Client Care

Question 1

What do you understand by client care?

Answer 1

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 (OHPs).
-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.

Question 2

Why is client care important?

Answer 2

-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.

Question 3

How do you conduct yourself with a new client?

Answer 3

Well mannered.
Well presented.
Respectful.
Friendly and enthusiastic.

Question 4

How do you build trust with the client?

Answer 4

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.

Question 5

What is the difference between a client and customer?

Answer 5

-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.

Question 6

What is a project stakeholder?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

What is the term ‘soft landings’ referring to?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

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

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

What is a lesson learnt workshop?

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

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

Answer 10

Client satisfaction surveys are issued at key project stages.

Question 11

How do you act upon feedback received from a client?

Answer 11

-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 taken 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.

Question 12

What are KPIs?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Can you provide examples of a KPI?

Answer 13

Number of defects/snags.
Construction cost overrun.
Achieving programme milestones.
Profitability.
H&S scores.
Environmental scoring.
Use of local labour.

Question 14

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

Answer 14

-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.

Question 15

How do you manage your clients’ expectations?

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

What is a complaint?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

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

Answer 17

As soon as possible.

Question 18

How would you deal with a complaint from a client?

Answer 18

-Acknowledge receipt of the compliant.
-Notify the appropriate person in the firm (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
-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 insurers of the complaint at each stage of the process.

Question 19

Are you aware of any guidance published by RICS in association with complaint handling?

Answer 19

Complaints Handling - 1st edition, July 2016. [Note - This guidance note was updated January 2022 in line with new RICS Rules of Conduct, see page 2 of the document].

Question 20

How can complaints be avoided in the first instance?

Answer 20

-Setting out clear expectations in the scope of service and appointment documents.
-Communicating clearly and effectively with the client and other key stakeholders.
-Put everything in writing to ensure there is always documented evidence should a complaint arise (for example, meeting minutes).
-Follow company procedures and policy (including quality assurance processes).
-Follow RICS standards, professional statements and guidance.
-Seeking feedback and resolving issues as they arise.

Question 21

Has RICS published any information on handling clients’ money?

Answer 21

Client Money Handling - professional statement 1 st edition, October 2019.

Question 22

What are the objectives of the Client Money Handling professional statement?

Answer 22

The professional statement provides clear rules for RICS regulated firms and members to have the appropriate controls and procedures to keep client money safe. It provides confidence to clients and consumers that RICS regulated firms are operating to high professional standards.

Question 23

What are some of the key requirements identified in the Client Money Handling professional statement?

Answer 23

The professional statement provides clear requirements such as:

-Client account requirements.
-Appropriate accounting controls.
-The information that firms must provide to clients.
-How to handle client money including rules for managing any unidentified funds.

Question 24

What is meant by clients’ money?

Answer 24

-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.

Question 25

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

Answer 25

Services required.
Insurances required.
Terms of appointment.
Duration of appointment.
Client procedures and policies.
Key drivers for success.

Question 26

What might be excluded from a consultant fee proposal?

Answer 26

VAT.
Disbursements.
Dealing with claims.
Services which are not required.

Question 27

What might be included in a consultant fee proposal?

Answer 27

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).

Question 28

How would you go about calculating professional fees for a new commission?

Answer 28

-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).

Question 29

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

Answer 29

-If project requirements (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.

Question 30

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

Answer 30

-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.

Question 31

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?

Answer 31

-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.

Question 32

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

Answer 32

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

Question 33

What is a consultant appointment document?

Answer 33

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.

Question 34

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

Answer 34

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.

Question 35

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

Answer 35

Events such as:
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.