Helping hands when customers need it most

At Rowland Brothers International, when our phones ring or electronic communications are sent to us, we know from the outset that this means a loss of life and our team is ready to take the call and manage the request for help. These initial conversations are never easy, and we never know what state of mind the caller is going to be in when the first contact is made with us.

As with any line of business where teams are interacting directly with family members and managing difficult conversations following an incident abroad or at home, it is crucial that our teams have adequate training to manage the calls and receive ongoing continuous support throughout the incident.

Recruitment is key – identifying the right people from the start

The mindset for the job starts from the very first time that we interview for a position. Expectations are set for those applying for a job with us, ensuring that they fully understand that we are funeral directors and are based at Rowland Brothers’ Funeral Directors HQ with its own mortuary and chapels of rest. We stress the importance of being able to view a deceased person and communicate with family members face-to-face as well as by telephone or electronic communication. It is important that the applicant understands that we are not just hiring them for their ability to communicate in a foreign language; they will be required to be comfortable walking through all areas of our funeral home and ensuring that a family’s loved one is taken care of in accordance with family wishes. Our team need to take ownership of the cases they are managing and provide a compassionate and respectful service throughout.

Knowing each member of our team … and when they may be struggling is all part of our duty of care towards our team

Once an applicant is successful, from day one our training programme begins with an intense induction programme and initial introduction to funeral services. During week one, we ensure that viewing of a deceased person takes place. This is to ensure the new hire is fully aware of our role and requirements in managing repatriation cases. If there is any doubt that this is not the job they are looking for, both parties will know during the first week of employment.

Training, learning and terminology

Once week one is over, intensive training starts with familiarisation with funeral terminology – as unless one comes to us from a prior funeral background, the correct terminology will not be known. There is also telephone etiquette training, bereavement training with our bereavement counsellor team at the Rowland Brothers Foundation – where all aspects of communicating with bereaved families are taught and the stages of grief are covered to provide a good understanding of the various stages the bereaved family members could be in when communicating with us – as well as self-care when managing repatriation cases, and a reminder that our bereavement counsellor team are always available for support throughout.

Group classroom training sessions, one-to-one training and buddy training sessions take place. There is a lot of material to cover on each type of repatriation arrangement we handle. We aim to complete training on all case types within six months, acknowledging that some may complete their training sooner while others may take longer. Even after training is complete, the learnings are never-ending. There will always be something new: a change in international regulations, a new case in a part of the world where one has not had a previous case, a major incident; the list is endless.

Ongoing support for the case managers is vital

The management team at Rowland Brothers International work very closely with their operations team members. They are aware of the number of cases being handled by each of their team members and the type of cases they are managing. They know their teams, and are able to detect if a team member is struggling with any particular case, for example if the cause of death is a trigger for them on a personal level. Open communication, talking about cases within the office to management and co-workers, is encouraged, and takes place on a daily basis. Our team have the support and guidance required each day; they know they are not alone, and as a team, everyone supports each other. Talking about the difficulties and complexities of cases is encouraged and supported throughout our company. It is vital at the end of a shift that our team are able to go home and switch off until the next day. They cannot change the outcome of the situation for the family – as long as they have done all that they can for the day, set realistic expectations and timelines, there is nothing more they can do.

Timelines for repatriations vary depending on the cause of death, location of death, international regulations, and flight availability to accommodate the transfer of a coffin – certain aspects are within our team’s control, and others are not. Repatriation cannot take place until the local authorities provide all of the necessary permissions for repatriation to go ahead. Our team always aim to manage the repatriation in a timely manner once the final go-ahead is authorised; it is not in our interests to delay the process.

Understanding, guiding and supporting

Knowing each member of our team, being able to read their body language, knowing what type of cases they are managing and when they may be struggling is all part of our duty of care towards our team. We are always available to guide, help or request additional support from our specialised bereavement counsellor team to ensure we take care of our team and support them every step of the way. Our team’s wellbeing while they are managing traumatic calls for help from distressed relatives on a daily basis is top of our agenda, and vital to the effective management of our daily repatriation cases.

In addition to the support from our management team and in-house bereavement counsellor team, Rowland Brothers International provides our team with a couple of alternative helplines run independently outside our company for anyone wishing to seek help on a private, confidential basis.

Our teams are trained to manage all their cases with care, compassion, dignity and respect for the families we serve. They are also trained to take care of themselves throughout and seek support when needed for their wellbeing.