew that he wanted to be cremated. It was so simple and all taken care of for their 4 children. I have known for 45 or 50 years that I wanted to be cremated and was blessed to have Shannon be the person who took us through the whole process. You never know what you don't know. Shannon was very gentle with touchy subjects,very direct regarding every aspect when we asked questions. I am so glad I ended up in a group of people who asked questions that I had not even thought of, and had a person that answered each and everyone of us. Shannon has also been available when I had other questions or had not taken complete notes. I would/will certainly send people to your company when I have the opportunity. Thanks again Shannon, it was a very comforting experience. read more

We have been so pleased with Smart Cremation in every aspect of their service. During a very difficult time, I was helping my grandma with the passing of her husband of 58 years. Smart Cremation was happy to correspond with me as the grandma was not able to handle a lot of the information. Tonda was friendly and helpful the entire time. They walked me through everything and kept us posted on all the details. If I (or my grandma) every had a question, they were quick to respond with the answer. They took care of everything they said they would and more!! It has made a difficult time, a lot more pleasant because of people like Tonda at Smart Cremations. I would highly recommend them!! We have absolutely no negative comments about our time with them. Thank you all at Smart Cremation for your hard work, effort and time put in to our family. It has been greatly appreciate by myself, my grandma and our family. :) read more

I would like to thank Connie Swain for her excellent care, compassion & service. My Husband of 22 years passed away Aug 27th, and felt that they handled everything in a way that allowed me not to have to worry how my husband was treated. Connie was my angel in my time of grief. Any question I had, she was prompt in responding. I felt she was a family member that I could count on to get everything right, down to handling my husbands arrangements to be interred in a Military National Cemetary. If I have any other questions, I know she will be there to help me. I have my own contract with Smart Cremation, and when my time comes, I know my children wont have to worry about the funeral arrangements, and worry about the cost involved. One of the smartest things my husband & I ever did for each other & our children. I tell everyone I know about Smart Cremation & how great you folks are. Sincerely Sharon read more

The only words I can use are kind, helpful, understanding and available. From the moment we first contacted Connie Swain at Smart Cremations until my mother-in-laws ashes were delivered, Connie was able to handle all our questions, address all of our issues and provide helpful information along the way to ensure we got through this tough time as smoothly as possible. She provided us with great direction throughout the process, and if the rest of the people working at Smart Cremations are as caring as her, anyone who uses this funeral home will be in good hands. One suggestion - the people who are the answering service for Smart Cremations need to identify themselves immediately when they answer. At times we thought we were talking to someone from Smart Cremations only to find out that it was their answering service. Other than that, it was a great company to work with, given the circumstances. read more

I contacted accu-care but they did not offer in house Pre-need cremation contracts. They have Smart Cremation as their sister company that offered pre-need contracts. At first I was a bit wary of all this. Honestly it was for nothing. Connie was our counselor with Smart Cremation. She was the best! She knew exactly what we were going through and made the process super easy for my family. Connie was diligent in helping us each step of the way. She sent everything to us in a timely manner and "held our hands" though each piece of paper work. I could call her personally with any question I had - and I had plenty! Connie was always happy to hear from me and listened to all my worries and queries. Smart Cremation kept us in the loop. They delivered the remains on time and in the most respectful manner. My dad was very satisfied with their service, as am I. Connie you're the best! read more

Dealing with the death of a parent is a traumatic and emotionally difficult time for anyone. My father passed away on Dec. 26, 2015. He was always the one we all relied on for answers, and he took the most amazing care of his family for his entire life, even after his passing. My dad made arrangements with Smart Cremation a few years before his death as he wanted the process to go as smoothly as possible for his family. I want to personally thank Markia Gupton for guiding me through the process of my dad's cremation, viewing, death certificate, and other paperwork. Markia's kindness and professionalism was a beacon to me during this stressful time. She was available whenever I had a question or a concern, and returned emails or phone calls in record time. It takes a special type of person to do this difficult job, and Markia is indeed special. Thank you again for all your help. read more

The passing of my 44 year-old daughter on June 11, 2015 was not expected. I had purchased two cremation packages a few years earlier for me and my mom. I had already used the prepaid Smart Cremation package when my mother died in 2013. Without hesitation I called Smart Cremation immediately after my daughters passing. Markia made the process easy to set up the cremation process and coordinate with the hospital. Markia was helpful, thoughtful, and patient over the phone when I set up the service. There was no pressure for payment. Tanda was my contact thereafter. Tanda was also very helpful and answered all of my questions about getting the ashes and death certificates. I am comforted that this will be an easy experience for my loved ones when my time comes. I recommend Smart Cremation for those wanting this service. The price is competitive and the service is excellent. read more