Client Care

Question 1

What is a tailored service?

Answer 1

•Customising approach to meet the client’s needs

Question 2

What is CBRE’s complaints handling system?

Answer 2

• 7 days respond outlining receipt of the complaint

* Senior Director/above responds formally within 28 days

Question 3

How did you produce tailored reports?

Answer 3

• Gain feedback on what the client needs

* Propose solutions

Question 4

How do you meet client’s needs?

Answer 4

• Establish what they are.
• Make sure our proposal can meet them in terms of resource
• Seek continuous feedback

Question 5

How can you provide a high standard of service to your client?

Answer 5

• Understood the requirements
• Gain feedback throughout
• Regular reporting
• Collect data for lessons learnt
- Communicating with the client in a way that suited their own business needs. i.e if busy, then is a call better, or an email update.
- Getting reports to the client on time, when I say I’m going to do something, do it.
- Providing relevant information but not withholding information that is important that they should know about straight away.
- Keeping the client well informed on progress. Tailoring reporting to suit the information that the client wants to receive.

Question 6

What does the RICS say about providing a high standard of care?

Answer 6

• You should ensure your client has a copy of your terms of engagement you have agreed to.

Behaviours include:

• Being clear about services
• Acting within scope of competence. If not, be prepared to do something about it.
• Be transparent about fees.
• Communicate in a way that allows them to make an informed decision.
• Put the treatment of a client at the centre of its business culture.

Question 7

What is a stakeholder?

Answer 7

A person with a vested interest in the outcome of the project.

Question 8

What is a conflict of interest?

Answer 8

A situation which the duty of an RICS member to act in the interest of a client or other party in a professional assignment conflicts with the a duty owed to another client or party in relation to the same assignment.
- This is a party conflict.
There are also own interest conflicts and confidential information conflicts.

Question 9

What does the RICS say about conflict of interest?

Answer 9

That a firm must not advise or represent a client where doing so would involve a COI or significant risk of a COI, other than where all of those who are or may be affected have provided their prior informed consent and information barriers are set up.

Question 10

How should you handle a conflict of interest? What is the process?

Answer 10

• A COI check must be carried out prior to pitching for work and accepting an instruction
• If there is a COI you must inform your department head, copying in your managing director and compliance officer and ensure you keep an audit trail.
• Inform the client of the potential conflict and ensure they understand the circumstances.
• Obtain written consent from both parties to the transaction that CBRE can act on both sides or just one side.
• Advise the client that they might want to take up legal advise.
• Implement the information barrier and confirm to the clients that confidentiality will apply.
• Have good client communication.

Question 11

What should be included in terms of business?

Answer 11

Clarity and information on:
Charges and expenses
Payment
Quality control and complaints procedure
Liability
Termination
Money laundering regs.

Question 12

How should you handle complaints?

Answer 12

• Complaints handling should involve a full investigation of any complaints following a firms CHP process and complies with the RICS.
• Contact your compliance director,
• CD will contact us within 7 working days to explain the investigations
• Within 20 working days a receipt of the written summary and the person dealing with the claim will be sent to me to inform of the outcome.

Question 13

What are the principles and practices of client care?

Answer 13

• Concept of identifying clients
• Concept of identifying behaviours appropriate to establish good client relationships.
• The systems and procedures appropriate for management the process of client care sure as complaints.
• The requirement to collect data and analyse client needs.

Question 14

What are the behaviours associated with establishing good client relationships?

Answer 14

• Respond to queries promptly
• Do what you say you are going to do.
• Comply with RICS ethical standards.
• Understand client expectations but learn to manage these.
• Be professional
• Confidentiality

Question 15

Why is it important to establish good client relationships?

Answer 15

• Smooth running of the project,
• Ensure objectives and requirements are known
• Put trust in your capabilities
• Successful project
• Understand influential status’
• Repeat work
• understand their background - layman or technical?
• Recommendations

Question 16

What does the RICS say about dealing with clients’ money?

Answer 16

• Rule 8 of the RICS Rules of conduct for Firms states: “A firm shall preserve the security of clients’ money entrusted to its care in the course of its practice or business’
• Companies must adhere to the RICS practice notes as this is mandatory.

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Question 17

What information do you provide during a client meeting?

Answer 17

• Monthly report
• cost update
• Design update
• Construction update
• Procurement strategy or status of tender
• Contract status
• Appointment status
• Key risks
• progress update
• programme update
• Quality update

Depends on where you are in the project.

Question 18

How did you approach the complaint raised on Project XX

Answer 18

• Listened
• Communicated promptly
• got the right people involved
• met with the neighbours so they felt valued
• Discussed with the contractor
• implements decisions made
• followed up with neighbours and ensured they had contact details should they have other concerns.
• Lessons learnt for the main contract.

Question 19

What are adequate procedures to prevent bribery?

Answer 19

• Proportionate procedures
• Top-level commitment
• Risk assessment
• Due diligence
• Communication
• Monitoring and review

Question 20

What examples can you think of that constitute a bribe?

Answer 20

• Bribing and being bribed
• Bribing foreign public officials
• Failing to prevent bribery
• Bribes vs hospitality
• Facilitation payments

Question 21

What is the equality act 2010?

Answer 21

Legislation which legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.  It replaced previously anti-discrimination laws with a single Act.  
Protected characteristics:
-	Age
-	Disability 
-	Gender reassignment 
-	Marriage and civil partnership 
-	Pregnancy and maternity 
-	Race
-	Religion or belief 
-	Sex
-	Sexual orientation

Question 22

What company values do you follow?

Answer 22

• Respect – To treat everyone with dignity, value their contributions, and help one another succeed
• Integrity – To uphold the highest standards of truthfulness and reliability in our business practices
• Service – To dedicate ourselves to making a meaningful impact with our clients and in our communicates
• Excellence – To aspire to be the best in everything we do and drive for continuous improvements.

Question 23

Why is stakeholder management important?

Answer 23

• Each stakeholder may have a differing view about the project.
• There may be opportunity for each stakeholder to exert influence over the project in a positive or negative manner.

Question 24

What is the stakeholder management process?

Answer 24

• Identify
• Assess - establish influence in terms of power and interest.
• Develop communication plans
• Engage and influence

Question 25

What are the risks with no managing stakeholder expectations?

Answer 25

• Inability to fully understand requirements
• Risks may be difficult to determine
• Pressure groups may not want the project to go ahead.

Question 26

What are the requirements with handling clients’ money?

Answer 26

• Client account requirements [hold all money in a client account, ensure immediately available]
• Appropriate accounting controls [Keep records and accounts that show dealing with the client’s money. Have appropriate systems in place for withdrawal,payments and transfer in accordance with client instruction]
• Information firms must provide to clients [confirmation that client money will be held in a client money account. Disclosure of all commissions earned, a copy of the firm’s written procedure for handling client’s money]
• How to handle client money including rules for managing any unidentifiable funds. [Use only for client matters, ensure the immediate return of monies when there is no longer a need to retain it].
• Ensure compliance with AMLR, bribery and corruption and terrorist financing.