Order Facts: The Required Information Every Order Needs
The biographical and factual data you must collect from every customer — and why missing any of it creates costly delays.
Why Facts Matter More Than You Think
In the monument industry, a single wrong letter in a name or a transposed date doesn't just mean a recut — it means a family receiving incorrect information carved into something that lasts forever. The stakes are higher here than in almost any other trade.
Facts are non-negotiable. Options can be changed with a phone call. Facts, once cut, require a recut at your expense.
The shops that run clean, low-revision operations share one habit: they collect every required fact upfront, verify it in writing, and never start production without a signed proof.
The Required Facts Checklist
📋 Deceased Information
- →Full legal name — exactly as it should appear on the monument (first, middle, last). Ask: "How do you want the name to read — exactly?"
- →Birth date — month, day, year. Confirm format (Jan 1, 1942 vs. January 1, 1942 vs. 1/1/1942)
- →Death date — same format confirmation
- →Birth city/state (if included) — some families want birthplace noted
- →Veteran status — branch of service, rank, years served, war era. Required for veteran emblems and can affect pricing
👪 Family / Purchaser Information
- →Purchaser full name — legal name for the contract
- →Relationship to deceased — spouse, child, sibling, etc.
- →Phone number — primary contact for proof approvals
- →Email address — for digital proof delivery and records
- →Mailing address — for the file and any mailed documents
⛪ Cemetery & Installation Information
- →Cemetery name
- →Cemetery city and state
- →Section, lot, and grave number — critical for installation. If the family doesn't have this, they need to get it from the cemetery before you can schedule
- →Cemetery foundation requirements — some cemeteries require specific foundation specs; verify before quoting
- →Existing monument or marker? — is this a companion stone, addition, or replacement?
🔤 Inscription Details (Facts, Not Design)
- →Epitaph or personal inscription — the exact text, character for character. Have them write it down or type it. Do not transcribe verbally from memory.
- →"Beloved husband/wife/father/mother" — family relationship text, if any
- →Religious verse or scripture — exact text with book, chapter, and verse
The Verification Rule
Never begin production without a signed proof that includes all facts.
Send the proof, require a signature (digital is fine), and keep it on file. When a family says "that's not what I wanted," your signed proof is the record that protects you.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- →❌ Writing dates from memory after a phone call — always confirm in writing
- →❌ Assuming the spelling of a name — ask: "Can you spell that for me?"
- →❌ Skipping veteran branch/rank — this affects emblems and sometimes pricing
- →❌ Not confirming the cemetery plot number — you cannot schedule installation without it
- →❌ Transcribing epitaphs verbally — always get it in writing from the family