Our Customer Service Specialist's personal experience with bereavement

The impact of a caring funeral provider

Ever since her mother Janice passed away when she was a teenager, Deanna Badham always felt she would like to work in the funeral industry.

“It comes from having lost people quite young and having to be part of funerals from a young age,” said Deanna, 52, who lives in the West Midlands.

“I was only 15 when my mum died, and one of the things that has always stayed with me from that time was how much care and compassion the funeral directors showed us.

“During what was obviously a desperately sad time, they were a really comforting presence and handled everything with such kindness and reverence.

"Long after the service was over and everyone had gone home, looking back at the way they carried out their responsibilities left a lasting impression.”

Deanna's role at Distinct Cremations

Deanna spent 30 years in retail before joining our Cannock-based business, Distinct Cremations, as a Customer Service Specialist in January 2023.

As part of our direct cremation service, the deceased is washed, but there is no embalming or viewings. For the service itself, we offer both unattended cremation and intimate small attended cremations all held at Westerleigh Group crematoriums across England, Scotland and Wales.

Deanna is the first point of contact for people calling to say that someone has passed or to request information about taking out a pre-paid funeral plan.

“I deal with all aspects of the business. This could be taking a call from someone who is planning for an imminent passing, or who has lost someone in the past couple of hours, to someone looking to take out a funeral plan.”

The importance of care at a time of grief

Deanna describes working in the funeral industry as a vocation rather than a career.

“A skilled operator understands that every client is navigating the early stages of grief, so you need to achieve a careful balance of empathy with clear delivery of practical information.

“You are dealing with people during one of the most stressful periods of their lives. We are here to support them with compassion.

“It can be challenging, but surprisingly most people who contact us are calm. They know organising the funeral is something they must do and are bravely getting on with it.

“Given the nature of the business we work in, the office is not a sombre place. I arrive each morning with a spring in my step, as I look forward to a rewarding day, helping families when they need support the most."

Benefits of a simplified cremation

Deanna says not everyone feels up to having to go through a tradition funeral service process with a hearse and limousines and mourners dressed in black.

“For some, it's a great relief not to have to deal with all that. Traditional funerals can be emotionally taxing, whereas opting for a simpler send-off means you still retain the option of holding a more celebratory memorial later.

“And, as with any cremation service, there's the option to focus on scattering the deceased's ashes in a meaningful location to the family at some point in the future.”

Planning ahead with a funeral plan

She says many people also opt to take out a pre-paid funeral plan to pay for their own funeral in advance to protect their family in the event of their death.

Pre-paid funeral plans are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

“They know it is invariably going to be a very difficult time and want to make things as easy as they can for the loved ones they will be leaving behind.

“It means they can plan a funeral according to their preferences. This gives them more autonomy as well as easing the burden on costs by handling the expenses in advance.”

Choosing the right people makes a difference

At Distinct Cremations we are part of Westerleigh Group, one of the UK’s largest independent owners and operators of cemeteries and crematoria. We use the group’s 41 crematorium and facilities across the country.

Customer care professionals such as Deanna undergo a thorough selection and training process to ensure they are the right person for the job.

This extends beyond traditional classroom instruction through to immersion in the entire funeral process itself with visits to crematoria and mortuaries.

Deanna says her job gives her great job satisfaction.

“It was something I knew I wanted to do 20 years ago, and I am so glad I finally made the decision to do it. It’s the perfect job for me.”

There has been a steep rise in the number of direct cremations with demand increasing from just 3% in 2019 to 20% in 2023.*

On average, our direct cremations are 71% cheaper than a traditional funeral.**

* In 2019 direct cremation uptake was 3% and in 2023 it was 20%, SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2024, sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs **66% saving is based on the cost of a basic funeral at £4,141 (SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2024, sunlife.co.uk/ funeral-costs) vs the cost of a Distinct Cremations direct cremation at £1,399.