3 - Client Care

Question 1

90 - What do you understand by client care? (statement & 10 examples)

Answer 1

A continuous PROCESS of UNDERSTANDING client’s requirements, suggestions, complaints etc. and ANALYSING to ENHANCE SERVICE DELIVERY. This can include;
1) Understanding client needs & requirements.
2) Complain handling procedures (CHPs).
3) Quality assurance (QA) procedures.
4) Key performance indicators (KPIs).
5) Client satisfaction questionnaires.
6) Looking out for client’s best interests.
7) Client feedback meetings.
8) Lessons learned workshops.
9) Identifying the appropriate scope of service.
10) Defining the client brief.

Question 2

91 - Why is client care important? (3)

Answer 2

1) To RETAIN existing clients and secure REPEAT BUSINESS.
2) REDUCE likelihood of CONFLICT.
3) Maintain a strong REPUTATION within the industry and so ATTRACT further clients.

Question 3

92 - How do you conduct yourself with a new client? (4)

Answer 3

1) Well mannered
2) Well presented
3) Respectful
4) Friendly and enthusiastic

Question 4

93 - How do you build trust with the client? (6)

Answer 4

1) LEARN about your client and their objectives
2) Only act WITHIN your LEVEL OF COMPETENCE
3) Always act in a PROFESSIONAL MANNER
4) Always provide a HIGH LEVEL of SERVICE
5) Be TRANSPARENT
6) Being always OPEN and HONEST

Question 5

94 - What is the difference between a client and a customer? (3)

Answer 5

1) Client - one who is under the PROCTECTION of another.
2) Customer - one who PURCHASES a commodity or service.
3) The main difference between a customer and a client is that a PROTECTIVE, ONGOING BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP is formed with a client, but not necessarily with a customer.

Question 6

95 - What is a project stakeholder?

Answer 6

A person or organisation who has an INTEREST in the project.

Question 7

96 - What is the term “soft landings” referring to?

Answer 7

A STRATEGY to ensure the TRANSITION from construction to occupation is “bump-free” and operational performance is optimised.

Question 8

97 - Please detail some of the quality management systems (QMS) you have implemented on your projects? (8)

Answer 8

1) Project execution plans (PEPs)
2) Project control plans (PCPs)
3) Contractor payment schedules
4) Using standardised contract administration forms
5) Procedural checklists
6) Reporting templates
7) Following industry guidance and advisory notes
8) Following company policy and procedures

Question 9

98 - What is a lesson learnt workshop? (3)

Answer 9

1) REVIEW a recent failing or success on a project.
2) Put a procedure in place to PREVENT the failing happening again, or
3) Review the success and SHARE with others.

Question 10

99 - What is your company’s procedure for obtaining formal client feedback?

Answer 10

CLIENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS are issued at key project stages

Question 11

100 - How do you act upon feedback received from a client? (5)

Answer 11

1) The feedback should be FORMALLY RECORDED in some way.
2) SHARE the positives and DISCUSS how negatives can be improved upon.
3) If the feedback is negative, then it needs to be VERIFIED and the necessary course of action taken to AVOID it going forward.
4) Ensure the feedback is fed back into the company through the LESSONS LEARNED PROCEDURE.
5) REVIEW the IMPROVEMENT in 6 months or another suitable period.

Question 12

101 - What are KPIs? (3)

Answer 12

1) Key Performance Indicators
2) Can be used to MEASURE supply chain performance.
3) Can be used to BENCHMARK business performance against others.

Question 13

102 - Can you provide examples of KPIs? (7)

Answer 13

1) Number of defects / snags
2) Construction cost overrun
3) Achieving programme milestones
4) Profitability
5) H&S scores
6) Environmental scoring
7) Use of local labour

Question 14

103 - Why is it important to maintain existing client relationships rather than just building new ones? (2)

Answer 14

1) A large percentage of commissions are “won” through REPEAT BUSINESS.
2) Maintaining and building existing relationships will PROMTOE a POSITIVE IMAGE of the individual and the company.

Question 15

104 - How do you manage your clients’ expectations? (5)

Answer 15

1) AGREEING on strategy, goals and timelines.
2) Being OPEN & HONEST always.
3) Offering advice and direction WITHIN THE SCOPE of the service.
4) Being a GOOD LISTENER and UNDERSTANDING expectations.
5) Regularly COMMUNICATING and addressing problems directly.

Question 16

105 - What is a complaint?

Answer 16

An EXPRESSION of DISSATISFACTION. Complaints generally arise when expectations have not been met.

Question 17

106 - You receive a formal complaint from a client in writing, at what point should your firm notify the insurance company?

Answer 17

As soon as possible.

Question 18

107 - How would you deal with a complaint from a client? (9)

Answer 18

1) ACKNOWLEDGE receipt of the complaint.
2) NOTIFY the appropriate person in the firm (complaint handling manager).
3) APPOINT a person to carry out an investigation.
4) IDENTIFY the outcome and course of action to rectify.
5) FORMALLY RESPOND to the client, communicate outcomes and course of action for correction.
6) If the client is still unhappy, they have the right to refer to independent dispute resolution.
7) COMMUNICATE the lessons learned internally.
8) REVIEW at a pre-determined date in the future.
9) INFORM the PI insurers of the complaint at each stage of the process.

Question 19

108 - Are you aware of any guidance published by RICS in association with complaint handling?

Answer 19

Complaints Handling - 1st Edition, July 2016 [Note - this guidance note was updated January 2022 in line with new RICS Rules of Conduct]

(see book for QR code to document)

Question 20

109 - How can complaints be avoided in the first instance? (6)

Answer 20

1) Setting out CLEAR EXPECTATIONS in the scope of service and appointment documents.
2) COMMUNICATING clearly and effectively with the client and other key stakeholders.
3) Put EVERYTHING IN WRITING to ensure there is always documented evidence should a complaint arise (for example, meeting minutes).
4) FOLLOW company PROCEDURES and POLICY (including quality assurance processes).
5) FOLLOW RICS standards, professional statements and guidance.
6) Seeking FEEDBACK and resolving issues as they arise.

Question 21

110 - Has the RICS published any information on handling clients’ money?

Answer 21

Client Money Handling - professional statement 1st edition, October 2019

(see book for QR code to document)

Question 22

111 - What are the objectives of the Client Money Handling professional statement?

Answer 22

The professional statement provides clear RULES for RICS regulated firms and members to have the appropriate CONTROLS and PROCEDURES to keep client money safe. It PROVIDES CONFIDENCE to clients and consumers that RICS regulated firms are operating to high professional standards.

Question 23

112 - What are some of the key requirements identified in the Client Money Handling professional statement? (4)

Answer 23

The professional statement provides clear requirements such as;
1) Client account requirements
2) Appropriate accounting controls
3) The information that firms must provide to clients
4) How to handle client money including rules for managing any unidentified funds

Question 24

113 - What is meant by clients’ money? (2)

Answer 24

Money of ANY CURRENCY (whether in the form of cash, cheque, draft, or electronic transfer) that;
1) An RICS regulated firm HOLDS FOR or RECEIVES on BEHALF of ANOTHER PERSON, including money held by a regulated firm as a stakeholder and,
2) Is NOT IMMEDIATELY DUE and payable on demand to the RICS regulated firm for its own account

Question 25

114 - What information would you expect to see in a client’s brief? (6)

Answer 25

1) Services required
2) Insurances required
3) Terms of appointment
4) Duration of appointment
5) Client procedures and policies
6) Key drivers for success

Question 26

115 - What might be excluded from a consultant fee proposal? (4)

Answer 26

1) VAT
2) Disbursements
3) Dealing with claims
4) Services which are not required

Question 27

116 - What might be included in a consultant fee proposal? (9)

Answer 27

1) Scope of service
2) Terms of appointment
3) Basis of pricing
4) Information on team including CV’s and qualifications
5) Project details
6) Timescales
7) Insurances
8) Exclusions
9) Assumptions (programme for example)

Question 28

117 - How would you go about calculating professional fees for a new commission? (5)

Answer 28

1) UNDERSTAND CLIENTS REQUIREMENTS including project scope, key project details, budget and scope of service.
2) IDENTIFY the seniority of RESOURCE and number of people required to deliver the service.
3) ASSESS THE DURATION required to complete activities identified in the scope of service.
4) Apply a DAILY or HOURLY RATE against the activities.
5) REVIEW the total fee AS A PERCENTAGE against the project budget (as a sense check).

Question 29

118 - Assuming you put together a fee proposal; a couple of months into the project, you realise you have underestimated resources to deliver, would you go back to the client and ask for more money? (2)

Answer 29

1) If project REQUIREMENTS (services, scope, value) have INCREASED, then it would BE REASONABLE for the fees to increase.
2) If the scope remained the SAME, it is likely to be a MISTAKE, I would deal with the situation and get it right NEXT TIME. I would not reduce the level of services originally offered.

Question 30

119 - Could there be any issues (from a client perspective) with having all professional services delivered by one consultancy practice? (3)

Answer 30

1) HARDER TO BE CRITICAL of colleagues from the same company rather than teams members from another business.
2) Perceived CONFLICT OF INTEREST - challenging colleagues within the same business on potential errors or omissions.
3) There are ADVANTAGES too. If the team are from the same practice, the team are usually MORE EFFICIENT because they work under the same policies, procedures, core values etc.

Question 31

120 - You have submitted a fee bid to a client. The client contacts you and explains another practice has quoted a lower fee, but they would like you to do the work. They ask you to reduce your fee to match the other practice. What should you do? (3)

Answer 31

1) I would EXPLAIN to the client how the fee was CALCULATED and the necessary RESOURCES to meet their REQUIREMENTS.
2) I would AVOID entering a DUCTH AUCTION with another practice.
3) If the client was looking for an overall lower fee, I would be happy to REVIEW THE SCOPE of services to understand where SERVICES may be REDUCED in order to provide a reduced fee.

Question 32

121 - Once you and your client verbally agree the services to be provided, what would you do next?

Answer 32

FOLLOW UP IN WRITING to confirm terms and conditions, fee and scope of service.

Question 33

122 - What is a consultant appointment document? (2)

Answer 33

1) Appointment documents and terms and conditions for SERVICES being provided BY a CONSULTANT to the client.
2) RICS have a STANDARD FORM of consultant appointment if the business does not have their own.

Question 34

123 - On what grounds might you ask the client for additional fees? (3)

Answer 34

Events such as;
1) Dealing with INSOLVENCY of a contractor (usually excluded from a consultant’s standard scope of service).
2) DELAY to the programme due to CONTRACTOR DEFAULT.
3) Increased SCOPE of service.

Question 35

124 - Give examples when you should decline an instruction of new work from a client? (3)

Answer 35

Events such as;
1) There is a CONFLICT or potential conflict of interest.
2) The instruction could require an ILLEGAL or UNETHICAL action.
3) There is CONFLICT with RICS rules or standards.