Client Care Flashcards

1
Q

In your view, what is meant by the term ‘client care’?

A

A continuous process of understanding client’s requirements , suggestions, complaints etc. and analysing to enhance service delivery. This can include:

  • Understanding client needs & requirements.
  • Complaint handling procedures (CHPs).
  • Quality assurance (QA) procedures.
  • Key performance indicators (KP|s).
  • Client satisfaction questionnaires.
  • Understanding and acting in the client’s best interest.
  • Client feedback meetings.
  • Lessons learned workshops.
  • Identifying the appropriate scope of service for the commission.
  • Defining the client brief.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Why is client care important?

A
  • To retain existing clients and secure repeat business.
  • Reduce the likelihood of conflict.
  • Maintain a strong reputation within the industry and attract further clients.
  • Delivering the best possible outcome for the client/project.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How do you conduct yourself when interacting with your clients?

A
  • I’m well mannered and presentable.
  • I’m always respectful.
  • I adopt a friendly and enthusiastic approach.
  • I look to understand their requirements to ensure my actions are in my client’s best interest.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How do you build trust with your clients?

A
  • I never try to give advice which is outside my scope of competence.
  • l always act in a professional manner.
  • I always provide a high level of service.
  • I’m transparent, open and honest at all times.
  • I fulfil my commitments.
  • I admit mistakes and correct ethically.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the difference between a client and a customer?

A

Client - One who is under the protection of another.

Customer - One who purchases a commodity or service.

  • The main difference between a customer and a client is that a protective, ongoing business relationship is formed with a client, but not necessarily with a customer.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is a project stakeholder?

A

A person or organisation who has an interest in the project.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the term ‘soft landings’ referring to?

A

A strategy to ensure the transition from construction to occupation is ‘bump-free’ and operational performance is optimised.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Please detail some of the quality management systems (QMS) you have implemented on your projects?

A
  • Project execution plans (PEPs).
  • Project control plans (PCPs).
  • Contractor payment schedules.
  • Using standardised contract administration forms.
  • Procedural checklists.
  • Reporting templates.
  • Following industry guidance and advisory notes.
  • Following company policy and procedures.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is a lesson learnt workshop?

A
  • A lesson learnt workshop is a process to review a recent failure or success on a project.
  • The purpose is to put a procedure in place to prevent the failure from happening again or to review the success and share it with others for wider implementation on future projects.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is your company’s procedure for obtaining formal client feedback?

A

Client satisfaction surveys are issued at key stages in the project.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are KPls?

A
  • Key performance indicators.
  • KPIs can be used to measure a company’s or individuals success versus a set of targets, objectives, or industry peers.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Can you provide examples of a KPI that might be used in construction?

A
  • Number of defects/snags.
  • Construction cost overrun.
  • Achieving programme milestones.
  • Profitability.
  • Health & safety scores.
  • Environmental scoring.
  • Use of local labour.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Why is it important to maintain existing client relationships rather than just building new ones?

A
  • A large percentage of commissions are secured through repeat business.
  • Maintaining and building existing relationships will promote a positive image for the individual and the company.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is a complaint?

A

An expression of dissatisfaction. Complaints generally arise when expectations have not been met.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

You receive a formal written complaint from a client, at what point should your firm notify the insurance company?

A

As soon as possible.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How would you deal with a formal client complaint?

A
  • Acknowledge receipt of the complaint.
  • Notify the firm’s complaint handling manager.
  • Appoint a person to carry out an investigation.
  • Identify the outcome and course of action to rectify.
  • Formally respond to the client, communicate outcomes and the course of corrective action.
  • If the client is still unhappy, they have the right to refer the dispute to an independent resolution body.
  • Communicate lessons learned internally and review at a predetermined date in the future.
  • Inform the professional indemnity insurers at each stage of the process.
17
Q

Are you aware of any RICS guidance in association with complaints handling?

A

Complaints handing - 1st edition, July 2016. [Note - This document was reissued in October 2023 as an RICS professional standard]

18
Q

How can complaints be avoided in the first instance?

A
  • Setting out clear expectations in the scope of service and appointment documents.
  • Communicating clearly and effectively with the client and other project stakeholders.
  • Put everything in writing to ensure there is always documented evidence of conversations and agreements (for example, meeting minutes).
  • Follow company procedures and policies (including quality assurance processes).
  • Follow RICS standards, professional statements and guidance.
19
Q

Has RICS published any information on handling clients’ money?

A

Client Money Handling - Professional Standard 1st edition, October 2019.
[Note - This document was reissued in October 2022 as a professional standard. It had previously been published in October 2019 as a professional statement. It has been revised to reflect the new RICS Rules of Conduct, which came into effect on 2 February 2022)

20
Q

What are the objectives of the Client Money Handling professional standard?

A
  • The professional standard provides clear rules for RICS regulated firms and members to have the appropriate controls and procedures to keep client money safe.
  • It provides confidence to clients and consumers that RICS regulated firms are operating to high professional standards.
21
Q

What are some of the key requirements identified in the Client Money Handling professional standard?

A

The professional standard provides clear requirements such as:
- Client account requirements.
- Appropriate accounting controls.
- The information that firms must provide to clients.
- How to handle client money including rules for managing any unidentified funds.

22
Q

What is the definition of ‘client money’ as noted in the professional standard?

A

Money of any currency (whether in the form of cash, cheque, draft, or electronic transfer) that:
- An RICS regulated firm holds for or receives on behalf of another person, including money held by a regulated firm as stakeholder and,
- Is not immediately due and payable on demand to the RICS-regulated firm for its own account.

23
Q

What sort of information would you expect to see in a client’s brief for a professional appointment?

A
  • Details of the project and professional services required.
  • Insurances required.
  • Terms of appointment.
  • Expected duration of the appointment.
  • Client procedures and policies.
  • Key drivers for success.
24
Q

What information might be included in a consultant’s fee proposal for professional services?

A
  • Scope of service.
  • Terms of appointment.
  • Basis of pricing and fee.
  • Information on the proposed team including CVs and qualifications.
  • Project details.
  • Timescales.
  • Insurances.
  • Exclusions.
  • Assumptions (programme for example).

Typical exclusions:
- VAT.
- Disbursements.
- Dealing with claims (fees are usually extra over for this service).

25
Q

Once you and your client verbally agree the services to be provided, what would you do next?

A

Follow up in writing to confirm terms & conditions, fee and scope of service.

26
Q

What is a consultant appointment document?

A
  • Appointment documents are terms and conditions for services being provided by a consultant to the client.
  • RICS have a standard form of consultant appointment if the business does not have their own
27
Q

How would you go about calculating professional fees for a new commission?

A
  • Understand client and project requirements, including project scope, key details, budget and scope of service.
  • Identify the seniority of resource and the number of people required to deliver the service.
  • Assess the duration required to complete the activities identified in the scope of service.
  • Apply a daily or hourly rate against each activity.
  • Review the total fee as a percentage against the project budget (this can be used as a sense check).
28
Q

Assuming you put together a fee proposal; a couple of months into the project, you realise you have underestimated the resource needed to deliver, would you go back to the client and ask for more fees?

A
  • If the project requirements (for example, services, scope, project budget) had increased, then it would be reasonable for the fees to increase also.
  • If the scope remained the same, it is likely to be a mistake, I would deal with the situation and get it right next time.
  • I would ensure the level of service originally offered was not reduced or diluted because the original fee calculation was underestimated.
29
Q

Could there be any issues (from a client perspective) with all professional services being delivered by one consultancy practice?

A
  • Individuals may find it harder to critique or challenge colleagues from the same company (opposed to team members from another business).
  • There may be a perceived or actual confict of interest - potential errors or omissions may be handled in a different manner.
  • There are advantages too. If the team are from the same practice, they are usually more efficient because they work under the same policies, procedures, core values, etc.
30
Q

You have submitted a fee bid to a potential client. The client contacts you and explains another practice has quoted a lower fee, but they would like you to do the work. They ask you to reduce your fee to match the other practice. What would you do?

A
  • I would explain how the fee was calculated and the necessary resources to meet their requirements, this would provide context and ultimately justification for the fees submitted.
  • I would avoid comparing the fee to the competing firm’s proposal.
  • If the client were looking for an overall lower fee, I would be happy to review the scope of service to identify potential areas where scope could be reduced (in order to achieve a lower fee).
31
Q

On what grounds might a consultant be due additional fees?

A

Events such as:
- Dealing with contractor insolvency (usually excluded from a consultant’s standard scope of service).
- Delay to the programme (for example the contractor failing to complete on time)
- Increased scope of service.
- Changes to the project brief.
- Increased project budget.

32
Q

Can you provide examples of when it would be appropriate to decline new work from a client?

A

Events such as:
- There is a conflict or potential conflict of interest.
- The appointment may require an illegal or unethical action.
- There is conflict with RICS rules or standards.
- The scope is outside the competence of the practice.