Client Care (Inc Complaints and Money) Flashcards
What does the RICS Guidance Note on Complaints handling say?
1) Initial Actions
2) Evaluate the complaint
3) Initial Response
4) Further investigations
5) Escalation
**Always notify insurance company, and consultant legal team where applicable.
1) Importance of record keeping
2) Lessons learnt
3) Identification of training needs
What is a complaint?
An expression of dissatisfaction. Often occurs when expectations have not been met.
How can complaints be avoided?
- Clear scope of services and thus expectations
- Clear communication and transparency
- Putting everything into writing
- Following company procedures and RICS guidance
- Seeking feedback and resolving issues as they arise.
What should you do when a complaint arises?
Advise insurers of anything that could lead to a claim.
What is good client care?
The CONTINUOUS process of managing expectations, delivering on your scope of service, looking for continous service improvement, handling complaints and developing a positive long term relationship with a client.
Why is client care important?
- To deliver the project successfully
- To maintain positive long term relationships with the client that could lead to repeat business
- To maintain a good reputation
- To continue trust in the profession
How should you act to build trust with a client?
Essentially in line with rules of conduct.
Discuss quality management systems within your projects.
Documents that provide a measurement of success.
- PEP, PMP, CPP, QA checklists etc.
What is the difference between a client and a customer?
With a client, there is a protective on-going business relationship, whereas this may not be the case with a customer.
What is the Arcadis Complaints Handling Procedure?
1) Complaint raised - acknowledgement
2) Report to responsible project manager
3) Log in database
4) Is the complaint valid? If no, then reasonably advise the individual and close on the database, if yes, then proceed to next step.
5) Analysis of complaint, how did it occur, what went wrong and what measures need to be put in place. Advise individual on findings, if not resolved, then further investigations and escalation. If resolved, proceed to next step.
6) Update procedures and undertake the necessary training.
7) Share lessons learnt
8) Close in database.
This is in line with the RICS Guidance on Complaints Handling:
1) Initial actions - acknowledgements
2) Evaluate the complaint
3) Initial Response to individual
4) Further Investigations
5) Escalation
Key considerations:
1) Record keeping
2) Lessons learnt
3) Training needs
What is the Arcadis hierarchy for escalation?
1) Immediate Supervisor
2) Local Management
3) Local Compliance Officer
4) Regional Manager
5) Regional Compliance Officer
6) Corporate Compliance Officer
7) Arcadis Audit and Risk Committee
How do you deal with client money?
At Arcadis, we do not handle client money as part of our services. However, if I was to handle client money, I would ensure that I have registered with the RICS Client Money Protection Scheme for Surveying Services. Broadly speaking, this states that client money should be kept safe, used only for its intended purpose, and surveyors should ensure that appropriate procedures and controls are in place to protect client money. This is covered in Rule 1 for Members and Firms.
