Managing 13 branches, 49 employees and hundreds of services per month is a good challenge as R Banks and Son Funerals Ltd looks to expand.
This article explains how the company provides an unparalleled and highly personalized level of service to its community thanks to financial confidence and a trusted reputation.
Here’s what we discuss:
Consistent service and a traditional mindset
R Banks was purchased in the 1960s by the grandfather of Carina Halliwell, the current managing director and employee for 23 years, who tries to maintain the personal touch in everything the company does.
Watch the video above to hear from Carina as she explains how Sage helps make time for the personal touch that keeps R Banks serving the community for generations to come.
This includes giving their talented employees the freedom to do what they do best while ensuring consistency at a reputational and brand level.
The staff are well known in Wigan, both familiar faces at Wigan Athletic ‘Lactics’ games and in other major sports, as part of their charitable work. Your personal relationships form the bonds that build trust in the company. However, this level of reputation building and personalization requires consistency, speed and accuracy to be successful.
Carina acknowledges the growth of her predecessors: “It just grew and grew. I think the big growth started in 2000, we had four branches then, and then my father pushed to make it bigger… That’s how we ended up becoming what we are now.”
We have 49 employees across all branches and everyone works hard, everyone puts their own stamp on things but makes them R Banks.
Carina Halliwell, Managing Director, R Banks and Son Funerals Ltd
A local business like no other
Whether it’s sponsoring shirts for local football teams or organizing funerals for Wigan Athletic fans with a full drive-by at The Brick Community Stadium, R Banks works with other local businesses to offer a complete funeral service.
According to Carina, the close-knit football community is there for each other, especially the Wigan Athletic fans: “We drive past the stadium and generally we call the stadium and let the staff know and sometimes they bring out some of the team.”
“Everyone knows everyone in the community who goes to Latics games and I think it brings people together.”
There is a protective element to this, as Carina explains: “It’s not just about the football, it’s not just about the match days, it’s about what they put into the local community.”
A trusting partnership
By involving other local businesses the impact is felt more broadly, keeping everything focused on Wigan and continuing to support the community, even if it is its own. This creates a trust that cannot be bought with marketing campaigns or government budgets.
Hill Florists is run by Adam Hill, who took over the family business founded by his mother and father in 1977 and has known Carina most of his life.
He explains: “My father first worked with Carina’s future grandfather… probably 45 years ago, and we’ve been working together ever since.”
Adam reflects on what makes R Banks so special: “As a family, for something as important as a funeral, you go to someone you trust.”
Adam knows this personally, as R Banks was the only choice to help the family after his parents died because of the trust they had built over decades of working together.
Regarding R Banks’ impact in the community, Adam continues: “People want to feel like their special moment matters and is treated individually, rather than in a standard format.”
(Sage) just really helps with everyday life so we can focus on the more important things.
Carina Halliwell
Reclaim time with Sage
Carina has seen the team’s financial confidence and efficiency grow since using Sage HR. This is only possible if employees are not hampered by manual administrative tasks and slow access to financial data.
She compares how it used to be: “20 years ago it took us a whole day to sort out payroll. Now we have Sage HR, so your timesheets are created automatically and everything is there, ready for you.”
Since payroll is completed in just a few hours, Carina says it “just saves so much time!”
The time and money saved goes back into the business so families “feel like we’re the only families we’re dealing with,” no matter how many funerals are taking place that day.
You know how much you pay each month… It calculates your hours for you. It does everything. It’s phenomenal!
Carina Halliwell
Final thoughts
When asked what she’s most proud of, Carina says it’s the employees who support the community: “I’m proud of my employees more than anything. I’m proud that together we’re a whole family.”
Choosing the right financial and HR software means R Banks can continue to provide exceptional and memorable services to future generations.
For more inspiring stories, visit our interactive EFL map to discover more companies behind the badge.
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