4 - Client Care Flashcards
Client Care - Extract from Candidate Guide - Aug 2018 (updated Feb 2022)
What is client care?
The process of identifying clients and their behaviours to build a rapport. Including analysing the needs of the client/.
Why is client care important?
- Promotes trust in the industry and company
- Maintains client relationships to help build business
- Maintain a reputation in the industry
Can you tell me some of the principles of Client Care?
- Identify new and existing clients
- Understand the different types of clients and their needs
- Act in accordance with the RICS code of conduct
- Implement a complaints handling procedure
- Collect feedback
- Manage client accounts
What are the different types of clients?
- One off clients
- House refurbs/Residential
- Private sector
- Public sector
- Commercial clients
- Developers
What is are some of the RICS Complaints procedure considerations ?
- Carefully record all complaints
- Acknowledge the complaint within 7 days and listen to what the client is complaining about
- Apologise for the complaint but do not admit fault straight away.
- Acknowledge any preliminary notice within 21 days
- Respond meaningfully within 28 days
- If after your first notice, your client is not satisfied and you get a letter of claim, you must inform your insurer
- Go through the process of litigation etc if the claimant decides to take the complaint further
- Ref – RICS Guidance note ‘Complaints Handling’
If you were a sole practitioner, how would you handle complaints?
- Maintain and implement a clear and quick complaints procedure
- Acknowledge the claim within 5 days and let the client know when to expect a full response pending investigation.
- Request additional information if this is needed.
- Detail complaints procedure on all terms and conditions of engagement.
- Approve your procedure by the RICS and your insurer.
- Inform the client of the alternative dispute resolution methods if you cannot resolve the matter with your response. RICS Dispute resolution service.
- Keep and maintain a complaints log.
- As a sole practitioner, you must engage another surveyor in another firm to investigate the complaint.
What is a duty of care?
Moral and legal obligation to act in your client’s best interest with reasonable skill and care. If you need to do something out of your remit of expertise, you must inform the client that you are unable to perform a certain task and that additional consultants may be required if another member of staff cannot assist.
How would you determine your client’s needs?
- Know their business/position
- Listen to what they are asking for
- Ask them questions to expand your understanding
- Use your understanding and knowledge and experience to identify the right options
What is a client brief?
A recorded document that helps in guiding and animating any project. The brief explains the ins and outs of a project to the agent who is responsible for achieving the goals and targets.
What is client empathy?
Understanding the underlying needs and feelings of customers. It puts things into context by viewing things from their perspective.
What needs to be considered when preparing a fee quotation?
- Scope of service
- Terms of payment
- Complaints handling procedure
- Property details
- Client details
- Limitations
- Exclusions
With regards to client expectations and standards of service, what documents can you use to meet the level of service?
- RICS Rules 2020
- RICS professional standards and guidance
- Client Money Handling
- Countering bribery and corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing
What is good customer care ?
It is a continuous process or concept of understanding client requirements, suggestions, complaints etc. and analysing it to find a solution suitable to client requirements and to enhance our own business.
What is Client Care?
It’s part of your ongoing marketing strategy to keep your clients happy, resolve any areas of dissatisfaction, and hopefully even turn your customers into happy ambassadors for your products and services
Can you give me an overview of the principles of client care?
- Acknowledge. In any situation where there is conflict or a dispute, a great first step is to acknowledge the other person
- Focus on the Individual
- Be Authentic and honest
How does the type of client change how you manage a project and the relationship with them?
Each type of client will have a certain level of experience and expertise this will directly affect the relationship you have with them and the level of work you will be expected to carry out on their behalf eg :
• Very experienced and dedicated client resource to oversee projects
• Defined brief – ability to make key decisions due to technical understanding
• Formal reporting relationship
• Only want to be notified with key items going on
• In house project processes and procedures (gateway approvals (shanghai) and minimum of three prices)
• Focus on cost and time.
• Increased level of advisory role egg procurement routes, contract types, consultant selection
• Required assistance in developing the brief
• Required guidance through key stages of the project
• Required guidance on project processes and procedures egg risk management, change control etc
• Significant involvement in design development
• More reliant on PM and consultant team for guidance
Why is it important to establish good client relationship ?
it is important to build and continue a good relationship as this in turn allows for easier channels of commination and can increase trust and future business.
Have you ever advised a friend or neighbour ?
No I haven’t, I would not give them any advise and in turn I may not be insured for., I would have not checked to see if there is a conflict on interest etc. They should follow the normal procedure with terms of engagement.
How do you assist the client with making decisions?
- Provide the client with all the options
- Run through the advantages and disadvantages of each option
- Make recommendation
- Give the client time to think through all options
- Assist with any queries
How do you prepare a project brief?
• Identify business objectives • Identify project requirements • Critical success factors • Expected outcomes (quality) • Resource the client has available (Cost) • Timescales • Budget (Project brief – first stage in the process of defining client’s requirements)
How have you measured your clients satisfaction following works ?
Yes, via a generic feedback form. This is then reviewed during all hands/weekly meetings.
What or who is stakeholder ?
A stakeholder is a party that has an interest in a company and can either affect or be affected by the business. The primary stakeholders in a typical corporation are its investors, employees, customers, and suppliers.
As part of your role did you provide reports to the client and if so, what was included in those reports?
- Site Inspection Reports
- Weather
- Date
- Address
- Risks identify
- Alignment with programme
- Specification and progress of works
- H&S matters
How do you collect client feedback?
- Project review meetings to check in on performance
- Survey monkey at the end of a job
- Lessons learned at the end of a project
How do you address negative feedback?
I first ask to clarify why the client felt dissatisfied and then attempt to view it from their point of view. I apologise that the client feels that way and if I am at fault, I present the opportunity to make things right.
Why do you use phone calls and emails to confirm scope of services?
Where discussions take place over the phone, it is convenient for both parties to raise the relevant questions and address them promptly. I do not exclusively use phone calls but I will always follow up any verbal discussions with a written email so that there is a written record of what is agreed.
What information might you need to record from a client briefing?
- Scope of services
- Agreement of way forward
- Agreement of client brief and report
What is Client Care?
The process of identifying all client types and the behaviours appropriate to establishing good relationships, along with the systems of procedures for managing the client care process, all within the public interest.
How do you deal with Customer Complaints?
Log the complaint in the complaints handling Blog. Raise the complaint with my immediate director/working on the project. If this cannot be resolved its raised to the other director. If this still cannot be resolved it is referred to the property ombudsman.
