03 Maintain
Ongoing partnership
The build-and-stay retainer. The reason most clients stay.
What it is
Ongoing partnership is the retainer engagement that keeps DOTxLabs on the work after the build is shipped. New feature work, content production, design iteration, performance tuning, and the strategic conversations that come up when the business changes. Most of our work compounds inside this stage. The output is a partner who already knows the system and doesn't need to be re-onboarded every quarter.
Who it's for
Clients who've shipped a build with us and want to keep building. Operators who've learned the cost of starting a new agency relationship every six months. Founders who'd rather pay a known quantity to keep the system improving than rebuild trust with a stranger.
What's included
- Monthly working sessions
- Feature work and design iteration
- Content production where the engagement includes it
- Performance and reliability monitoring
- Strategic conversations as the business changes
- Direct line to DOT, not an account manager
Recent proof
FAQ
- How are retainers priced?
- Monthly retainer fee scoped to the hours and capabilities in play. Most retainers land between mid-four and low-five figures monthly. The shape comes out of the conversation about what the next six months actually need.
- What's the minimum commitment?
- Three months. Most engagements run twelve to thirty-six months. We don't lock anyone in past three.
- Can the retainer scale up and down?
- Yes. We adjust the retainer up when there's heavy feature work, down when the business is in maintenance mode. The shape is the conversation, not a fixed grid.
- What happens if we need to pause?
- Pause is fine. We hand off documentation, keep the system stable, and reopen the retainer when the business is ready.