M03 - Client Care Flashcards
What is your company’s complaints procedure?
- Available at reception upon request
- On website
- Compliant with RICS and other institutions which we are regulated by
What is your company’s procedure for receiving Client feedback?
Satisfaction Survey post project completion
What is the RICS complaints procedure? (and timescales for dealing with complaints)
- CHP of member or company should be completed first
- Then referred to RICS for investigation
- 28 day initial review period
- Continues from there if required
What would you do if a Client complained to you?
- Listen to them carefully and get as much detail on the issue as possible
- Ask them how our company could resolve the issue?
- Escalate to a director?
- I would inform them if they wanted to take the matter further, our company’s has a complaints handling procedure
- If unresolved, refer them to RICS CHP
Features of a CHP (Complaints Handling Procedure)?
- Receival process
- Acknowledgement
- Investigation
- Response
- RICS has model template
How would you go about looking after a Client’s monies for them?
- Set up a Client bank account / Escrow account
What would you say is good Client care? Example?
- Providing a high level of service and carrying out my work in a professional, ethical manner
- When working on the [SAMPLE] project, which was in close vicinity to our office, I had a very hands on role on the project and made frequent visits to site in order to stay updated on progress and any issues as best as possible
What if a Client wanted to pay your fees upfront?
Escrow Account - The monies must be paid into an independent deposit account held by a third party as it is still the Clients money, until such a time as the work is completed and drawn down against the fee
Why is Client care important?
- To retain existing clients – secure repeat business
- Maintain a strong reputation within the industry and so attract further clients
- Due to the long term, bespoke & advisory nature of construction projects, it is important to establish a high level of trust with the client
Can you give me an overview of the principles of Client care?
- Identify clients, both existing and new to maintain working relationships and bring in new work
- Understand different types of clients and understand their general objectives and interests
- Make reference to RICS code of conduct when building and maintaining relationships
- Have a complaints procedure
- Collect and respond to client feedback
- Manage client accounts
How do you assist the Client with making decisions?
- Consider all options available – use consultants (design / cost) to assist
- Analyse each option – pros & cons in achieving Client’s objectives
- Make recommendation – justify reasoning for acceptance & rejection of each
- Give the client time to think through each option
- Assist with any queries
How would you deal with a difficult Client?
- The key element to dealing with a difficult client to be honest, open and transparent with communications & decision making to help manage their expectations
- Consider all options and the pros and cons of each; review with project team prior to meeting with the Client
- Give them adequate time to process information & guide them through the project and ensure that they understand their role & responsibilities
How did you manage your Clients’ expectations?
- Building a relationship that goes beyond client / consultant
- Regularly communicating and addressing problems directly
- Agreeing on strategy, goals and timelines
- Offering advice and direction; when I can’t offer it, I direct them to someone who can.
- Being a good listener
- Being open & honest at all times; with issues, risks, budget, programme
- Everyone is a potential client so I seek to treat everybody the way I would like to be treated myself
Give an example of a difficult Client and how you dealt with them?
- On occasions a Client disagreed with my assessment of a Compensation Event to the Contractor during construction. The Client rejected the principle that the contractor was entitled to additional costs for the procurement of a number of FFE items which the client thought was always to be procured by the contractor.
- I maintained the impartial role of the project manager and explained to the client the rationale behind the decision to notify the Compensation Event including extracts from the Works Information, namely the FFE Responsibility Matrix.
- Following the review, the Client agreed that the contractor was entitled to a CE.
Can you give an example of where you have looked after a Client?
- Yes, on a number of occasions I have advised the client of issues faced during construction on other similar projects and such can avoid a repeat occurrence. An example of this is continuing to show contingencies in the costs to ensure there is an element of safety built into the project
