Condolence Orders: How to Take a Funeral Order with Care

Why a funeral order is like no other

The customer isn’t ringing to ask about prices. They’re ringing because they’ve just lost someone. They’re rushed and shaken; they talk too fast or can barely talk at all. You’re the one who has to stay calm and get everything down correctly. A mistake on a ribbon can’t be put right the next day. It’s there at the funeral, in front of the family.

So how do you take a funeral order without making a hard day even harder? With a clear routine that you follow every time.

What to ask, in order

Write it on an order sheet; don’t rely on memory. Ask gently, but ask everything:

1. The name of the deceased. If it’s unusual, ask them to spell it out letter by letter. “Maria” and “Mariana” are not the same name.

2. Place and time. The chapel, the church or a home address? What time does the wreath need to be there? Funerals run to a fixed timetable, and late is not an option.

3. How the caller is related. Son, colleague, neighbour, company? The wording on the ribbon depends on it.

4. Budget and type. Wreath, funeral spray or bouquet? Don’t push for something “a bit more expensive”. Ask once, tactfully.

What to write on the ribbon or card

This is where most mistakes happen. Read the text back to the customer before you hang up, exactly as it will appear.

Depending on the country, the message goes on a ribbon across the wreath or on a card. Wording that always works:

“In loving memory” / “Forever in our hearts” / “Rest in peace” / “With deepest sympathy”

Then the signature, which shows the relationship:

“With love from all the family” / “Your loving wife and children” / “From your colleagues at [company]” / “With sympathy, the [surname] family”

A real example: if a work colleague calls, the message isn’t signed “With love from all the family”. It reads “From your colleagues in the Accounts Department”. It seems a small thing, but the family reads every message and will spot a mistake straight away.

Write the message in the family’s language. In languages where the wording changes with gender (Italian, Polish or Romanian, for example), check that it matches the person who has died. Check the spelling of names too, accents included. Don’t leave the text ambiguous.

Mistakes to avoid

Don’t rush the customer, even with ten orders waiting. A two-second pause costs you nothing, and it shows respect.

Don’t improvise the wording. If they don’t know what to write, suggest two options and let them choose. You do this every day; they do it once in a lifetime.

And always confirm the time and place in writing, by text message or WhatsApp. A wreath that arrives an hour late has nowhere left to go.