Client Care

Question 1

How do you offer the high standards of service/ What are the key attributes for a PM when dealing with a Client?

Answer 1

Clients expect high standards of service and, as professionals, surveyors have a duty to act with integrity, honesty, openness, transparency and accountability at all times.

Question 2

Why is Client care important?

Answer 2

• Retain existing Clients and secure repeat business
• Maintain a strong reputation within the industry to attract further Clients
• Due to the long-term nature of projects in an advisory role on bespoke projects establishing a high level of trust in the Client is essential.
• Own personal reputation

Question 3

What are the principles of Client care?

Answer 3

1. Identify the Clients, both existing and new to maintain working relationships and bring in new work.
2. Understand the different types of Clients and their general objectives and interests
3. Make reference to the RICS code of conduct when building and maintaining relationships.
4. Have a complaints procedure
5. Collect and respond to Client feedback
6. Manage Client accounts

Question 4

What Client care mechanisms are you aware of?

Answer 4

Lessons learnt -

The client will attend this and use this as a basis to write their own report and use in projects going forward

Question 5

How do we manage client expectations?

Answer 5

1. Respect
2. Accountability/responsibility of things that you do
3. Trust – being open and honest about anything that’s going on in the project, especially bad news. Always give a solution/ options when delivering bad news – assess impact on cost and programme

Question 6

What is GT’s complaints handling procedure?

Answer 6

1. Complain to Director of project, they have 14 days to give an initial response and 21 days for a full response
2. The client can escalate it to the ombudsman if they want to – ombudsman is RICS