The Difference Between 5-Star and 4-Star Ratings is 'Deep Emotion' | Revealed by Analysis of 20,000 Reviews on 'Funeral Reviews'
Delight Inc. announced that an analysis of over 20,000 reviews on their 'Funeral Reviews' site revealed 'deep emotion' as the key differentiator between 5-star and 4-star ratings. Prompt procedures also tend to encourage review submissions.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 01:26 (13h 54m after Collected)
Delight Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Ryo Takahashi) released a report on April 23rd analyzing 20,092 reviews (target period: January 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026) posted on 'Funeral Reviews,' a specialized funeral review site operated by the company.
The analysis revealed that 'deep emotion' is what separates 5-star and 4-star reviews, and that prompt procedures tend to be a key factor in encouraging review submissions.
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Analyzing frequently used keywords | The difference between 5-star and 4-star is 'deep emotion'
Excerpt from 'Funeral Reviews' 20,000 review analysis report (Image 1)
Excerpt from 'Funeral Reviews' 20,000 review analysis report (Image 2)
5-star reviews frequently included keywords related to the depth of emotion and experience, such as 'care' (13.70%), 'feelings' (10.88%), 'on the day' (9.71%), and 'last/final' (9.13%).
On the other hand, 4-star reviews frequently featured keywords expressing gratitude for service quality, such as 'polite/careful' (27.92%), 'was helpful' (16.75%), and 'funeral hall' (15.91%).
4-star reviews primarily expressed gratitude for the smooth progression of the funeral. However, it was found that they did not reach the level of 'deep emotion,' thus remaining at 4 stars.
[Examples of 5-star reviews]
"The staff's warm and kind words saved my feelings many times."
"I consulted about putting Valentine's chocolates in my husband's coffin. They accepted my request and suggested placing the chocolates near his face. I was able to give him the best last gift."
"I felt at ease because the same person was in charge from the pre-consultation to the actual day."
[Examples of 4-star reviews]
"It was my first funeral, but the staff kindly taught me everything, which was very helpful."
"I felt their meticulous attention to detail in the meetings, the venue, and the decoration of the flower altar."
The difference in evaluation becomes even more pronounced when looking at keyword combinations.
Excerpt from 'Funeral Reviews' 20,000 review analysis report (Image 3)
Comparing review content by keyword combinations further clarifies the difference between 5-star and 4-star reviews.
5-star reviews showed combinations such as 'explanation × peace of mind' (3.34%), 'altar/flowers × beautiful' (2.75%), 'consultation × peace of mind' (2.64%), and 'consultation × polite' (2.56%). This suggests that customers felt value beyond standard service.
In particular, providing peace of mind during explanations and consultations is a crucial factor for achieving 5-star ratings.
[Examples of 5-star reviews]
Explanation × Peace of mind: "During the meeting, they accommodated our detailed requests and provided clear explanations, allowing us to entrust everything with peace of mind."
Altar/flowers × Beautiful: "The funeral flowers were also beautifully decorated, mainly in white."
Consultation × Peace of mind: "I was able to entrust procedures, arrangements, and consultations with peace of mind. When I was lost or worried, they also proposed and introduced solutions, which was very reassuring."
4-star reviews, on the other hand, showed combinations such as 'funeral hall/facility × good' (4.09%), 'progress/procedures × prompt' (3.91%), 'overall funeral × prompt' (3.82%), and 'progress/procedures × polite' (3.54%). While service quality was appreciated, it remained at 4 stars because it was within consumer expectations.
[Examples of 4-star reviews]
Funeral hall/facility × Good: "It was good to have accommodation where we could spend time comfortably."
Progress/procedures × Prompt: "They provided empathetic advice from the perspective of the bereaved family and promptly handled the procedures."
Characteristics of unposted reviews revealed by review analysis
The majority of reviews posted during the target period were high ratings of 5-star and 4-star. On the other hand, 3-star reviews were very few, only 99 cases, indicating that standard experiences that meet expectations are generally less likely to be posted as reviews.
While collecting 5-star reviews is important, it is also crucial to consistently gather 4-star reviews first to convey reliable reputation to consumers.
・Thoroughly implement polite service
・Avoid unnecessary cost items and offer plans suitable for consumers
・Pay attention to the appearance of the funeral hall, food, and flowers
By adhering to these basics, the likelihood of encouraging review submissions will increase.
For more detailed data, please check the report.
▼What you can learn from the review analysis report
Frequently used keywords and their combination patterns that differentiate 5-star and 4-star reviews
Specific service improvement points to promote review submissions
▼[Free] Download here (60 seconds to complete input)
https://forms.gle/qCt9zzX3gtm5URi8A
Analysis Overview
[Aggregation Conditions]
Analysis target: 20,092 publicly available reviews posted on 'Funeral Reviews'
(5-star: 17,8...
The analysis revealed that 'deep emotion' is what separates 5-star and 4-star reviews, and that prompt procedures tend to be a key factor in encouraging review submissions.
Receive the report for free
Analyzing frequently used keywords | The difference between 5-star and 4-star is 'deep emotion'
Excerpt from 'Funeral Reviews' 20,000 review analysis report (Image 1)
Excerpt from 'Funeral Reviews' 20,000 review analysis report (Image 2)
5-star reviews frequently included keywords related to the depth of emotion and experience, such as 'care' (13.70%), 'feelings' (10.88%), 'on the day' (9.71%), and 'last/final' (9.13%).
On the other hand, 4-star reviews frequently featured keywords expressing gratitude for service quality, such as 'polite/careful' (27.92%), 'was helpful' (16.75%), and 'funeral hall' (15.91%).
4-star reviews primarily expressed gratitude for the smooth progression of the funeral. However, it was found that they did not reach the level of 'deep emotion,' thus remaining at 4 stars.
[Examples of 5-star reviews]
"The staff's warm and kind words saved my feelings many times."
"I consulted about putting Valentine's chocolates in my husband's coffin. They accepted my request and suggested placing the chocolates near his face. I was able to give him the best last gift."
"I felt at ease because the same person was in charge from the pre-consultation to the actual day."
[Examples of 4-star reviews]
"It was my first funeral, but the staff kindly taught me everything, which was very helpful."
"I felt their meticulous attention to detail in the meetings, the venue, and the decoration of the flower altar."
The difference in evaluation becomes even more pronounced when looking at keyword combinations.
Excerpt from 'Funeral Reviews' 20,000 review analysis report (Image 3)
Comparing review content by keyword combinations further clarifies the difference between 5-star and 4-star reviews.
5-star reviews showed combinations such as 'explanation × peace of mind' (3.34%), 'altar/flowers × beautiful' (2.75%), 'consultation × peace of mind' (2.64%), and 'consultation × polite' (2.56%). This suggests that customers felt value beyond standard service.
In particular, providing peace of mind during explanations and consultations is a crucial factor for achieving 5-star ratings.
[Examples of 5-star reviews]
Explanation × Peace of mind: "During the meeting, they accommodated our detailed requests and provided clear explanations, allowing us to entrust everything with peace of mind."
Altar/flowers × Beautiful: "The funeral flowers were also beautifully decorated, mainly in white."
Consultation × Peace of mind: "I was able to entrust procedures, arrangements, and consultations with peace of mind. When I was lost or worried, they also proposed and introduced solutions, which was very reassuring."
4-star reviews, on the other hand, showed combinations such as 'funeral hall/facility × good' (4.09%), 'progress/procedures × prompt' (3.91%), 'overall funeral × prompt' (3.82%), and 'progress/procedures × polite' (3.54%). While service quality was appreciated, it remained at 4 stars because it was within consumer expectations.
[Examples of 4-star reviews]
Funeral hall/facility × Good: "It was good to have accommodation where we could spend time comfortably."
Progress/procedures × Prompt: "They provided empathetic advice from the perspective of the bereaved family and promptly handled the procedures."
Characteristics of unposted reviews revealed by review analysis
The majority of reviews posted during the target period were high ratings of 5-star and 4-star. On the other hand, 3-star reviews were very few, only 99 cases, indicating that standard experiences that meet expectations are generally less likely to be posted as reviews.
While collecting 5-star reviews is important, it is also crucial to consistently gather 4-star reviews first to convey reliable reputation to consumers.
・Thoroughly implement polite service
・Avoid unnecessary cost items and offer plans suitable for consumers
・Pay attention to the appearance of the funeral hall, food, and flowers
By adhering to these basics, the likelihood of encouraging review submissions will increase.
For more detailed data, please check the report.
▼What you can learn from the review analysis report
Frequently used keywords and their combination patterns that differentiate 5-star and 4-star reviews
Specific service improvement points to promote review submissions
▼[Free] Download here (60 seconds to complete input)
https://forms.gle/qCt9zzX3gtm5URi8A
Analysis Overview
[Aggregation Conditions]
Analysis target: 20,092 publicly available reviews posted on 'Funeral Reviews'
(5-star: 17,8...