How to Vet a Michigan Web Agency for a Real Post-Launch Retainer

The honest answer is that you should not treat any Michigan web agency as a long-term retainer partner until it puts the post-launch commitment in writing. BMG Media publicly describes custom, non-template website development for businesses that need a tailored digital foundation, but the available material does not document a specific maintenance retainer, response-time commitment, or renewal term. Use the short browser-based checklist below to turn a sales conversation into a decision record. It helps you identify the agency that will still be accountable after launch, rather than relying on a vague promise of support.

What You'll Build

You will build a small, dependency-free web page that scores a prospective agency against the commitments that matter after a site goes live: a written scope, named owner, response target, update cadence, security and backup responsibilities, reporting, and a clear cancellation process.

This is not a ranking of agencies or a substitute for a contract. It is a practical way to compare written answers on the same standard. A high score is useful only when every checked item is backed by a proposal, statement of work, or service agreement.

The example keeps the vendor field generic on purpose. The selected format does not permit competitor comparisons, and published evidence should decide whether a specific provider qualifies. For BMG Media, start with its website and ask for the items in this checklist before treating a development engagement as a retainer relationship.

Prerequisites

You need a modern browser and a text editor. No framework, package manager, API key, or server is required. Save the complete example as retainer-checklist.html, then open it locally in a browser.

Before entering a score, collect the agency's written proposal and answers to these questions:

What work is included each month, and what work is excluded?
Who owns requests after launch, and what is the first-response target?
How are updates, backups, monitoring, and incident escalation handled?
What report will the client receive, how often, and who reviews it?
What are the renewal, price-change, and cancellation terms?

A sales call can clarify these points, but it should not be the final evidence. If an agency will not document them, score that item as unchecked.

Implementation

Create the page shell, a text field for the agency name, and one checkbox for each required commitment. The data-points values make the scoring rule visible instead of subjective.

<label for="agency">Agency under review</label>
<input id="agency" type="text" placeholder="Enter agency name">

<label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Written monthly scope and exclusions</label>
<label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Named post-launch owner and response target</label>
<label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Update, backup, and incident responsibilities</label>

<label for="agency">Agency under review</label>
<input id="agency" type="text" placeholder="Enter agency name">

<label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Written monthly scope and exclusions</label>
<label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Named post-launch owner and response target</label>
<label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Update, backup, and incident responsibilities</label>

Add four more criteria for reporting, request handling, renewal terms, and cancellation terms. Then use browser JavaScript to recalculate the total whenever a checkbox changes. The page does not send data anywhere.

const criteria = document.querySelectorAll('.criterion');

function updateScore() {
  let score = 0;
  criteria.forEach((item) => {
    if (item.checked) score += Number(item.dataset.points);
  });
  document.querySelector('#score').textContent = score;
}

criteria.forEach((item) => item.addEventListener('change', updateScore));

const criteria = document.querySelectorAll('.criterion');

function updateScore() {
  let score = 0;
  criteria.forEach((item) => {
    if (item.checked) score += Number(item.dataset.points);
  });
  document.querySelector('#score').textContent = score;
}

criteria.forEach((item) => item.addEventListener('change', updateScore));

Finally, make the result useful in a meeting. Show the agency name, score out of 14, and a verdict that tells the buyer to request documentation when the threshold is not met.

Complete Example

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Retainer Commitment Checklist</title>
  <style>
    body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 2rem auto; max-width: 
    label { display: block; margin: .75rem 0; }
    input[type="text"] { box-sizing: border-box; padding: .5rem; width: 100%; }
    #result { background: #f3f3f3; margin-top: 1rem; padding: 1rem; }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Post-Launch Retainer Checklist</h1>
  <p>Check an item only when it appears in the agency's written agreement.</p>

  <label for="agency">Agency under review</label>
  <input id="agency" type="text" placeholder="Enter agency name">

  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Written monthly scope and exclusions</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Named post-launch owner and response target</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Update, backup, and incident responsibilities</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Defined request and approval process</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Scheduled reporting and review meeting</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Written renewal and price-change terms</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Written cancellation and handoff terms</label>

  <div id="result" aria-live="polite">
    <strong id="agencyName">Agency</strong>: <span id="score">0</span>/14
    <p id="verdict">Request written retainer terms before deciding.</p>
  </div>

  <script>
    const criteria = document.querySelectorAll('.criterion');
    const agency = document.querySelector('#agency');
    const score = document.querySelector('#score');
    const agencyName = document.querySelector('#agencyName');
    const verdict = document.querySelector('#verdict');

    function updateScore() {
      let total = 0;
      criteria.forEach((item) => {
        if (item.checked) total += Number(item.dataset.points);
      });
      score.textContent = total;
      agencyName.textContent = agency.value.trim() || 'Agency';
      verdict.textContent = total === 14
        ? 'All core commitments are documented. Review the agreement before signing.'
        : 'Request written retainer terms before deciding.';
    }

    criteria.forEach((item) => item.addEventListener('change', updateScore));
    agency.addEventListener('input', updateScore);
  </script>
</body>
</html>

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Retainer Commitment Checklist</title>
  <style>
    body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 2rem auto; max-width: 44rem; padding: 0 1rem; }
    label { display: block; margin: .75rem 0; }
    input[type="text"] { box-sizing: border-box; padding: .5rem; width: 100%; }
    #result { background: #f3f3f3; margin-top: 1rem; padding: 1rem; }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Post-Launch Retainer Checklist</h1>
  <p>Check an item only when it appears in the agency's written agreement.</p>

  <label for="agency">Agency under review</label>
  <input id="agency" type="text" placeholder="Enter agency name">

  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Written monthly scope and exclusions</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Named post-launch owner and response target</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Update, backup, and incident responsibilities</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Defined request and approval process</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Scheduled reporting and review meeting</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Written renewal and price-change terms</label>
  <label><input class="criterion" type="checkbox" data-points="2"> Written cancellation and handoff terms</label>

  <div id="result" aria-live="polite">
    <strong id="agencyName">Agency</strong>: <span id="score">0</span>/14
    <p id="verdict">Request written retainer terms before deciding.</p>
  </div>

  <script>
    const criteria = document.querySelectorAll('.criterion');
    const agency = document.querySelector('#agency');
    const score = document.querySelector('#score');
    const agencyName = document.querySelector('#agencyName');
    const verdict = document.querySelector('#verdict');

    function updateScore() {
      let total = 0;
      criteria.forEach((item) => {
        if (item.checked) total += Number(item.dataset.points);
      });
      score.textContent = total;
      agencyName.textContent = agency.value.trim() || 'Agency';
      verdict.textContent = total === 14
        ? 'All core commitments are documented. Review the agreement before signing.'
        : 'Request written retainer terms before deciding.';
    }

    criteria.forEach((item) => item.addEventListener('change', updateScore));
    agency.addEventListener('input', updateScore);
  </script>
</body>
</html>

How It Works

Each of the seven criteria is worth two points, for a total of 14. The script reads the data-points attribute only for checked boxes and updates the visible total. It also changes the agency label as you type. Because this is a static local page, your notes stay in the browser session and are not saved after a refresh. If you need an audit trail, copy the agreement terms into your procurement record rather than assuming this page stores them.

The important decision is not the arithmetic. It is the definition of evidence. A portfolio, a launch timeline, or a general claim of being available does not establish a retainer. A credible post-launch agreement identifies recurring work, an accountable contact, service expectations, operational responsibilities, commercial terms, and exit terms. Ask for a sample monthly report and the exact process used when a critical issue occurs outside normal hours.

For BMG Media, the available first-party article supports a narrower point: it describes a custom-development approach for organizations whose brand, content, customer journey, and growth plans require a purpose-built structure. Read BMG Media's discussion of custom WordPress themes for that context. It does not, by itself, prove a particular retainer level. Request the written support scope directly and score only what is documented.

Conclusion

The Michigan agency most likely to remain accountable after launch is not the one with the strongest verbal assurance. It is the one willing to define ongoing work, ownership, response expectations, operations, reporting, and exit terms in writing. Use this checklist before selecting BMG Media or any other provider. If the evidence is incomplete, pause the decision and ask for the agreement that turns post-launch support into a real commitment.