Ingrid Benson

My current position is the Advance Funeral Planner for our 3 rooftops at Brainard and Helke Funeral Homes. This position has been the most rewarding and fulfilling roles i have ever held. The peace of mind, comfort and education that we are able families is an immensely gratifying experience. My duties at the funeral home included but were not limited to,

• Coordinated funeral service pre-arrangements to ensure client satisfaction and adherence to family wishes.
• Collaborated with community organizations to promote awareness of funeral services and bereavement support options.
• Established trust among clients by consistently delivering exceptional service while maintaining sensitivity towards their needs.
• Maintained facility cleanliness, ensuring a welcoming environment for all families.
• Discuss pre-arranged funeral options and explained pricing to clients while ensuring accuracy and transparency throughout the process.
• Promoted funeral service merchandise such as caskets, urns, outer burial containers and flowers.
• Developed strong relationships within the community through outreach initiatives and networking events.
• Managed family files and record-keeping with accuracy and confidentiality.
• Streamlined operations with effective communication between staff, clients, and vendors.
• Facilitated pre-planning consultations, guiding clients through complex decision-making processes.
• Collaborated with clergy members to plan meaningful and educational advanced planning seminars.
• Improved community relations with engaging public outreach programs.
• Conducted pre-planning consultations, assisting individuals in making informed decisions about their own or loved one's final arrangements.

During my Funeral Director Apprenticeship, I also took on the role of the locations Grief Care Coordinator. During this time I was continuing to offer support to families, and our Aftercare program felt like a natural progression. My role as advance funeral planner does not allow for much spare time, but I continue to offer support and ideas to our current Aftercare Coordinator Beth.

My role allowed me to complete the following -

• Developed resource guides for bereaved families, enhancing support services
• Built strong relationships with clients to deliver emotional support and companionship.
• Assessed patient needs and connected them with appropriate resources to ensure optimal outcomes.
• Provided emotional support for patients and families during difficult times, fostering resilience and coping skills.
• Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
• Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Coordinated grief focused events, ensuring seamless execution and adherence to timelines.
• Coordinated schedules and timelines for events.
• Making contact with every family served to offer grief resources and support in a timely manner equaling to about 30-40 families a month

A few months after I began my career at Brainard and Helke Funeral Home, I was ready to grow into a more active and fulfilling role. This is where I came to appreciate how much goes into caring for families when a death occurs. This time had a massive impact on me and helped me realize how gratifying and enriching it is to care for families in this meaningful way.

My role as an apprentice included but was not limited to,

• Providing compassionate support to families during transfers, services, burials and arrangements.
• Managing logistics for transportation of deceased individuals to and from facilities.
• Established trust among families by consistently delivering exceptional service while maintaining sensitivity towards their needs.
• Managed all aspects of funeral arrangements for smooth and thoughtful service delivery.
• Independently facilitated cremation memorial services at funeral homes, churches and gravesides.

My time as a funeral assistant is what began my career in the funeral industry as a whole. During this time my role included but was not limited to,

• Assisted families during funeral services, ensuring comfort and support during difficult times.
• Maintained cleanliness and organization of preparation areas, enhancing operational efficiency and safety
• Coordinated logistics for transportation of deceased, ensuring timely and respectful services.
• Supported staff in setup and breakdown of services, contributing to seamless event execution.

I wanted to address the large gap in my work experience here as well. A large portion of this gap was due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. When Covid hit, i was laid off from my job at Red Eye Brewing. On October 15th 2020, my husband and I moved to the country of Belize for a year. We had sold our home a month before the pandemic hit, and we took this as our opportunity to live in solitude in the jungle for a period of time. We took on small gardening projects, community service including preparing meals for locals, and even offered some small groundskeeping services to friends we made while living there. Due to the low cost of living in Belize we were able to be self sufficient for an extended period of time.

This was a time of exponential growth for both my husband and I. I cannot imagine that we will ever have an opportunity like this again until retirement, and i am forever grateful that we made this happen for ourselves. This time proved to me that we can truly do anything we set our minds to, and it is up to us to make it happen.

My time at Red Eye Brewing was a great stepping stone for my career in customer care. This is where I learned my foundation in meeting customers needs and providing excellent service in a timely manner. My duties included but were not limited to,

• Served high customer volumes during special events, nights, and weekends
• Provided exceptional customer service, fostering a welcoming atmosphere for patrons.
• Trained and mentored new servers and bartenders on procedures and company policies.
• Collaborated with kitchen staff to ensure timely food preparation and delivery.
• Trained new servers on menu details, service standards, and operational procedures.
• Resolved guest complaints promptly and professionally to maintain positive relationships.

I started off at Urban Street Bistro as a Part Time Assistant helping primarily with catering events, and quickly grew to a full time employee helping with nearly every aspect of the business. This long list of duties I took on but is not limited to,

• Delivered exceptional customer service in fast-paced environment, ensuring positive dining experiences.
• Operated kitchen equipment and maintained cleanliness standards to comply with health regulations.
• Assisted in training new crew members in all aspects of the business procedures and policies.
• Resolved customer inquiries and complaints promptly, contributing to overall satisfaction ratings.
• Improved customer satisfaction by providing friendly and efficient service at all events.
• Enhanced client satisfaction by providing personalized wedding catering services tailored to individual preferences.
• Assisted in training new staff on bartending, drink preparation and customer service protocols.
• Operated and ran food truck at various locations and events.