Client Care Flashcards
1
Q
What is client care?
A
- The process of identifying clients and their behaviours to build a rapport. Including analysing the needs of the client.
2
Q
Why is client care important?
A
- Promotes trust in the industry and company
- Maintains client relationships to help build business
- Maintain a reputation in the industry
3
Q
What are the different types of clients?
A
- House refurbs/Residential
- Private sector
- Public sector
- Commercial clients
- Developers
4
Q
What needs to be considered when preparing a fee quotation?
A
- Scope of service
- Terms of payment
- Complaints handling procedure
- Property details
- Client details
- Limitations
- Exclusions
5
Q
Keys Meadow – what were the client’s requirements?
A
- They wanted the project to achieve safeguarding around the school, on programme and within budget
- They wanted updates as per the agreed communication protocol
6
Q
What did you include in the client questionnaire?
A
- Feedback on my performance on the project – what was done well, what no so well and how my performance could have been improved
- Space for feedback to my line partner
7
Q
What is a stakeholder?
A
- Anyone that can affect or is affected by what you are trying to achieve, in a construction project this might include: client staff, leaseholders, local communities, regulators, investors.
8
Q
RICS stakeholder engagement guidance note, what does it include?
A
- A definition of stakeholders
- Sets out a number of models to assess and categorise stakeholder engagement strategies
- Sets out 10 principles of stakeholder engagement
9
Q
What is stakeholder engagement?
A
- Engagement signifies all the things we might do with stakeholders: consult, listen, understand, communicate, influence and negotiate. Broader objectives may include gaining approval or support, or at least minimising opposition or obstruction.
10
Q
What is the principal agent theory?
A
- Theory is concerned with the difficulty in motivating one party (the ‘agent’), to act in the best interests of another (the ‘principal) rather than their own.
- I.e. Project manager/CA is the principal, the agents are stakeholders i.e. directors, leaseholders.
11
Q
What are the principles of stakeholder engagement set out in the guidance note?
A
- Principle 1 – Communicate
- Principle 2 – Consult early and often
- Principle 3 – Remember they’re only human
- Principle 4 – Plan it
- Principle 5 – Relationships are key
- Principle 6 – Simple, but not easy
- Principle 7 – Just part of managing risk
- Principle 8 – Compromise
- Principle 9 – Understand what success is
- Principle 10 – Take responsibility
12
Q
What is the Mendelow’s power-interest grid?’
A
- A tool to distinguish between different project stakeholders by categorising them using their power and interest in the project.
- Interest and power:
o High power, high interest = key player
o High power, low interest = keep satisfied
o Low power, low interest = minimum effort
o High interest, low power = keep informed
13
Q
What is the Case 6 model?
A
- Paul Mansells CASE 6 Step Approach provides a robust analysis of stakeholder engagement challenges provided a high level overview to give direction on engagement strategies.
- Sets out six stages:
My Role & The Team – My Leadership role and team role
Defining the Task – activities and outputs – desired outcomes
Environment Complexity –define and assess impact of complexity on stakeholders
Identify and Assess - who are they, what are their interests and power
Plan to influence – what mechanism can be used, what approach
Continual Review
14
Q
What communication strategy did you employ on ……….. project?
A
- Weekly site inspection reports issued to key client team members, stating progress and quality of the works, actions, next steps, issues.
- A project progress call occurred every two weeks with a wider team of stakeholders
- I chaired a monthly formal project progress meeting with the contractor and wider client team, setting out progress, financial matters, client matters and next actions.
15
Q
What is a complaint?
A
- An expression of dissatisfaction, any complaint needs to be handled reasonably and consistently to minimise reputational and financial risk.
16
Q
What should an effective complaints handling procedure do?
A
- Be fit for purpose, reflecting the size and structure of the business
- Made available to all staff,
- Be understood by all staff
- Readily be shared with complainants
- Regularly reviewed at a senior level
- Be agreed with PII brokers/providers
- Provide details of independent redress if the firm cannot resolve the complaint
17
Q
How would you operate a effective complaints procedure?
A
- Ensure the process is quick, clear and transparent and impartially implemented
- Must be free and include and independent ADR mechanism approved by the regulatory board which should be detailed on all terms of engagement.
- Create a complaints log, acknowledge recipient within 7 days and investigate within 28 dates
18
Q
If a client was prepared to pay you in advance for services you were providing, how would you ensure this was dealt with?
A
- Set up a separate client account that is properly named and clearly identifiable.
- Provide the client with a statement of account.
- Inform and agree drawdowns (stage fees being removed from the account).
- Prior to withdrawing monies, send statement of how much is to be withdrawn and what services and fees are made up of - then send statement of account.
- Once complete, show a final statement, ensuring all is clear and transparent.
19
Q
On what grounds would you be able to ask for additional fees?
A
- Programme duration is extended.
- Scope of services being delivered has changed - St Leonards opening up works.
- Increase in attendance at meetings has been requested.
- Outside of framework
- Value and scope of project has changed.
20
Q
How would you go about asking a client for additional fees?
A
- Arrange meeting with the client.
- Explain the reasoning behind the additional fee claim.
- Discuss the benefits of the additional services.
- Be sympathetic and understanding and be prepared to offer a compromise.
- Make sure that the information being presented to the client is clearly set out and understood by them.
- Follow up in writing.
