Business Planning & Level 1

Question 1

What are your companies business objectives?

Answer 1

1. CBRE is a PLC, so first objctive is be profit making for it’s shareholders.
2. Medium term – CBRE have the ‘One Team’ approach, which encourages Diversity and Inclusion
3. Wider objectives such as to be operating as net zero by 2040, increasing diversity, increasing collaboration.

Question 2

What are CBREs future goals?

Answer 2

• Increase efficiency (Hyderabad)
• CBRE have the ‘One Team’ approach, which encourages Diversity and Inclusion

Question 3

How do team meetings help to ensure you are in line with the corporate objectives and fee targets?

Answer 3

• ensure work is done to** hit fee targets**
• seeking new business to increase billings
• Providing good quality service in line with RISE values

Question 4

How does your firm market it’s business over the short, medium and long-term?

Answer 4

Short = pitching directly on sales
Medium = Promotion of the business e.g. through social media
Long = Meeting and nurturing client relationships

Question 5

What are the key elements of a business plan?

Answer 5

• Executive summary
• Market analysis
• Financial projections
• Operational plan e.g. SWOT

Question 6

Why are key elements of a business plan important?

Answer 6

Targets to meet and assess performance against – can then assess where to allocate resources efficiently

Question 7

What are the key elements of the RICS Business Planning and Accounting Principles and Procedures?

Answer 7

1. Budgeting is important for resource allocation and must be realistic and achievable
2. Forecasting is important for businesses to plan for future events
3. Financial analysis can help to identify where the business can improve

Question 8

How would a business plan to ensure objectives are met / what are the key inclusions?

Answer 8

1. A SWOT analysis – target key areas of growth, and address potential weaknesses
2. The use of fee forecasts is crucial to plan future business activities and ensure attainment of a desired minimum profit margin
3. Budgets, cash flows and financial/audit controls are important to ensure the correct allocation of resources and expenditure

Question 9

How would you ensure the correct allocation of resources in a company? (similar to above)

Answer 9

• A SWOT analysis
• Work on the budget, estimate income and costs
• Fee forecasts

Question 10

How would a business plan alter for individual, departmental and company? As well as for different forms of business vehicle?

Answer 10

Individual = specific to the person, e.g. fees, referrals etc.
Departmental = needs to reflect the department and consider wider costs and pressures e.g. across sectors - e.g. targeting profit over a quarter
Company wide = again, encapsulate wider factors that are impacting all service lines, wider issues – could target profit say over the year sole practitioner, partnership, LLP, limited company and PLC – similar scale as above

Question 11

Why is fee forecasting important?

Answer 11

• Assess reasonable profit
• If not, what then what resources are required to address this

Question 12

Assume you are about to set up a firm – how would you prepare a business plan?

Answer 12

• A SWOT analysis – target key areas of growth, and address potential weaknesses
• The use of fee forecasts
• Budgets, cash flows and financial/audit controls

Question 13

In what ways can a business evaluate its progress?

Question 14

CBRE Key themes

Answer 14

Growth:
* Strategic conversations with clients, add value, client solutions about client not us.
Collaboration
* come together as wider business. One team culture.
D, E and I
– networks growth.
Financials:
CBRE UK’s 2024 real estate turnover was strong, with commercial property delivering a total return of 7.7%

Question 15

What is CBRE Objective?

Answer 15

• Realise potential for clients by building real estate solutions of the future.

Question 16

What are the different forms of business vehicles?

Answer 16

Sole practitioner, Partnership, LLP. Limited company, PLC

Question 17

What is a sole practitioner?

Answer 17

licensed professional who operates a firm without any other partners.

Question 18

What is a partnerhsip

Answer 18

two or more partners to form a shared ownership and operation of a business.

Question 19

What is an LLP?

Answer 19

Limited Liability Partnership, where each partner is not held responsible for acts/debts/claims of other partners.

Question 20

What is a limited company?

Answer 20

• Company is legally separated from the people that run it.
• It has shares and shareholders.
• Company is an entity in its own right.

Question 21

What is a plc?

Answer 21

• Public limited company,
• Anyone can buy shares in the company.

Question 22

What type of company is CBRE UK?

Answer 22

• CBRE UK Limited Company.

Question 23

What type of company is CBRE Group?

Answer 23

• CBRE Group is Inc. in USA. So is a public company.

Question 24

How do you think an up to date business plan can help an organisation in the current economic climate?

Answer 24

• to seek funding
• to gain new instructions, new clients and new customers
• to help focus on key priorities
• to allow the organisation to respond to change
• for budgeting and
• for setting targets for staff.

Question 25

How is your team’s performance may be measured?

Answer 25

• Hitting fees
• Good feedback
• meeting deadlines
• hitting KPIS
• alignment with business strategy
• client satisfaction
• team satisfaction

Question 26

What is corporate social responsibility

Answer 26

A business practice that considers the impact of a company’s actions on society and the environment. It’s a way for businesses to operate in a way that’s ethical, sustainable, and responsible

Question 27

How would your company plan for unforeseen circumstances?

Answer 27

Contingency plan