Level 1

Question 1

Who are your clients?

Answer 1

Anyone who you provide a service to

Question 2

Who are project stakeholders?

Answer 2

Project leader.
Senior management.
Project team members.
Project customer.
Resource Managers.

Question 3

How do you establish you clients’ objectives?

Answer 3

The client brief

Question 4

As part of the RICS Standard For of Consultants Document what key aspects should be in a client brief

Answer 4

The brief should:
o describe the main function and operational requirements of the finished building or structure
o outline your motivation for initiating the project
o give your expectations during the project, including how health and safety risks should be managed
o explain the design direction you have in mind
o establish a single point of contact for any client queries or discussions during the project
o set a realistic timeframe and budget.

Whilst the initial client brief sets out your general requirements and expectations for the project, it is also important that it outlines your health and safety expectations.

Question 5

Why is a client brief important?

Answer 5

A brief is the most important piece of information issued by a client to an agency. It’s from the brief that everything else flows. Therefore it’s essential that every effort be taken to prepare the best possible documentation of what is required. The client brief can be considered the platform for a communications campaign. The better a company’s corporate or brand position is defined and the more thoughtfully its key business issues are described, the more likely it is that strategic and creative thinkers in agencies will be able to apply their specialist skills to produce great solutions.

1. It leads to better, more effective and measurable work
2. It saves time and money
3. It makes remuneration fairer

Question 6

What influences how a fee is calculated?

Answer 6

For most cases, it is anticipated that one of the following fee bases will usually be used to calculate the member’s fee, always subject to agreement between the parties involved:
o time spent multiplied by an hourly rate
o percentage of the compensation received (provided that the matter is settled by negotiation and is not determined through legal proceedings where the surveyor involved is acting as an expert witness, and where relevant RICS requirements are in force)
o a predetermined ‘fixed fee’ arrangement where the scope of the work can be clearly defined or
o on the basis of the charging arrangements agreed from time to time with the utility companies

Question 7

What is a KPI?

Answer 7

Key Performance Indicator: by setting KPIs the company enables the team to make smart business decisions about the direction of all current projects

Question 8

What is Professional Indemnity Insurance?

Answer 8

Professional indemnity insurance covers financial loss, personal injury and property damage resulting from your negligent act, error or omission while you’re working for a client.

Question 9

What is your complaints handling procedure?

Answer 9

We have a nominated person within each office who handles complaints. The complaint must be made in writing, Once we have received your written complaint, the responsible person will contact you in writing within ten working days.Within twenty working days of receipt of your written summary, the responsible person will write to you, informing you of the outcome of their internal investigation into your complaint and to let you know what actions we have taken or will take.

Question 10

How are KPIs used?

Answer 10

The reasons why KPIs are important include:

• Goal measurement: KPIs are the measurements by which you know if your business is achieving its strategic goals or not.
• Providing information and feedback: They provide a simple, insightful snapshot of a company’s overall performance, as well as reliable, real-time information for effective decision-making.
• Education: KPIs create an atmosphere of learning in an organisation as they generate conversations between staff that can lead to innovation and a better understanding of the business strategy.
• Staff morale: Receiving positive feedback or incentives for meeting KPIs can be rewarding and motivating for staff. Without measuring outcomes, quality work can easily be overlooked.
• Consistency and continuity: People, priorities, and goals in a business may change over time, but the measurement of a KPI should remain consistent. This is essential for monitoring long-term strategic goals.

Question 11

What have you done on your projects to ensure successful communication with your client?

Answer 11

We communicate with them on the progress of the project, the movement of any variations and are available to discuss any works with them.

Question 12

What do you understand about client care?

Answer 12

It is a continuous process or concept of understanding client’s requirements, suggestions, complaints etc. and analysing it to find a solution suitable to client requirements and to enhance our own business.

Question 13

Give me an example of a client care exercise that you have been involved in?

Answer 13

I am available to help for any questions and queries and communicate in a clear manner.

Question 14

How you will identify who the clients are and their behavioural patterns?

Answer 14

• Specific software packages – contacts databases or relationship management databases.
• Developing capture plans to assist in the identification and capturing of a specific client’s needs.
• Understanding clients’ timescales so that responses can be tailored to suit.
• Understanding the need for a polite and professional approach to all business
• Understanding the need for clear concise communication to keep clients informed of developments.

Question 15

How you will identify and utilise the systems and processes for managing client care?

Answer 15

• Customer complaint procedures
• Quality Assurance procedures
• Other policies such as sustainability, equal opportunities, environmental policies etc – depending upon the clients requirements.
• Customer satisfaction questionnaires
• Client feedback meetings
• Lessons learned workshops

Question 16

The systems and procedures that is appropriate for managing the process of client care, including complaints.

Answer 16

• Client care on projects – Clarity of communication lines and ongoing dialogue with the client on the deliverables of the team and their input to the project.

• Client account management – The process of structured account management, ensuring that developments in the client organisation are tracked and that there is interaction at a number of seniority levels. Additionally the process of maintaining regular contact away from current live projects to identify how assistance can be provided with longer term client business objectives.
• Client feedback – Process for collecting and responding to client feedback. Alternative processes such as project reviews, informal feedback and managed client satisfaction surveys.
• Client business development activities – The concept of arranging off line business development activities and events as a mechanism to build broader relationship with clients.
• Complaints – maintaining alternative lines of communication / routes for complaints and how these should be ideal with by a practice. The RICS guidance on ethics should be referred to as the option for clients to make formal complaints to RICS.

Question 17

Explain the requirement to collect data, analyse and define the needs of clients.

Answer 17

• The briefing process – The importance of the briefing process and defining a clear scope of works for the team so that the expectations of both parties are aligned.
• Job Planning - The internal process of planning how the client’s requirements will be met for both specific deliverables and broader input to the project, together with how this relates to the pricing and management of the commission.
• Continuous Client Management – identifying a process to capture any changes to the needs of the client and the project.

Question 18

Difference between a Client and a Customer

Answer 18

The difference between a customer and a client is that a customer can be just a patron, while a client is a patron who also seeks advice. In today’s business world, we don’t just have customer service, but we have “client care” or “client service” departments in many corporations. Most patrons of a business want to be informed, but those who depend on their relationship with a business such as a client with a lawyer, need a protective type of informative business relationship. A client looks to follow the advice and professional knowledge of a business leader, while a customer may only purchase goods and services from a business.
In a client / vendor relationship, the buyer is “under the protection” of the vendor and becomes dependent upon the ongoing care of the vendor.
Client: One who is under the protection of another. Customer: One who purchases a commodity or service.

Question 19

How do you act upon feedback received from a client?

Answer 19

The feedback should be formally recorded in proper way. If obtained through a customer satisfaction questionnaire then this will form the formal record. If the feedback is verbal then a formal record should be made.
If the feedback is negative then it needs to be verified and the necessary course of action to be taken depending upon the actual feedback. If a formal approach is required then obviously the company procedure should be followed. It is also advisable to ensure that feedback is collated in a formal way and fed back into company through some form of lessons learned process.

Question 20

The RICS Client’s Money Protection Scheme

Answer 20

Client who entrust money to firms regulated by RICS are protected in the unlikely event that the money is mishandled. (Maximum amount is 50,000 Pounds)

Question 21

Minimum requirements of complaint handling procedure

Answer 21

Every firms should have a CHP;

(1) It should be quick, transparent and impartially implemented,
(2) Appoint a person to carryout investigation
(3) Information about complaint handling procedures should be available to clients
(4) If complainant still unhappy with the outcome, they have right for separate review or mediation.
(5) If complainant still unhappy, they have right to refer to independent dispute resolution. (Remember you inform your insurers of the complaints on each stage)

Question 22

How to complain about a RICS member or firm?

Answer 22

First step is to complain directly to member or firm as per CHP. Second step to complain directly to RICS (Online possible)

Question 23

What are the subjects RICS investigate against a member or a regulated firm?

Answer 23

Failure to use complaints handling procedure, Incompetence, Conflicts of interest, Misuse of client’s money, Failure to answer correspondence, Allegation or a conviction of a criminal offence.

Question 24

What is meant by PI insurance?

Answer 24

It is a third party insurance to cover the damages and losses suffered by a client due to negligent actions, omissions, errors of a professional.

Question 25

If a client came to you with a complaint what would you do?

Answer 25

Diligently address as per the Complaint Handling Procedure and advice the client at the earliest.

Question 26

How you will communicate with your past clients? What are the methods?

Answer 26

Distribution of promotional diaries, calendars.
Conducting social events such as seminars.
Questionnaire feed backs

Question 27

How do you know that your existing client is happy?

Answer 27

Repeated business, questionnaire as per ISO procedure, feed backs from clients.

Question 28

What are the documents you include in a QS bid?

Answer 28

Fee proposal, scope of services, exclusions if any, track record, previous experience, proposed methodology of work distribution, Curriculum vitae of proposed staff, resource profile, cash flow forecast, references, case studies.