Resources · Phone scripts
Funeral Price Call Script
A compassionate, ready-to-use script for callers asking about funeral home pricing. It leads with warmth, shares figures plainly, and never makes a grieving caller earn an answer.
Operational education — not legal advice.
This is operational education, not legal advice. The Funeral Rule is enforced by the FTC and its application can depend on your specific situation and state law. Always consult qualified counsel or current FTC guidance for compliance decisions.
Before the script
A price call is rarely just about price.
When someone calls to ask “how much does a cremation cost,” the question is plain — but the person rarely is. Many callers are recently bereaved and making their first call within hours of a death. Others are pre-planners, anxious about being a burden or being upsold, quietly testing whether a firm will treat them with respect.
That is why a price call script should lead with warmth, not with numbers. The figures matter, and a caller deserves them clearly and quickly. But the first few seconds — the acknowledgement, the unhurried tone, the absence of pressure — are what tell the caller whether this is a firm they can trust with something irreplaceable.
The script below is a starting point. Adapt the wording to how your firm actually speaks, fill in your current figures, and keep two things constant: the warmth at the open, and the principle that a caller never has to earn an answer.
The script
A walk-through, from hello to the next step.
Bracketed fields are placeholders — fill them with your firm's name, staff names, descriptions, and current figures. Read it aloud a few times so it sounds like a conversation, not a recital.
Warm opening & acknowledgement
“Thank you for calling [Funeral Home Name]. This is [Name]. How can I help you today?”
— If the caller is recently bereaved: I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for calling us. We'll take good care of you, and we can go at whatever pace feels right.
— If the caller is pre-planning or comparing options: I'm glad you called. There's no pressure here at all — I'm happy to walk you through what we offer and what it costs.
Offer the information without gatekeeping
“I can absolutely give you pricing right over the phone. You don't need to give me any of your information for that — I'll just answer your questions.”
“Would it help if I walked through a few of our most common options, or is there something specific you'd like the price for?”
Direct cremation
“Our direct cremation is [$____]. That covers [brief, plain description of what is included — for example, transportation into our care, the cremation process, and required paperwork].”
“Some families add [common options — e.g., an urn, additional certified copies of the death certificate]. I can give you those prices too if it would help.”
Cremation with a memorial or funeral service
“If you'd like cremation along with a service to gather and remember your loved one, that typically starts at [$____], depending on the choices you make.”
“I can give you a clearer figure once I know a little about what you have in mind — but I'm glad to give you the starting point now so you have a sense of it.”
Immediate or traditional burial
“For burial, an immediate burial is [$____]. A full traditional service with visitation and a graveside committal generally starts at [$____].”
“Cemetery costs — the plot, opening and closing, and any marker — are usually separate and paid to the cemetery directly. I can explain how that works whenever you're ready.”
Mention the General Price List (GPL)
“Everything I've mentioned is on our General Price List, which is a full, itemized list of every service and item we offer with its price.”
“I'd be glad to email or hand you a copy so you can look at it on your own time — whatever is easiest for you.”
The gentle next step
“There's no need to decide anything today. If it would help to sit down — by phone, video, or in person — we can talk through the options without any pressure.”
“If you'd like, I can set aside a time for that, or I can simply send the price list and you can call us back whenever you're ready. What would feel best for you?”
Guardrails
What not to do on a price call.
Don’t gatekeep prices behind a name or number.
The FTC's guidance indicates callers cannot be required to give their name, address, or phone number before receiving the price information they request. Lead with the answer. You can still warmly invite contact details afterward — most callers offer them readily once they feel cared for.
Don’t pressure the caller toward a decision.
A price call is information-gathering, not a close. Pushing for an appointment, an upgrade, or a commitment in the moment can feel jarring to someone in grief — and it works against the trust the call is meant to build. Offer the next step; let the caller choose it.
Don’t rush.
Speak slowly. Leave room for silence. A caller who is crying, distracted, or overwhelmed needs you to wait, not to fill the pause. The figures matter, but the tone is what the family will remember.
Don’t guess at a price.
If a figure genuinely depends on selections, say so plainly and give an honest starting point rather than inventing a precise number. An accurate "it starts at" is far better than a confident number that later changes.
Keep going
Companion resources.
Funeral Rule phone checklist
A practical, scannable checklist for handling price calls in line with the FTC Funeral Rule — built for whoever answers the phone.
Funeral home first-call script
A grief-sensitive script for the first call after a death — the warm opening, what to ask, and how to escalate to a director.
How FuneralWiseAI handles price calls
The same warmth, the same figures — on every call.
FuneralWiseAI is an AI answering service for funeral homes, built on the HEAR protocol — a grief-sensitive approach to listening. When a caller asks about pricing, the agent opens with acknowledgement, shares the figures the firm has provided without demanding identifying details first, and offers a gentle next step. Every caller hears a consistent, unhurried response, and the firm receives a structured summary of the call.
The agent supports the director's work rather than replacing it. A director remains the trusted professional who guides families through arrangements; the agent simply protects the dignity of that first response, including the calls that arrive after hours.
Hear a price call handled in your firm's voice.
We build every demo with your actual content. 15 minutes, no sales pitch — just the product on a real call.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why give pricing over the phone instead of asking the caller to come in?
Many callers — recently bereaved families, pre-planners, and executors — prefer to start with a phone call, and the FTC’s guidance indicates funeral providers must give price information over the telephone when asked. Answering willingly and warmly respects the caller and builds trust. You can still invite an in-person conversation as a next step.
Should staff collect the caller’s contact details during a price call?
You may invite contact details, and many callers will share them gladly. But the FTC guidance indicates callers cannot be required to give their name, address, or phone number before receiving the price information they request. Lead with the answer, then offer — never demand — to follow up.
How should the script handle prices that depend on the family’s choices?
Say so plainly. Give an honest starting figure — "it generally starts at" — rather than guessing a precise number. Offering to send the General Price List lets the caller see every itemized option and price on their own time.
Can we adapt this script for our funeral home?
Yes. The bracketed fields are placeholders for your firm’s name, staff names, descriptions, and current figures. Keep the warm opening and the no-gatekeeping principle intact, and review the wording so it reflects how your firm actually speaks and what your General Price List contains.
Is this script legal advice?
No. This is operational education to help funeral home staff handle price calls with care and consistency. The Funeral Rule is enforced by the FTC and its application can depend on your specific situation and state law. Always consult qualified counsel or current FTC guidance for compliance decisions.