Client Care

Question 1

What must a complaints handling procedure include?

Answer 1

• The RICS provides a model form
• Must include a redress mechanism
• Details should be issued to the client with the Terms of Business
• It must be clear, quick, transparent and impartial and free of charge
• Names and contact details of the nominated investigating person must be stated
• The complaint must be investigated within 28 days
• All complaints, their progress and outcomes must be recorded
• Note the need to advise PI insurers of a complaint
• Must have two stages as a minimum:
• Consideration of the complaint by a senior member of the firm or the complaints handling officer
• If not resolved, referred
  to an independent third party with the authority to award redress

Question 1

What are the PI insurance requirements set out by the RICS?

Answer 1

• Up to £100k turnover – Up to £250K
• £101k to £200K – Up to £500K
• £201 to £300k – Up to £1m

Question 2

What do you do if you received a letter of complaint?

Answer 2

• I acknowledge reception and I forward it to our designated complaint handler, as per our complaint handling procedure, providing additional information as required.
• If I am a sole practitioner, I inform the RICS if it warranted my complaint handling procedure and I notify my PI insurer.

Question 3

What is a Client Brief?

Answer 3

• The purpose of the project brief is to provide a firm foundation for the initiation of the project
• It is a formal statement of the objectives and functional and operational requirements of the finished project.
• It should be in sufficient detail to enable the integrated project team to execute the specification and detailed design of the work and is therefore an essential reference
  for the team.

Question 4

When should you decline an instruction of new work from a client?

Answer 4

1) If there is a Conflict of Interest
2) Not in clients interest - you can’t resource the job
3) Illegal

Question 5

What makes up a fee proposal/Fee bid?

Answer 5

1) Scope of Services

2) Proposed fee Proposed fees (supported by CVs / interviews / programme of deliverables / sub
consultants / questionnaires / QA procedures

3) Terms and conditions

4) Assumptions and Exclusions

Question 6

How would you limit the risk of working with a client who may be financially unstable?

Answer 6

Screening process -
1) Dun & Bradstreet credit check
2) Company search (Account information from Companies House)
3) Internet search (Client website for additional information - judgement on reliability)

Question 7

If your client asked you to lower your fees because of their limited funding, what would you do?

Answer 7

The client would have to pay the required price for the level of service required or reduce the scope of works involved.

Question 8

How would you calculate a fee proposal?

Answer 8

I would review the work involved with the commission based on the level of information available & calculate the time & number of individuals required to undertake the work & multiply it by an hourly rate, adding a suitable allowance for OH&P

Question 9

How do you encourage repeat business?

Answer 9

• Provide high level of services and customer care during projects.
• Obtain feedback and act on it
  Deal with complaints honestly and effectively
• Keep in touch with clients when we have no live project with them
• Organised business development activities such as social events or CPD’s