Client Care

Question 1

Why is it important to maintain good client care?

Answer 1

• To maintain integrity
• To provide the best service to the client
• To promote trust in the profession/RICS
• To retain work and potentially cross-sell
• To Repeat/ gain new business

Question 2

Can you tell me about a time you demonstrated good client care

Answer 2

• 238 West George Street - overseas client that regularly travelled. I realised that time differences would make updating the client more challenging. In response, I ensured my enquiry schedules were comprehensive and updated regularly. Striving to maintain consistent dialogue and ensure the client was updated on the Glasgow office market during the quieter spells of Covid-19, I sent detailed notes whenever relevant new requirements reached the market.
• My approach maintained transparency with the client as they could view updates regularly, even when circumstances didn’t allow for a personal call.
• I would offer to jump on calls out with my work hours to accommodate the client.

Question 3

What are the contents of a typical set of Terms of Business/Engagement?

Answer 3

Property
client
CHP
PII
fee basis
payment of expenses (agency or vals?)

Question 4

How can you help to ensure that you provide good client care

Answer 4

• Establish objectives
• Regular reporting/feedback
• Listen to client
• Respond quickly
• Social engagements

Question 5

How do you ensure that you are servicing key client instructions to the best of your ability?

Answer 5

• Understanding my client’s objectives and requirements.
• Listening to the client and seek formal and informal feedback.
• Understanding the client’s position and longer term goals adopting a holistic approach.
• Responding speedily to queries and regular reporting systems and information/filing systems.
• Maintaining regular contact and dialogue.
• Introducing new opportunities.
• Going above and beyond.
• Organising key client events; business lunch, sports events etc.

Question 6

Case study example – client care?

Answer 6

• Understood client objectives from the outset
• Mindful of these when reporting on interest and central to the negotiation stance
• Marketing update calls with the client.
• Regular personal phone calls to the client.

Question 7

What must you do before taking on an instruction? CIT

Answer 7

• Check competence
• Conflict of interest check / declare any personal interests / assess whether any potential conflicts can be managed (e.g. information barrier).
• Terms of engagement in place

Question 8

When would you consider declining an instruction?

Answer 8

• Not competent
• Don’t have sufficient facts
• Client will not sign ToE or complete KYC checks
• CoI which is unmanageable
• PII liability cap not agreed or if the PII does not cover the work
• Client is on the UK Government sanctions list

Question 9

What is your firm’s complaints handling procedure?

Answer 9

• As my firm is RICS-regulated it has a formal complaints handling procedure.
• This is managed by George Roberts (Head of UK & Ireland)
• In the event clients would like to make a formal complaint, they are asked firstly to do so to the Partner in charge of your engagement first. .
• If clients do not feel that is appropriate they can contact the Compliance Team. Compliance will write to the client setting out their understanding of the matter and ask that they confirm its accuracy before we investigate. Alternatively, they can send a written summary of their complaint to the Compliance Director.
• Once a complaint has been received, C&W will contact the client in writing within 5 working days to inform you of who will be responsible for investigating your complaint and how this will be conducted.
• Within 20 working days of written confirmation of the complaint, the person investigating the complaint will write to inform the client of the outcome and to let them know what actions have been, or will be, taken. If the complaint takes longer to investigate, C&W will write to inform the client of our progress.
• If the complaint has not been resolved to the client’s satisfaction, C&W will agree that the matter may be referred to one of the following organisations: The Property Redress Scheme or The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution – Mediation.
• RICS Dispute resolution service / Ombudsman Service: Property / Financial Ombudsman service dependant on the activity.

Question 10

What would you do if you received a complaint from a client

Answer 10

• In the first instance; take responsibility. Receive complaint, evaluate/review complaint with a director, discuss with and respond to claimant (client) and explore whether the complaint can be settled without escalating and going through the CHP.
• Notify Compliance Director and put PII insurers on alert in case the complaint goes further.
• Direct them to the formal CHP if unable to resolve locally.
• Additional investigations, escalations, record keeping, learning from experience, identifying training needs, next PII renewal.

Question 11

What are the key messages from RICS Complaints Handling (2016)?

Answer 11

• CHP’s mandatory in all terms of engagement.
• Complaints log needs to be maintained.
• Firms must have an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
• Terms of business are important, because complaints often arise when expectations have not been met. Expectations are set in Terms of Engagement.
• CHP’s have to be relevant to the scope of the service offered.
• Know your PII policy, and inform you insurer as soon as a complaint arises.
• Take care not to arbitrarily admit fault or liability in the first instance of a complaint being received.
• Identify training needs from complaints.