Anyone running AI in production knows: the real work starts after go-live.
Models change. Data drifts. Use cases evolve. My retainer is for companies that have an AI solution and want it to keep working — without building an in-house AI team.
Why a retainer often beats building an internal AI team
Building an internal AI team easily costs a mid-sized company €250,000 per year — and the team will be only partly utilized unless you run ten parallel AI projects. For most companies it doesn't pay off in the first one or two years.
A retainer with me costs a fraction of that and delivers exactly what you actually need: someone who knows the solution, monitors it, evolves it, and is a sparring partner for your owners. When you eventually have enough volume to justify your own team, I help build it and transition.
The retainer is monthly, has a clear hour budget, and an agreed response time. You have a direct Slack or email channel to me — no ticket queue.
What's included in the retainer
Tiers from €1,900/month. Larger volumes available with bigger hour budgets.
- 01
Monitoring & eval maintenance
I track quality, cost, and latency of your AI solution continuously. If a model update degrades quality, we catch it before users do.
- 02
Evolving new use cases
When new use cases emerge, we assess them together and I build them iteratively. The retainer grows with your AI maturity.
- 03
Cost control & model swaps
The LLM market moves monthly. I evaluate new models and providers continuously and switch when the same outcome is achievable cheaper.
- 04
Team coaching
Your team should understand what the AI does and where its limits are. I support onboarding, training, internal best practices.
- 05
Direct contact with clear response times
Slack or email channel directly to me. Standard response: one business day. Escalations: within hours.
- 06
Quarterly strategy reviews
Once a quarter we look together: what's working, what isn't worth it anymore, what's next? Written report with recommendations.
What clients typically experience on the retainer
- from €1,900
monthly for 12–16 hour budget, cancelable
- 1 business day
standard response time; hours on escalation
- ≥ 25%
typical LLM cost saving from ongoing model optimization alone
FAQ — retainer
What's the minimum term?
Three months minimum, then monthly with one month notice. So you have time to feel the impact — and aren't locked in longer than you want.
What if we don't use up our hours?
Unused hours roll for up to three months. After that they expire. If you consistently sit well below the budget, we move you to a smaller tier.
What if we need more?
Extra hours are billed at the agreed rate. If it happens repeatedly, we move up a tier.
Does the retainer only work for solutions you built?
No. I take over existing AI solutions from other vendors as long as code and architecture are reasonably documented. A 5–10 hour onboarding clarifies the takeover effort.
What's not included?
Larger new implementation projects beyond the hour budget. Those are quoted separately as fixed-price projects, then can flow back into the retainer.
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Let's talk for 30 minutes.
I listen, ask questions, and tell you honestly whether and how I can help.