Retainer
A retainer is an agreement under which a client pays a service provider a regular fee in exchange for access to their work over a set period
What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.
What it is and how it works
It is common in creative, communications, consultancy and technology services. Unlike a project contract, which fixes a specific scope and deliverable, a retainer covers an ongoing relationship: maintenance, recurring campaigns, support or a monthly bank of hours or capacity.
To work well it is advisable to define what the fee includes, how requests are prioritised, what happens to unused hours and how the agreement is reviewed. Without such rules, scope creep easily sets in, meaning the gradual expansion of work without adjusting resources.
Also known as
Retainer agreement, Monthly retainer
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