Client Care Flashcards

1
Q

What is client care?

A

The process of identifying clients behaviours to build a rapport to understand and analyse their needs and establish a good relationship.

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2
Q

Why is client care important?

A
  • Helps to provide a good and diligent service.
  • Maintain client relationships.
  • Maintain a good reputation.
  • Promotes trust in the industry.
  • Reduce negetive feedback and negligence claims.
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3
Q

How would you determine your client’s needs?

A
  • Know their business/position.
  • Listen to what they are asking for.
  • Ask them questions to expand your understanding.
  • Use your understanding and knowledge and experience to identify the right options.
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4
Q

What is a client brief?

A

A recorded document that sets out the clients key objectives for a project, so that the project team can ensure stay aligned with the targets.

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5
Q

What is client empathy?

A

Understanding the underlying needs and feelings of customers. It puts things into context by viewing things from their perspective.

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6
Q

How do you ensure the brief is accurate to the clients needs?

A

Due diligence should be carried out during calls, meetings or over email before a brief is finalised.

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7
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

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8
Q

When taking on an appointment, what do you need to consider?

A

Am I fully competent to take on this appointment. Will additional internal or external assistance be required to complete the service to the required level.

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9
Q

What should be included in the Terms of Engagement?

A
  • The identity of the client.
  • The surveyor responsible and their qualifications.
  • The scope and nature of the work.
  • Any limitations and third party reliance.
  • Data protection policy.
  • Due diligence undertaken.
  • Timeframe for delivery.
  • Fee basis.
  • A reference to the Complaints handling procedure.
  • Any conflicts of interest.
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10
Q

How does the type of client change how you manage a project and the relationship with them?

A

Each client will have different needs and expectations. By getting to know the client dueing the initial due diligence stage, will help to understand their needs and expectations.

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11
Q

Have you ever advised a friend or neighbour ?

A

No I have not.
If I was apporached by a friend or neighbour for advice, I would explain that they would have to follow the normal procedure with official engagement, as I cannot provide advice that I may not be insured for.

Depending on the circumstance, I would also have be sure to check that any appointment would not be conflict of interest.

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12
Q

How do you assist a client with making decisions?

A
  • Provide the client with as much information as possile on the options available.
  • Provide simple advantages and disadvantages to the available options.
  • Provide a professional recommendation.
  • Allow the client time to digest the information and assist with any queries.
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13
Q

How do you prepare a project brief?

A
  • Identify clients objectives
  • Identify project requirements
  • Critical success factors
  • Expected outcomes (quality)
  • Resource the client has vailable (Cost)
  • Timescales
  • Budget
    (Project brief – first stage in the process of defining client’s requirements)
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14
Q

How have you measured your clients satisfaction following works ?

A

I ask clients to fill out a feedback form based on my performance and their expereince. I also ask clients to leave reviews online.

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15
Q

What or who is stakeholder ?

A

A stakeholder is a party that has an interest in a company and can either affect or be affected by the business. The primary stakeholders in a typical corporation are its owners, investors, employees, customers, and suppliers.

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16
Q

How would you address negative feedback?

A

I would first ask the client to clarify why they felt dissatisfied. I would then try to understand this from their point of view.

I would try to understand if there was an opportunity to make things right so their experience would be changed for the better.

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17
Q

What is your firms Complaints Handling Procedure?

A

Our CHP has two stages.
Stage one of the CHP gives a senior member of staff the opportunity to review and consider your complaint in full.
We will contact the client to try and resolve the complaint to their satisfaction.
If that is not possible, they can progress to stage two.
Stage two gives the client the opportunity to have the complaint reviewed and considered by an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider, approved by RICS.
If a complaint enters stage two, we would notify out PI Insurer.

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18
Q

What are the principles of Client Care?

A

The concept of identifying the different clients, and the behaviours appropriate to establishing good client relationships, Identifying client key drivers for projects and good Communication.

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19
Q

What measures should be taken to avoid PI claims ?

A

Full and accurate records
Recording of data
Defined terms of engagement
Work within competence
Act in line with RICS guidelines

20
Q

Give me and example of when you have provided good client care?

A

During a project in West London, I was aware that the residents within the property were keen to be regularly updated. So I compiled and distributed a monthly e-leaflet to all of residents with information regarding the programme, project updates, upcoming works and key milestones.

21
Q

When should you decline work?

A

Conflict of interest
Outside of competence
Unlawful
Inability to complete within time parameters

22
Q

What is the reasonable time to resolve a complaint?

A

The client should first be acknowledged within 7 days of their complaint and the complaint should be dealt with within 28 days.

If it is not resolved during this period, it may be necessary to take the complaint to an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider, approved by RICS.

23
Q

Are you aware of the RICS document in relation to complaints handling ?

A

Complains Handling, 1st Editions, RICS Professional Standard (October 2023)

24
Q

If a complaints letter landed on your desk what would you do?

A

I would pass this to the complaints handling officer and make a note of this including date, time, witnessed etc.

25
Q

What are the prescribed timescales to provide a response for a complaint ?

A

The complaint is considered as quickly as possible and will be acknowledged within 7 days. If we are not able to give you a full response, we will update you within 28 days.

26
Q

Prior to working with a new client, what pre-appointment checks would you undertake for yourself and the client?

A

Ensuring that I am sufficiently knowledgeable, skilled and competent and sufficiently available to carry out the work required.
Checking for conflicts of interest in line with the RICS professional guidance on conflicts of interest.
Anti-money laundering checks, in line with theAnti-Money Laundering Directive and RICS professional statementCountering Bribery and Corruption, Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.
Ensuring that the firm has sufficient PII insurance to cover the value of the instruction.
Formalise the engagement in written terms of engagement.

27
Q

When setting up a new practice, what procedures would you put in place to ensure good client care was being provided?

A

Processes for formalising terms of engagement and clear communication lines with the client, including confirming timescales, resourcing adjustments and obtaining any information required from the client.

Set up procedures for obtaining regular client feedback and ensuring this is acted upon for example by holding monthly client performance reviews.

Develop strategies for taking part in business development activities in order to retain existing clients and also generate new business.

Procedures to keep client information confidential and using non-disclosure agreements to protect client confidentiality if required.

Reporting to clients using agreed and consistently formatted documentation that has been tailored to meet the client’s requirements.

28
Q

Why is client care so important?

A

Surveying practices that provide excellent client care are likely to retain existing clients and develop new business leads by receiving positive testimonials

A failure to provide good client care is likely to lead to client dissatisfaction, complaints and in the worst-case scenario, Professional Indemnity insurance claims for professional negligence.

Formal complaints and insurance claims can be costly and result in a stressful working environment, reduced staff performance and be time consuming

Complaints and claims can and should be avoided with diligence, manageable workloads and resource planning and well developed procedures for obtaining and acting on customer feedback.

29
Q

On receipt of formal complaint from a client in writing what would you do?

A

Inform the client as soon as possible to notify them that you have received the complaint and are working to rectify the issues they are experiencing and will provide a response within 28 days

Issue the client a copy of my firms complaints handling procedure for reference.

Report the complaint with all relevant details to a senior person within the firm or designated complaints handler and take a note of when the complaint was received and a summary of the complaint.

30
Q

What is a complaint and why is this a serious topic area for surveyors?

A

A complaint is a statement that a situation is unsatisfactory or unacceptable to the client.

These can either be made formally either in writing or verbally.
It is important to take complaints seriously as the RICS require these to be handled inline with their complaints handling procedure.

Practices also have an obligation to notify PII insurers
In the worst case they can result in loss of clients, reputational damage and PII claims against firms

31
Q

What is meant by the term Duty of Care?

A

Aduty of care isto ensure that another party does not sufferharm or loss that can arise as a result of a breach of contractual obligations or Tort of Negligence.

General forms of appoint will include contractual duties to perform services with reasonable skill and care that is to a standard expected of a reasonably competent professional.
However if the appointment is made on the basis of specialist capabilities then the duty of care expected would be to the standard of a competent specialist rather than a general practitioner operating in that field.

In the absence of contractual obligations Tort of negligence can be applied which relies on the courts applying relevant aspects of common law to determine the duty of care that is owed.

32
Q

What is the difference between a client and a customer?

A

Customers are best defined as an individual who is purchasing goods and services from a company. They are typically one time transcations whereas a Client refers to a person who looks for professional service from the business.

A customer engaging in a transaction with a company will not have the same relationship as a client who engages in a fiduciary relationship with the company.

This means both sides work on long-term goals and a long-lasting relationship. Plus, the business has to focus on creating a strong bond with the client in order to retain them as a client.

The client engages in a long-term relationship that can be oftentimes hard to predict.

33
Q

How do you conduct yourself with a new client?

A

I am always sure to be friendly, engaging and enthusiastic
I am inquisitive about key challenges they may be facing
I ensure at all times as a minimum I am:

Well presented
Polite
Conscientious
Respectful

34
Q

What is meant by the term soft landings?

A

The term soft landings refers to a strategy designed to make an easy transition from the construction stage to the occupation stage of a project
The overriding aim of soft landings is to realise optimal operational performance and ensure that the end users of the project can operate effectively in the built asset that has been delivered.

35
Q

Please provide an overview of your quality management procedures within your organisation.

A

Peer review process
Standardised format of documentation
Authorisation / signature process prior to release of documentation
Accessible file storage systems
Procedures for absence of staff and staff leavers to ensure handover of information
Internal and External Auditors
Lessons learned workshops
Client performance feedback

36
Q

What is meant by the term KPI’s?

A

A Key Performance Indicator is a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives.

Organisations use KPIs at multiple levels to evaluate their success at reaching targets.

High-level KPIs may focus on the overall performance of the business, while low-level KPIs may focus on processes in departments such as sales, marketing, HR, support and others.

37
Q

What are the objectives of the professional statement?

A

The objectives are that RICS members and RICS firms understand their obligations in reference to client money handling to ensure that:
- 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

38
Q

What is meant by the term client money?

A

Money of any currency whether in the form of cash, cheques, draft or electronic transfers that a RICS regulated firm hold or receives on behalf of another person or company, that is not immediately due or payable on demand to the RICS regulated firm for its own account.

Client money excludes fees paid in advance for professional work

39
Q

How does Rule 3 relate to client care?

A

A crucial part of achieving Rule 3, is through defining a clear client brief, so you can provide a good quality and diligent service.

40
Q

How do you ensure the client is cared for when accepting an appointment?

A

I would ensure:
I have the correct competence, skills and experience to fulfill the scope of service.
I act within PII limits.
I provide the client with sufficient information regarding dealines, fees and scope.

41
Q

A comprehensive Terms of Engagement should include…

A

Client identity.
The responsible surveyor and their qualifications.
Scope and nature of works.
Limitations and 3rd party reliance.
Data protection policy.
Due diligence undertaken.
Timeframe.
Fee basis.
CHP.
CoI.

42
Q

How can client care be provided?

A

Through:

  • Professionalism.
  • Competence.
  • Punctuality.
  • Trust.
  • Presentation.
  • Regular communication.
  • Client feedback.
43
Q

How would you identify the needs of a client?

A

Holding discussions regarding project key deliverables and the scope of service required.

Reviewing past feedback and identifying key areas of improvement.

Reviewing nay complaints to identify mistakes and best practice.

44
Q

Provide an example of your client care and empathy skills?

A

I always approcah projects to make the client feel like their project is the only one I am working on.

Through communication and organisation, I always try to meet agreed deliverables in advance and to a high standard.

45
Q

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

A

If there is a conflict of interest.

If the appointment would not be in the clients best interests.

If my firm will not be able to resource the job adequately.

If the project is outside my skillset.

If the work is unlawful.