Client Care

Question 1

What is client care?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Why is client care important?

Answer 2

• Helps to provide a good and diligent service.
• Maintain client relationships.
• Maintain a good reputation.
• Promotes trust in the industry.

Question 3

How would you determine your client’s needs?

Answer 3

• 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.

Question 4

What is a client brief?

Answer 4

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.

Question 5

What is client empathy?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

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

Answer 6

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

Question 7

What needs to be considered when preparing a fee quotation?

Answer 7

Scope of service
Terms of payment
Complaints handling procedure
Property details
Client details
Limitations
Exclusions

Question 8

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

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

What should be included in the Terms of Engagement?

Answer 9

• 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.

Question 10

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

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

Have you ever advised a friend or neighbour ?

Answer 11

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.

Question 12

How do you assist a client with making decisions?

Answer 12

• 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.

Question 13

How do you prepare a project brief?

Answer 13

• 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)

Question 14

How have you measured your clients satisfaction following works ?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

What or who is stakeholder ?

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

How would you address negative feedback?

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

What is your firms Complaints Handling Procedure?

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

What are the principles of Client Care?

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

What measures should be taken to avoid PI claims ?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

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

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

When should you decline work?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What is the reasonable time to resolve a complaint?

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

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

Answer 23

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

Question 24

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

Answer 24

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

Question 25

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

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

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

Answer 26

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.

Question 27

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

Answer 27

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.

Question 28

Why is client care so important?

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

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

Answer 29

Arrange a call with 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
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
Notify my firms PII insurers inline with our policy requirements
Arrange a meeting with the client to take on board their feedback and address any areas of concern by introducing appropriate procedures if required
If I am unable to resolve the complaint this would need to be referred to the RICS independent redress mechanism.

Question 30

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

Answer 30

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

Question 31

What is meant by the term Duty of Care?

Answer 31

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.

Question 32

What is the difference between a client and a customer?

Answer 32

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.

Question 33

How do you conduct yourself with a new client?

Answer 33

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

Question 34

What is meant by the term soft landings?

Answer 34

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.

Question 35

Please provide an overview of your quality management procedures?

Answer 35

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

Question 36

What is meant by the term KPI’s?

Answer 36

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.

Question 37

What are the objectives of the professional statement?

Answer 37

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

Question 38

What is meant by the term client money?

Answer 38

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

Question 39

How does Rule 3 relate to client care?

Answer 39

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

Question 40

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

Answer 40

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.

Question 41

A comprehensive Terms of Engagement should include…

Answer 41

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.