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RICS > Client Care > Flashcards

Client Care Flashcards

1
Q

What do you understand by client care?

A

A continuous process of understanding client’s requirements, suggestions, complaints etc. and analysing to enhance service delivery. This can include:

  • Understanding client needs & requirements
  • Complaint handling procedures (CHPs)
  • Quality assurance (QA) procedures
  • Key performance indicators (KPIs)
  • Client satisfaction questionnaires
  • Looking out for client’s best interests
  • Client feedback meetings
  • Lessons learned workshops
  • Identifying the appropriate scope of service
  • Defining the client brief.
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2
Q

What is a stakeholder?

A

A Person or organisation who has an interest in the project.

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3
Q

Why is client care important?

A
  • To retain existing clients and secure repeat business
  • Reduce the likelihood of conflict
  • Maintain a strong reputation within the industry and so attract further clients.
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4
Q

How do you conduct yourself with a new client?

A
  • Well mannered
  • Well presented
  • Respectful
  • Friendly and enthusiastic.
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5
Q

How do you build trust with the client?

A
  • Learn about your client and their objectives
  • Only act within your level of competence
  • Always act in a professional manner
  • Always provide a high level of service
  • Be transparent
  • Being always open and honest.
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6
Q

What is the difference between a client and customer?

A
  • Client - One who is under the protection of another.
  • Customer - One who purchases a commodity or service.
    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.
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7
Q

What is the term ‘soft landings’ referring to?

A

A Strategy to ensure the transition from construction to occupation is ‘bump-free’ and operational performance is optimised.

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8
Q

Please detail some of the quality management system (QMS) you have implemented on your projects?

A
  • Project execution plans (PEPs)
  • Project control plans (PCPs)
  • Contractor payment schedules
  • Using Standardised contract administration forms
  • Procedural checklists
  • Reporting templates
  • Following industry guidance and advisory notes
  • Following company policy and procedures.
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9
Q

What is a lesson learnt workshop?

A

Review a recent failing or success on a project.

  • Put a procedure in place to prevent the failing happening again, or
  • Review the success and share with others.
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10
Q

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

A

Client Satisfaction Surveys are issued at key project stages.

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11
Q

How do you act upon feedback received from a client?

A
  • The feedback should be formally recorded in some way.
  • Share the positives and discuss how negatives can be improved upon.
  • If the feedback is negative, then it needs to be verified and the necessary course of action take to correct going forward.
  • Ensure the feedback is fed back into the company through the lessons learned process.
  • Review the improvement in 6 months or another suitable period.
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12
Q

What are KPIs?

A
  • Key Performance Indicators.
  • Can be used to measure supply chain performance.
  • Can be used to benchmark business performance against others.
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13
Q

Can you provide examples of a KPI?

A
  • Number of defects/snags.
  • Construction cost overrun.
  • Achieving programme milestones.
  • Profitability.
  • H&S Scores.
  • Environmental scoring.
  • Use of local labour.
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14
Q

Why is it important to maintain existing client relationships rather than just building new ones?

A
  • A large percentage of commissions are ‘won’ through repeat business.
  • Maintaining and building existing relationships will promote a positive image the individual and the company.
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15
Q

How do you manage your client’s expectations?

A
  • Agreeing on strategy, goals and timelines.
  • Being open & honest always.
  • Offering advice and direction within the scope of service.
  • Being a good listener and understanding expectations.
  • Regularly communicating and addressing problems directly.
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16
Q

What is a complaint?

A

An expression of dissatisfaction. Complaints generally arise when expectations have not been met.

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17
Q

Does the RICS have any rules associated with complaints?

A

Rule 7 (for firms). A Firm shall operate a complaint handling procedure and maintain a complaints log. The complaints handling procedure must include an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism that is approved by the Regulatory Board.

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18
Q

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

A

As soon as possible.

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19
Q

How would you deal with a complaint from a client?

A
  • Acknowledge receipt of the complaint.
  • Notify the appropriate person in the business (complaint handling manager).
  • Appoint a person to carry out an investigation.
  • Identify the outcome and course of action to rectify.
  • Formally respond to the client, communicate outcomes and course of action for correction.
  • If the client is unhappy with the outcome, they have the right for separate review or mediation.
  • If the client is still unhappy, they have right to refer to independent dispute resolution.
  • Communicate the lessons learned internally.
  • Review at a predetermined date in the future.
  • Inform the PI insures of the complaint at each stage of the process.
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20
Q

Has RICS published any information on handling client’s money?

A

Client money handling - professional statement - effective January 2020.

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21
Q

What are the objectives of the client money handling professional statement?

A

The overall objective of this professional statement is that RICS members and RICS regulated firms understand their obligations to ensure:

  • Client money is kept safe
  • Client money accounts are used for appropriate purposes only
  • RICS - regulated firms have the appropriate controls and procedures to safeguard client money.
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22
Q

What is meant by client’s money?

A

Money of any currency (whether in the form of cash, cheque, draft, or electronic transfer) that:

  • An RICS-regulated firm holds for or receives on behalf of another person, including money held by a regulated firm as stakeholder and,
  • Is not immediately due and payable on demand to the RICS-regulated firm for its own account.
23
Q

What information would you expect to see in a client’s brief?

A
  • Services required
  • Insurances required
  • Terms of appointment
  • Duration of appointment
  • Client procedures and policies
  • Key drives for success.
24
Q

What might be excluded from a consultant fee proposal?

A
  • VAT
  • Disbursements
  • Dealing with claims
  • Services which are not required.
25
Q

What might be included in a consultant fee proposal?

A
  • Scope of service
  • Terms of appointment
  • Basis of pricing
  • Information on team including CV’s and qualifications
  • Project details
  • Timescales
  • Insurances
  • Exclusions
  • Assumptions (Programme for example).
26
Q

How would you go about calculating a professional fee for a new commision?

A
  • Understand client requirements including project scope, key project details, budget and scope of service.
  • Identify the seniority of resource and number of people required to deliver the service.
  • Assess the duration required to complete activities identified in the scope of service.
  • Apply a daily or hourly rate against the activities.
  • Review the total fee as a percentage against the project budget (as a sense check).
27
Q

Assuming you put together a fee proposal, a couple of month into the project, you realise you have underestimated resources to deliver, would you go back to the client and ask for more money?

A
  • If project requirement (services, scope, value) had increased, then it would be reasonable for the fees to increase.
  • 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 service originally offered.
28
Q

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

A
  • Harder to be critical of colleagues from the same company rather than team members from another business.
  • Perceived conflict of interest - challenging colleagues within the same business on potential errors or omissions.
  • 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.
29
Q

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?

A
  • I Would explain to the client how the fee was calculated and the necessary resources to meet their requirements.
  • I Would avoid entering a Dutch auction with another practice.
  • If the client were looking for an overall lower fee, I Would be happy to review the scope of service to understand where services may be reduced in order to provide a reduced fee.
30
Q

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

A

Follow up in writing to confirm terms & conditions, fee and scope of service.

31
Q

What is a consultant appointment document?

A
  • Appointment documents are terms and conditions for services being provided by a consultant to the client.
  • RICS have a standard form of consultant appointment if the business does not have their own.
32
Q

On what grounds might you ask the client for additional fees?

A

Events such as:

  • Dealing with insolvency of a contractor (usually excluded from a consultant’s standard scope of service)
  • Delay to the programme due to contractor default.
  • Increased scope of service.
33
Q

Give examples when you should decline an instruction of new work from a client?

A
  • There is a conflict or potential conflict of interest.
  • The instruction could require an illegal or unethical action.
  • There is conflict with RICS rules or standards.
34
Q

Demonstrate Knowledge and understanding of the principles and practice of client care including:

A
  1. The concept of identifying all clients/colleagues/third parties who are your clients and the behaviour that is appropriate to establish good client relationships.
  2. The systems and procedures that are appropriate for managing the process of client care, including complaints.
  3. The requirement to collect data, analyse and define the needs of clients.
    Examples of Knowledge comprised within this level are:
    - The information contained within a client’s brief
    - Defining your scope of services within the limits of your competence and PI insurance
    - How fees are established
    - The use of standard forms of appointment
    - Mechanisms contained within an appointment document
    - Insurance requirements (legal and RICS)
    - How stakeholders are identified and how their status within the project is established
    - Formal communication systems with clients and stakeholders
    - Complaints handling procedures
    - KPIs
    - The methods of data gathering during the inception stage of a project including client briefings and site based information
    - The law applicable to your area of practice, in particular those relating to employment law, statutory compliance, consents and approvals
    - The principles of the preparation of alternative outline proposals including the methodology of preparing option appraisals
    - The principles of preparing outline schedules of work.
35
Q

Provide evidence of practical application of the principles and practice of client care in your area of practice.

A

Examples of activities and knowledge comprised within this level are:

  1. Establishing a client’s objectives
  2. Confirming a client’s brief
  3. Establishing a scope of services
  4. Calculating fees for professional services
  5. Compiling an appointment document
  6. Establishing project stakeholders and their status
  7. Setting up communication systems with a client and stakeholders
  8. Issuing reports to a client e.g. cost reports
  9. Dealing with a complaint
  10. Measurement of KPIs
  11. Analysing the data gathered through the client briefing process and formulating a detailed client brief
  12. Consulting with the statutory authorities on the consents and other approvals required
  13. Preparing alternative outline design proposals, including option appraisals
  14. Preparing outline schedules of work
  15. Assessing client relationships, team performance and stakeholder interfaces on projects.
36
Q

How do you provide a good service to the client?

A
  • Identify and understand the client’s requirements
  • Priorities
  • Provide good service
  • Get feed back
  • Improve the quality of service
37
Q

Why is client care?

A

It is about providing a proper standard of service, which takes into account the individual needs and circumstances of each client. This includes providing clients with the information they need to make informed decisions about the services they need, how these will be delivered and how much they will cost. This will enable you and your client to understand each other’s expectations and responsibilities.
It is also about ensuring that if clients are not happy with the service they have received they know how to make a complaint and that all complaints are dealt with promptly and fairly.
- Source: Solicitors Regulation Authority SRA Code of Practice 2011.

38
Q

What is the appropriate behaviour to establish good client relationships?

A

Behaviours - An overview of professional conduct with reference to the RICS guidance on ethics and the rules for practices and individuals.
- Clear and transparent communication
- Honesty and integrity
- Setting realistic expectations
- Timely deliver / Punctuality
- Quality of outputs.
“The systems and procedures that are appropriate for managing the process of client care, including complaints.

39
Q

Identifying clients?

A
  • This area should consider both existing and potential new clients.
  • It is important to address that client care for an existing client base is vital.
  • The process of identifying new potential clients in a particular market sector and how to attract them to your business.
    At company Level:
    1. Market research
    2. Client’s surveys
    3. Networking events
    At Project Level:
    1. Key influencers and decision makers.
    2. By learning about their organisation and asking questions.
    3. May be an internal client such as another department.
40
Q

Understanding your client Objectives?

A 
Understanding Client's Objectives?
Read "Client Care"
Approaches to client care will vary from business to business, depending on
- Nature of the work
- Degree of client interface/involvement, and
- Type of organization
What are the possible Client's Objectives?
1. Cost 
2. Time
3. Quality
4. Marketability
5. Functional requirement/Use-related
6. Sustainable/Environmental
7. Etc.
41
Q

What are the appointment document (Professional Services Agreement)?

A
  1. Client’s brief
  2. Description of Professional Services
  3. Details of professional Indemnity Insurance (PII)
  4. Client’s Obligations
  5. Consultant’s Obligations
  6. Limitations of Liability and Indemnity
  7. Payment terms (Milestone Payments or Monthly Fee et.)
  8. Termination and suspension provisions
  9. Dispute Resolution
  10. Governing law.
42
Q

What are the factors influencing fees?

A
  1. Complexity of the project
  2. Scope of Services to be Provided
  3. Procurement method
  4. Construction cost
  5. Duration of the project.
43
Q

What are the circumstances, you need to collect the data from your client?

A
  1. Understanding client objectives
  2. Responding to their client’s needs
  3. Managing client’s accounts
44
Q

What is due diligence?

A

It is skill and care expected from a professional while discharging his services towards the client.

45
Q

What is ethics?

A

Ethics means core values which need to be maintain by a professional.

46
Q

Complaints Handling Procedure - CHP

Can you briefly explain the complaints handling procedure (CHP) for RICS Firms?

A

As per Rule No. 07, A firm must operate a CHP

  • Needs to have a written CHP (to be mentioned in ‘Terms of Business’)
  • Complaint to be logged
  • To be handled by a senior person of the company designated as complain handler or yourself, if you are sole proprietor
  • To be addressed timely manner & responded completely. (RICS advises within 28 days)
  • If the company cannot handle, inform the client next action
  • If the client is not satisfied, it needs to be appoint a 3rd party. (redress scheme)
  • Inform the PI Company, if required.
47
Q

Why is client’s care important in your organisation?

A

Client Care is important because the happy client refers to the next client, reputation which might increase the business. Generally, 4percentage of the client complains, if 4 clients complain then there might be 100 unsatisfied clients. On an average 1 person tells to 11 persons which might be 1100 persons in total.

48
Q

What is client care? / What do you understand as client care?

A

Identifying the clients, types of clients, behaviour (punctual, timely response, clear & transparent communication, quality of outputs), Quality Assurance (surveys, Reviews, KPI etc.), Complaint Handling Procedure, Client Money Management.

49
Q

How you make sure that you care about your client?

A

Behaviour (Punctual, Timely Response, Honesty, Clear & Transparent communication, Quality of Outputs)

50
Q

Who are the client’s you are dealing with? / Who is your client?

A

There are two types of clients namely:

  • Internal Client (Manager, Accountants etc.)
  • External Client (Subcontractor/Employer).
51
Q

What does it mean by Complaint?

A

The dissatisfaction of the client for the job which is done.

52
Q

What does it mean by “Locum Agreement”?

A

The agreement made with the sole practitioner if the person is in leave for one-month, long leave, sick, dead.

53
Q

If you have 100 clients, do you operate separate accounts?

A

No

54
Q

Can’t you open one account for all the client and maintain ledger instead of having individual account?

A

No at the time of bankruptcy the accounts can be reviewed easily.

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