APC Trainer on...

Client Care
(M003)
20 May, 2008
By Alastair Bloore
How to handle client relationships
This week we're looking at how to handle questions in your APC exam on
managing client relationships. These crop up under the M003 Client Care part
of the exam. As with previous topics, the question has three levels of
competence. At level 1 you need to show general knowledge of the principles
of client care. At level 2, you must demonstrate you have experience of
appyling the principles. The competency definition at level 3 is not particularly
specific - it merely says you must provide evidence of reasoned advice given
to clients and others - but we suggest how you can respond to this below.

Competency Level 1
Question Can you give me an overview of the principles of client care as you
see it applies to your area of practice?
Answer
The level 1 response requires a general overview of client care and the
competency guidance notes split the area in to the following three sub sections.
The types of issue to be covered under each of these areas are suggested below.
The concept of identifying clients / colleagues / third parties who are your
clients and the behaviours that are appropriate to establishing good client
relationships.
Identifying Clients This area should consider both existing and potential
new clients. It is important to address that client care for an existing client base
is vital and requires active management. The process of identifying new
potential clients in a particular market sector and how to attract them to your
business
Types of Client An understanding that different industry sectors have
varying structures and these affect the nature of the client and their general
objectives and interests
Behaviours An overview of professional conduct with reference to the
RICS guidance on ethics and the rules for practices and individuals. The
candidate may also wish to input their personal views on what makes a good

client / provider relationship such as clarity of remit, clear communication,

setting realistic expectations, timely deliver, quality of outputs, etc
The systems and procedures that are appropriate for managing the process of
client care, including complaints.
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 Processes 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
relationships with clients
Complaints Maintaining alternative lines of communication / routes for
complaints and how these should be dealt with by a practice. The RICS
guidance on ethics and expected standards of behaviour should be referred to
as well as the option for clients to make formal complaints to the RICS
The requirement to collect data, analyse and define the needs of clients.
The Briefing Process The importance of the briefing process and defining a
clear scope of work for the team so that the expectations of both parties are
aligned
Job Planning The internal process of planning how the clients 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

Competency Level 2
Question Please provide an example of how you have applied a number of
these principles within your business activities?
Answer
At the next level the candidate needs to demonstrate how the above principles
have been applied in practice. As the level 1 question is very broad it would not
normally be necessary to cover all of the above issues, but the candidate should
show some depth of knowledge of particular systems applicable to their work.
Taking a typical scenario of a Cost Consultant working on a number of
property development projects the types of issue to be detailed could include:
Explanation of who the primary client is and any other parties to which there
is an obligation to deliver information / outputs both internally and across the
professional team. What the candidate did to maintain client care and develop
relationships. The specific objectives of the client driven by their business aims
and the industry they operate in and how these were interpreted
Explanation of the organisations processes for obtaining feedback from
clients as a project progresses. This may include feedback to the project team
as the job progresses through those managing the project as well as what client
satisfaction surveys are undertaken by the company and how these are reported
An overview of the companys processes for dealing with client complaints
and how corrective actions internally are identified and implemented

Competency Level 3
Question Please provide evidence of reasoned advice given to clients and
others.
Answer
The level 3 competency description (repeated in the question above) is quite
vague and does not provide the candidate with any more guidance of what is
required beyond the general definitions of the level 1, 2 & 3 competencies.
Given the context of the question I would suggest that level 3 competence
would involve the candidate having been part of some form of client care
initiative, i.e. having been party to the design of the system rather than just
having applied the organisations processes as might have been expected at
level 2.

Examples of client care initiatives that could be discussed would include items
such as:
Design and implementation of a client feedback process
Design and implementation of process for handling client complaints
Active involvement in a Customer Relationship Management system
Development of the client identification and client care elements of a
business / marketing plan for part of the candidates organisation
Because of the lack of clarity in the level 3 competency definition this makes it
difficult for the candidate to be sure that they have met the requirements. To
confidently submit at level 3 the candidate would want to ensure they have
substantial direct experience in an applicable, such as those outlined above.