Why Retainero for Customer Relations

Retainero helps agencies deliver fast, transparent, and conscientious service through a secure client portal, collaborative projects, robust ticketing, organized notes, safe password sharing, retainers with clear time usage, and transparent task logging. Everything is designed so clients know what’s happening, what’s next, and how time and budget are being used.

Unified Client Portal Experience

Secure client access: Client-facing routes can be protected by a client password with time-limited session access (6 hours) to keep access convenient and secure.
Single destination: Clients view their tickets, projects, retainers, shared notes, and passwords in one place.
Frictionless sharing: Share links for specific items (e.g., notes and retainers) allow controlled access when needed.

Client Notes and Knowledge Sharing

Rich note types: Organize notes by status such as internal, shared, urgent, or closed—so your team knows how to use them and what to surface to clients.
Markdown support: Render client-facing notes in clean, readable Markdown for polished communication.
Shareable references: Generate a secure share_link for select notes to share externally without exposing the rest of a client’s records.

Secure Client Passwords Vault

Centralized credentials: Store and manage client-related credentials in one place attached to the client record.
Protected visibility: Access is gated via the client portal authentication flow; visibility toggles keep sensitive data controlled.
Copy-with-feedback: One-click copy to clipboard with feedback, making support fast and accurate.

Projects and Kanban Collaboration (Client-Facing)

Invite clients and guests: Send email invitations to collaborators and clients to join a specific project with a guest role.
Granular visibility: Toggle what clients see (hours, complexity, milestones, descriptions, files, dates) per project—ideal for tailoring transparency to each relationship.
Guided progress: Kanban statuses, milestones, and task grouping keep deliverables clear; clients can view updates in real time.
Two-way communication: Clients can add comments and files on shared tasks. Mentions and notifications ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
Activity awareness: Team owners are notified when guests sign in, comment, upload files, or create tasks—so responses are timely and proactive.

Tickets: Fast, Trackable Client Support

Client-friendly ticketing: Clients can submit updates, attach files, and follow progress via the portal.
Clear statuses: Use default or custom statuses to reflect your workflow, and keep clients informed about what’s in progress and what’s complete.
Smart notifications: On status change, Retainero sends a single, consolidated email to relevant recipients (client, additional emails, team owner, recent commenters) with the latest context.
Mentions for accountability: Mention team members, clients, or external commenters to loop the right person in fast.

Retainers with Transparent Time and Budget

Client-facing retainer views: Optionally share read-only retainer pages via a secure share link so clients can see usage without needing full access.
Pre-paid, post-paid, or running: Match your billing model while giving clients clarity on remaining time versus total allocation.
Line-by-line transparency: Each task shows description and time spent; gratis items are clearly labeled, reinforcing trust.

Transparent Task Logging clients appreciate

Every minute accounted for: Task entries include who did the work, description, and exact time spent.
Real-time summaries: Retainer summaries and progress indicators continuously reflect the latest work.
Context-rich history: In projects, task histories, comments, and attachments provide a single source of truth.

Speed and Conscientious Service, by Design

Immediate feedback loops: Status-change emails, guest activity notifications, and mentions keep everyone aligned.
Clear next steps: Kanban and milestone views make priorities and progress obvious to clients.
Reduced back-and-forth: Share links, client portal passwords, and selective visibility eliminate repeated questions.

Privacy and Security for Trustworthy Relationships

Team-scoped data: Team boundaries are enforced at the data level, ensuring the right data stays with the right team.
Time-limited sessions: Client portal sessions expire automatically to protect access while keeping the workflow smooth.
Controlled visibility: Choose what to expose to clients at the project level; keep internal notes and details private.

Getting Started: Delight Clients in Minutes

Enable the client portal and set a client password where needed.
Create a project and invite client guests; select visibility for hours, milestones, files, and more.
Set up retainers and share a read-only link for transparent time and budget tracking.
Use tickets for support requests; rely on status emails and mentions to keep comms quick.
Share knowledge with client-facing notes; keep internal strategy in internal notes.
Store credentials in the password vault for faster, more secure support.

The Result: Clients Feel Informed, Respected, and in Control

Retainero turns customer relations into an always-on, transparent partnership. Your clients see progress, understand priorities, and trust your time logs—while your team benefits from structured workflows, secure sharing, and automatic notifications that keep service fast and conscientious.

Customer Relations in Retainero: Client Portal, Secure Sharing, and Transparent Service