Client Care Flashcards
Tell about why it is important to develop long-term client relationships.
Because they may bring repeat business, reducing the need for advertising or new business finding, they could refer my firm to their own contacts, is good for staff morale and it leaves clients satisfied, trust in yourselves and the profession
Tell me about the different stakeholders you have come across in your role.
Tenants, homeowners, neighbours, colleagues, elected members
Tell me about how you have tailored your client care to one of these stakeholders.
It would mostly be how often I would contact them and the method used to do so
Why is it important to you to set objectives?
Gives a sense of purpose and direction to what you are doing
Tell me about your duty of care towards your clients.
That I need to provide them with a diligent, honest service, within the scope of my abilities and my reports must be easily understood and free from jargon
How have you defined your scope of services within the limits of your competence and PI insurance?
Discussed what we do with a broker, I introduced a tracker to keep tabs on the type of work we are doing to make this breakdown easier
How do you set fees?
Look at expected income and time taken to undertake the work
How have you used standard forms of appointment?
Use this with every job that comes in, we do not progress the case until signed Terms have been returned
What mechanisms are contained within an appointment document?
Who the parties are, fees and payments, usually some kind of dispute resolution procedure or CHP, name of the project
What insurance requirements are you aware of (both legal and RICS)?
Employers Liability Insurance if I have staff, PII insurance for RICS and potentially public liability insurance could be needed as well depending on the work I’m doing, as well as things like car insurance for business use too
How are stakeholders identified?
It can be a number of ways but they are people with a stake in the project, so it could be attending meetings, speaking with clients, site visits etc to identify those involved
How do you establish stakeholder status within a project?
Reflect on their ability to influence, how often they will need to be spoken to etc
Explain formal communication systems with clients and stakeholders you are aware of.
Depends on the client, but can be with a contract, letter, email, telephone, face to face, newsletter
What KPIs might you agree with a client to monitor performance?
It will depend on their needs but it is likely to be based on time and quality performance as at LCC with KPI’s on timescales and satisfaction
How do you gather data during the inception stage of a project, including client briefings and site based information?
Review of past projects, discussion with clients on their needs, review of the site to guide any further research, public information, public records, historical documents
What RICS docs would you look for in terms of client care?
Rules of conduct, PII, complaint handling, Merit v Babb
Who are the third party dispute resolutuion services available to escalate complaints
RICS dispute resolition, property ombudsman CEDR
Tell me about an example of how you have provided good client care.
We had a tenant who suffered with mental health issues, who had reported repairs which had not been completed. I ensured that a date was agreed for the work, took her through everthing that would take place and I spoke with her daily during the repairs to ensure that she had a space to discuss her concerns and that she was fully informed
Tell me about an example of when you have provided a high standard of service to a client.
We had a tenant who suffered with mental health issues, who had reported repairs which had not been completed. I ensured that a date was agreed for the work, took her through everthing that would take place and I spoke with her daily during the repairs to ensure that she had a space to discuss her concerns and that she was fully informed
How have you dealt with an unrealistic client deadline?
Discussed it with them, why the need for urgency? Then talked through the process, what needs to happen, how long that takes and what the likely timescales are and explained what timescale I can meet
How have you dealt with unrealistic client expectations?
Done a number of times, usually by listening to what they want, explaining LCC policy over repairs and gone through what we can do, where we can meet expectations and explained the areas where we can’t and why, occaisionlly as a last resort have guided people towards the Ombudsman to settle a dispute over policy
Tell me about the approach you have taken when dealing with a nontechnical lay client.
I usually begin by explaining that everyone has different knowledge so I start from a position of them not knowing anything but please interupt me or tell me if this is something you know, commonly done with talking about condensation
Tell me about the approach you have taken when dealing with a client with a high level of property knowledge.
Have gone through it, explained what has gone wrong and what we’ll be doing, let them ask lots of questions
How have you established a client’s objectives?
Talked to them discussed their needs, concerns and any areas they want to focus on and why they have called us
How have you confirmed a client’s brief?
In TOE’s, or at least gone through it point by point, then where appropriate, confirmed in writing
How have you established a scope of services?
Discussed it with the other party, followed up with points and confirmed in writing
How have you calculated fees for professional services?
We have set fees, done by my manager, done by looking at level of work, expected income, risk and time taken on a task
How have you compiled an appointment document?
I compile TOE’s for clients, listening to client requirements, agreeing fees and then including them in the terms
How have you established project stakeholders and their status within a project?
By reviewing who is involved and how I need to keep in touch with, then looking at their ability to influence the project to set their status and comms plan
How have you set up communication systems with a client and stakeholders?
Usually through email, phone, online chats but also by letter
How have you issued reports to a client?
Through word docs, by post email, by compiling them in RICS proforms and sending via email
How have you dealt with a complaint?
Logged complaint, spoke to complainer to gather information on why they are complaining and who could be involved. Investigated the concerns they raised, called them with outcomes or to clarify further points then followed up in writing and logging outcomes
How have you measured KPIs?
Through satisfaction surveys, looking at performance data like response times
How have you analysed the data gathered through the client briefing process and formulated a detailed client brief?
I did this at Connect Housing, I sat down with Senior managers and the manageing director to look at the void specification for the organisation, discussed the vision for the voids service then my manager and I worked together to draw up an updated specification document which was then signed off and issued to contractors to work from
How have you adhered to legislation specific to your local housing of practice?
Section 20 notices for works over £250 per flat for leasehold properties
How have you acted on Repairs Panels?
I have presented information on performance, then gone through concerns and areas for improvements, giving what we are doing to rectify shortcomings, then answered questions or noted down feedback and then contacted the parties after with an update where appropriate
How did you provide feedback to improve the service?
I talked through where we are as a service and what we are doing to improve it, such as co-location, increasing staffing levels etc
How have you measured and improve on KPI performance?
At Connect, a contactor was performing poorly against their timescale KPI’s, sat with them, found out their reasons for the performance, looked at how we can assist and set timescales for when they need to improve by and what we expect to see
What is the second stage of your employers complaint process
It is passed to CEDR - Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution
