Client Care

Question 1

What do you understand by client care?

Answer 1

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

1. Understanding client needs & requirements.
2. Complain handling procedures.
3. Quality assurance procedures.
4. Key performance indicators.
5. Client satisfaction questionnaires.
6. Looking our for client’s best interests.
7. Client feedback meetings.
8. Lessons learned workshops.
9. Identifying the appropriate scope of service.
10. Defining the client brief.

Question 2

What is a stakeholder?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Why is client care important?

Answer 3

1. To retain existing clients and secure repeat business
2. Reduce the likelihood of conflict.
3. Maintain a strong reputation within the industry and so attract further clients.

Question 4

How do you conduct yourself with a new client?

Answer 4

1. Well mannered.
2. Well presented.
3. Respectful.
4. Friendly and enthusiastic.

Question 5

How do you build trust with the client?

Answer 5

1. Learn about your client and their objectives.
2. Only act within your level of competence.
3. Always act in a professional manner.
4. Always provide a high level of service.
5. Be transparent.
6. Being always open and honest.

Question 6

What is the difference between a client and a customer?

Answer 6

1. Client - One who is under the protection of another.
2. 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.

Question 7

What is the term ‘soft landings’ referring to?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

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

Answer 8

1. Project execution plans (PEPs)
2. Project control plans (PCPs)
3. Contractor payment schedules
4. Using standardised contract administration forms.
5. Procedural checklists
6. Reporting templates
7. Following industry guidance and advisory notes
8. Following company policy and procedures

Question 9

What is a lesson learnt workshop?

Answer 9

Review a recent failing or success on a project:

1. Put a procedure in place to prevent the failing happening again, or
2. Review the success and shares with others.

Question 10

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

Answer 10

Client satisfaction surveys are issued at key project stages

Question 11

How do you act upon feedback received from a client?

Answer 11

1. The feedback should be formally recorded in some way
2. Share the positives and discuss how negatives can be improved upon
3. If the feedback is negative, then it needs to be verified and the necessary course of action taken
4. Ensure feedback is fed back into the company through lessons learned process.
5. Review the improvement in 6 months or another suitable period

Question 12

What are KPIs?

Answer 12

1. Key Performance Indicators
2. Can be used to measure supply chain performance
3. Can be used to benchmark business performance against others

Question 13

Can you provide examples of a KPI?

Answer 13

1. Number of defects/snags.
2. Construction cost overrun.
3. Achieving programme milestones
4. Profitability
5. H&S scores.
6. Environmental scoring
7. Use of local labour

Question 14

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

Answer 14

1. A large percentage of commissions are ‘won’ through repeat business
2. Maintaining and building existing relationships will promote a positive image of the individual and the company

Question 15

How do you manage your clients’ expectations?

Answer 15

1. Agreeing on strategy, goals and timelines
2. Being open & honest always
3. Offering advice and direction within the scope of service
4. Being a good listener and understanding expectations
5. Regularly communicating and addressing problems directly

Question 16

What is a complaint?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Does the RICS have any rules associated with complaints?

Answer 17

1. Rule 7 (for firms)
2. A firm shall operate a complaint handling procedure and maintain a complaint log. The complaints handling procedure must include Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism that is approved by the Regulatory Board

Question 18

You receive a formal complaint from a client in writing. at what point should your firm notify the insurance company?

Answer 18

As soon as possible

Question 19

How would you deal with a complain from a client?

Answer 19

1. Acknowledge receipt of the complaint.
2. Notify the appropriate person in the business (complaint handling manager)
3. Appoint a person to carry out an investigation
4. Identify the outcome and course of action to rectify
5. Formally respond to the client, communicate outcomes and course of action for correction
6. If the client is unhappy with the outcome, they have the right for separate review or mediation
7. If the client is still unhappy, they have right to refer to independent dispute resolution.
8. Communicate the lessons learned internally.
9. Review at a predetermined date in the future
10. Inform the PI insurers of the complain at each stage of the process

Question 20

Has the RICS published any information on handling clients’ money?

Answer 20

Client money handling - professional statement - effective January 2020.

Question 21

What are the objectives of the client money handling professional statement?

Answer 21

The overall objective of this professional statement is that RICS members and RICS regulated firms under their obligations to ensure:

1. Client money is kept safe
2. Client money accounts are used for appropriate purposes only
3. RICS-regulated firms have the appropriate controls and procedures to safeguard client money

Question 22

What is meant by clients’ money?

Answer 22

Money of any currency (whether in the form of cash, cheque, draft. or electronic transfer) that:

1. An RICS-regulated firm holds for or received on behalf of another person, including money held by a regulated form as a stakeholder and,
2. Is not immediately due and payable on demand to the RICS-regulated firm for its own account

Excludes fees paid in advance for professional work

Question 23

What information would you expect to see in a client’s brief?

Answer 23

1. Services required.
2. Insurance required.
3. Terms of appointment.
4. Duration of appointment.
5. Client procedures and policies.
6. Key drivers for success.

Question 24

What might be excluded from a consultant fee proposal?

Answer 24

1. VAT.
2. Disbursements.
3. Dealing with claims.
4. Services which are not required.

Question 25

What might be included in a consultant fee proposal?

Answer 25

1. Scope of service. 2. Terms of appointment. 3. Basis of pricing. 4. Information on team including CV's and qualifications. 5. Project details. 6. Timescales. 7. Insurances. 8. Exclusions. 9. Exclusions. 10. Assumptions (programme for example).

Question 26

How would you go about calculating a professional fee for a new customer?

Answer 26

1. Understand client requirements including project scope, key project details, budget and scope of service. 2. Identify the seniority of resource and number of people required to deliver the service. 3. Assess the duration required to complete activities identified in the scope of service. 4. Apply a daily or hourly rate against the activities. 5. Review the total fee as a percentage against the project budget (as a sense check.)

Question 27

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

Answer 27

1. If project requirements (services, scope, value) had increase, then is would be reasonable for the fees to increase. 2. 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 not reduce the level of service originally offered.

Question 28

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

Answer 28

1. Harder to be critical of colleagues from the same company rather than team members from another business. 2. Perceived conflict of interest - challenging colleagues within the same business on potential errors or omissions. 3. There are advantages too. If the team are from the same practice, the team are usually more efficient because they work under the same policies, procedures, core values, etc.

Question 29

You have submitted a fee bid to a client. The client contacts you and explains another or 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 should you do?

Answer 29

1. I would explain to the client how the fee was calculated and the necessary resources to meet their experiments. 2. I would avoid entering a Dutch auction with another practice 3. If the client were looking for an overall lower fee, I would be happy to review the scope of services to understand where services may be reduced in order to provide a reduced fee.

Question 30

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

Answer 30

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

Question 31

What is a consultant appointment document?

Answer 31

1. Appointment documents are terms and conditions for services being provided by a consultant to the client. 2. RICS have a standard form of consultant appointment if the business does not have their own.

Question 32

On what grounds might you ask the client for additional fees?

Answer 32

Events such as: 1. Dealing with insolvency of a contractor (usually excluded from a consultant's standard scope of service) 2. Delay to the programme due to contractor default. 3. Increased scope of service.

Question 33

Give examples when you should decline an instruction of new work from a client?

Answer 33

1. There is a conflict or potential conflict of interest. 2. The instruction could require an illegal or unethical action. 3. There is conflict with RICS rules or standards.

Question 34

Please can you define what communication is?

Answer 34

The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium

Question 35

What are the different ways you communicate with your team?

Answer 35

Oral Communication: 1. Phone calls. 2. Reporting at meetings 3. Facilitating/chairing meetings 4. Client presentations 5. Staff presentations 6. Contractor interviews 7. Public speaking at seminars 8. Listening skills Written/Graphical communication: 1. Letters, memos and emails 2. Written reports 3. Compiling tender and contract documents 4. Programming 5. Drawings and specifications

Question 36

Give some advantages or written communication?

Answer 36

1. Complex/technical information can be communicated with drawings, diagrams, charts, etc 2. Creates a record of the communication 3. Good way to formalise verbal agreements 4. Information can be circulated to multiple parties, very quickly

Question 37

Give some disadvantages of written communication?

Answer 37

1. It may be unclear if the recipient has received the message (letter lost in the post) 2. Language/tone might not be familiar or acceptable to the recipient. 3. It is much harder to ask questions and for someone to clarify the communication 4. You will not know if the recipient has understood the message

Question 38

Give examples of good written communication?

Answer 38

1. The message is short and praise 2. Clear and easy to read/understand 3. Well-structured with intro, substance then conclusion 4. Use of charts/diagrams/pictures to enhance meaning 5. The recipient understands the message without ambiguity

Question 39

If you chair a meeting, how do you make it effective?

Answer 39

1. Set an agenda and keep the meeting on track 2. Prepare for it in advance, have documents, information and visuals ready 3. Be punctual for the meeting 4. Take minutes 5. Give everyone the opportunity to speak and contribute 6. Understand body language

Question 40

What is the difference between effective and efficient communication?

Answer 40

1. Efficient communication - information presented in a clear and concise manner, reducing effort and waste 2. Effective communication - to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result.

Question 41

What are the barriers to communicate?

Answer 41

1. Difference between verbal and non-verbal - you say something, but your body language does not give off the same signals. 2. Individual perceptions 3. Body language can distract people meaning they miss vital parts of what you are saying 4. Language or cultural differences 5. Different time zones or locations.

Question 42

Explain what is meant by body language and give examples?

Answer 42

1. Non-verbal communications that can often have hidden messages 2. It is usually the body doing the talking; for example, crossing your arms when talking can project a defensive or reluctant message

Question 43

Name the types of body language and briefly explain?

Answer 43

1. Passive - Defeated, over-apologetic, understanding, no eye contact 2. Assertive - Relaxed and balanced, firm but friendly, maintaining a comfortable distance 3. Aggressive - Tense, invading space, loud, clenched fists

Question 44

What is a negotiation?

Answer 44

Discussions to read a compromise or agreement. Parties through an informal or facilitated negotiation process agree to settle the dispute either at a high level or in detail

Question 45

What could indicate the success of a negotiation on a final account?

Answer 45

Both parties come away happy, costs agreed and within the clients budget.

Question 46

What key things do you need to think about before entering a negotiation?

Answer 46

1. To what level I'm authorised to negotiate (for example, up to £250k) 2. My (and my client's) red lines 3. Do I have sufficient facts and information 4. The character of the person I'm negotiating with 5. What I want the outcome to be 6. Areas where I'm willing to compromise 7. The structure of the negotiation

Question 47

What is your negotiating style?

Answer 47

It largely depends on the situation, if there is a strong case for the client then I would aim to get the best deal; however, I aim to be collaborative and endeavour to find a resolution

Question 48

When faced with a challenging negotiation, how do you conduct yourself in a fair and professional manner?

Answer 48

1. I always stay objective and enter the negotiation with the mindset of finding a resolution 2. I carry out my work ethically and to the required standards 3. I am always respectful the other side and endeavour to understand their position

Question 49

Give an example of when you successfully negotiated?

Answer 49

1. I successfully negotiated the final account on xxxx. I did this by assessing my position on the account and issuing comments to the contractor in the first instance. 2. This formed the basis of discussions with the contractor, both presented our commercial position (in a meeting) and agreed to settle at a certain figure that was palatable to both parties 3. I formed a good working relationship with the contractor throughout the project, we were able to communicate clearly and respectfully with each other which aided the success of the negotiation.

Question 50

What are the main barriers in negotiation?

Answer 50

1. Lack of trust 2. Information vacuums 3. Cultural differences 4. Lack of emotional intelligence 5. Communication problems

Question 51

What is a without prejudice offer?

Answer 51

1In general, a party's admission to something can be used against them in court. The without prejudice (WP) rule means that statements which are made in a genuine attempt to settle a dispute cannot be used in court as evidence of admissions against the party that made them.