A few years ago, Clay Bruggeman couldn’t have told you that he’d be where he is today.

Most people wouldn’t have. There were many people who told him directly that his proposed business model carried many flaws.

Two years later and plenty of success later, he owns and operates Into Our Kare Innovative Funeral Services.

His services are truly one of a kind: 100% mobile funeral services. No big funeral home building. No waiting area. Into Our Kare can host on-site or home-based visitations anywhere:

• At a family’s home
• At nursing homes
• Nearly any destination in North Carolina

Hear Clay’s story, see how Into Our Kare operates, and learn how Into Our Kare has taken their business to the next level with Gather.

The Legacy of Into Our Kare Innovative Funeral Services

Based in central North Carolina, Into Our Kare was officially registered as a business in 2021. They differentiate themselves based on the fact that they are truly mobile. His business is based out of a large coach van that can serve as a viewing room.

This idea was born out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, because many families were unable to view their loved ones in a controlled environment.

This business model taps into the everchanging needs of consumers, and offers families a different option when it comes to remembering their loved one.

Into Our Kare is based out of North Carolina.

In their first year in business, Into Our Kare outpaced their projected case volume by 400%, and the outlook is continuing to look bright in Year 2.

Clay Bruggeman’s Experience in Funeral Service

Clay is a small-town Kansas native, and a loyal Jayhawk fan. He and his wife recently welcomed their first child into the world, a beautiful daughter. He’s constantly finding ways to stay busy. When talking with Clay, you can truly sense the compassion in his voice for his family and for helping others.

He’s a first-generation licensed funeral director that has been helping families for over 20 years – his first experiences were on the front lines, serving as an army mortician for the United States in two different combat tours.

Once he graduated, he attended mortuary school and completed an internship out in Kansas, where he would also eventually manage a firm. Once he was ready for different scenery, he moved to North Carolina and worked for a prestigious funeral home in the area.

From there, he invented the idea of Into Our Kare.

In Funeral Service, ‘Different’ Can Be Good

In the world of funeral service, change is something that takes place every day now, especially post-COVID.

However, that change – whether it’s changing consumer preferences, newly legalized forms of disposition, updated FTC rules, whatever it may be – is not always met with open arms by others in the profession.

But how can you blame them for this type of thinking?

At its core, the funeral home profession is a services industry. Therefore, there is an extra layer of hesitancy when it comes to trying something new with every family you serve, because you’re putting your reputation directly on the line every time.

What if families respond negatively to a new process or option? Or even worse: what if employees respond negatively to your new ideas? What does that leave you with?

He may not have been a Kansas Jayhawk, but Wayne Gretzky has the perfect saying that addresses these fears: you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

And Clay Bruggeman lives by this motto. He saw a clear idea with Into Our Kare that resonates with consumers. They offer plenty of personalization for every family they serve, and he wasn’t afraid to fit outside of the traditional funeral service mold.

His mobile funeral services are incredibly successful because of this mindset. Here’s the thing though: any funeral home can do it, and many are beginning to embrace ‘different’ a bit more every day.

How Gather Has Impacted Business

Clay notes that Gather serves a crucial role in the success of Into Our Kare Innovative Funeral Services.

Into Our Kare Decreased Average Workload Per Service By 50%, Without Sacrificing Any Quality In Their Services

Since investing in Gather’s case management platform, Clay mentioned that Gather helps him stay efficient, and the platform saves him several hours of work that he’d otherwise face if he used a pen and paper or an outdated system. Some of his favorite features include:

• Forms and E-Signatures
• Statement Builder
• Digital Showroom and GPL

Into Our Kare Offers The Best Possible Family Experience

In funeral service, it can be a tricky line to balance when it comes to improving efficiency and business processes without sacrificing the quality of the services that you provide to every family. With Gather, Clay mentions that Into Our Kare is able to achieve this all-too-important balance.

Into Our Kare Fully Streamlined Aftercare and Continued Care

Families love the aftercare guide that Into Our Kare provides to them through the Gather platform. They receive a fully digital tasklist that helps guide them through every possible thing to consider when it comes to aftercare or continued care, such as:

• Finding life insurance money
• Closing online accounts (such as Netflix) or phone services
• Closing social media accounts

Into Our Kare Sees Stronger Engagement With Families

Since Clay is able to create beautiful Remember Pages within Gather, families are able to visit these digital obituaries and upload unlimited photos and memories about their loved one. Clay has noted that he’s seen an uptick in engagement with the Remember Pages, and they’re another differentiating factor with his services.

See How Gather is Helping Change The Funeral Service Profession For The Better

If you’re similar to Clay from Into Our Kare Innovative Funeral Services, you may be curious to know if Gather is a worthwhile investment for you and your families as well.

Schedule a demo with our team and learn how you can leverage Gather to streamline funeral arrangements, give your team better tools, create a better family experience, and take your funeral home to the next level.