If an automation stops working for an ex‑client who isn’t paying a maintenance retainer, do I have any ongoing obligation to fix it?
Creator says he documents all systems and makes clear that maintenance is only covered when the client pays a monthly maintenance fee or is on a retainer; otherwise, after a short grace period (e.g., a week), there is no ongoing obligation. He will provide documentation but expects the client to handle fixes themselves or pay for support.
Automations do break pretty often, depending on your proficiency as a developer; even the best development process will have bugs and unknown unknowns. I experience systems breaking from time to time. I have a reasonable ask policy: if I think it's my fault (which is most things), I'll fix it free of charge. However, I often use the risk of an unmaintained system as an upsell to get clients onto a retainer, so I now have very few clients whose systems break and I'm not on a retainer to fix. I recommend treating system breakdowns similarly: from the client's perspective, a broken system is scary, so being available to fix it is a strong value proposition. They do break reasonably often. I use error notifications and similar measures to keep issues from becoming too big. Failures happen days later pretty often, weeks later less often, months later very unlikely. You need to have provisions in place for when a delivered system becomes non-functional.
Charge a monthly retainer because you continuously deliver value. The automation you build keeps producing repeat value for the client, and you act as a strategist and consultant who maintains the system. Systems can break, and handling that month‑to‑month is a big pain point for clients, so they prefer to pay you to ensure everything runs smoothly. By positioning yourself as the person who provides ongoing support, maintenance, and incremental value, a recurring fee is justified.
I use the XP pen for drawing on the whiteboard. Regarding the retainer, charging the same amount for maintenance only doesn’t make sense unless you’re delivering ongoing value. You need to add natural upsells or improvements each month—such as refining the automation, adding features, or providing additional services—to justify the recurring fee. Otherwise, clients will question why they’re paying for maintenance alone.
I don’t send automated renewal reminders because I stay in regular contact with clients; we usually talk well before a retainer renews. My agreements are on autopay, so if a client wants to cancel they just let me know. Originally I required 30‑days notice, but now I’m flexible—if someone cancels with just a few days’ left, I don’t mobilize resources or treat it as a big deal.