AUTOMATIONSWITCH
Retainer · Stack Standby

Your backlog is growing faster than your team can ship.

Workflows are lagging. Implementation takes longer than it should. You know exactly what your stack needs, you just can’t get to it. Stack Standby gives you a senior infrastructure team watching 9 layers of your production stack every month — so your team ships features instead of fighting fires. From $2,997/mo.

ObservabilityOBSSecuritySECSEO and Core Web VitalsSEOSlop detectionSLOPMCP managementMCPAuditabilityAUDITWorkflow automationAUTOContent pipelineCONTENTAgent runtimeAGENT
9
Layers of stack covered
24h
Response SLA on Standby
9
Items per monthly Switch Compass
01 · What we watch

Nine layers of your stack, watched every month.

Each layer gets dedicated attention in every Switch Compass. Here is what we monitor.

Observability

We watch your error rates, function durations, and edge-cache hit ratios. We catch regressions before your users do.

Security

We scan for credential leaks, vulnerable dependencies, and risky MCP integrations. We flag what to fix and what to ignore.

SEO and Core Web Vitals

We monitor Search Console rankings, page speed, and structured data. We catch indexing issues before they bleed traffic.

Slop detection

We pattern-recognise low-quality output across your AI-generated content, agent failures, and schema drift.

MCP management

We audit which MCPs are connected, which are firing, which are wasting credits, which are security-leaky.

Auditability

We trace your version control, deployment history, and change cadence. We flag where the trail goes cold.

Workflow automation

We monitor your n8n, Make, and Zapier pipelines. We catch silent failures, wasted credits, and automations that stopped firing.

Content pipeline

We review your Sanity publishing cadence, content drift, schema hygiene, and image optimisation. We flag where the editorial trail diverges from production.

Agent runtime

We monitor your Claude (Anthropic), Codex (OpenAI), and Gemini (Google) agents. Skill file integrity, MCP connection status, token spend, output quality. The layer most operators have zero visibility into.

02 · The deliverable

Every month, you get a .Switch Compass.

Three sections. Maximum nine items. One PDF, one Loom walkthrough.

ADOPTFRICTIONOPTIMISE9

Adopt

1–3 specific tools, patterns, or integrations to bring INTO the stack this month. Each item: name, rationale, effort estimate, expected upside.

Friction

1–3 drag points to remove or fix. Each item: where it lives, severity rating, recovery path, estimated time-to-fix.

Optimise

1–3 existing pieces that work but are underused or under-tuned. Each item: current state, target state, expected upside, effort.

The Compass is your monthly map. Adopt what’s worth bringing in. Remove what’s creating drag. Tune what’s already working. Nine items, every month, every client.

03 · How it works

From onboarding to ongoing Standby.

STEP 1

Onboarding (week 1)

We map your stack. Read your repo. Audit your MCPs. Profile your traffic. Set up the Slack channel. You give us read access; we give you a baseline report.

01
STEP 2

Monthly Switch Compass

First Compass delivered within 21 days of onboarding. Then on the same day each month. PDF + Loom.

02
STEP 3

Quarterly Stack Audit

Deeper review every 90 days. Security, observability, SEO, slop detection, MCP management, auditability. PDF report + 60-minute review call.

03
STEP 4

Standby

Priority Slack channel. Emergency unblock when something breaks the deployment, the agent, or the pipeline. We respond.

04
04 · Pricing

Two tiers. Founder pricing while spots last.

Recommended

Stack Standby

$2,997/ month
Post-cohort: $4,997/mo
  • Monthly Switch Compass
  • Monthly Stack Gap report
  • Quarterly Stack Audit
  • Slack channel SLA24 hours
  • Emergency unblocks1 per quarter
  • Bi-weekly strategy call
  • Active roadmap involvement
  • Advance access to AS skills

Stack Partner

$5,997/ month
Post-cohort: $9,997/mo
  • Monthly Switch Compass
  • Monthly Stack Gap report
  • Quarterly Stack Audit
  • Slack channel SLA4 hours
  • Emergency unblocks2 per month
  • Bi-weekly strategy call
  • Active roadmap involvement
  • Advance access to AS skills

Founder pricing is locked for the first 5 Standby clients + 3 Partner clients, or until 2026-09-30, whichever comes first. Public pricing applies to all sign-ups after the founder cohort closes. All retainers billed monthly. 30-day cancellation. No long-term contract.

05 · Scope

What this retainer does not include.

The retainer covers observation, recommendation, and emergency unblock. It does not include implementation work. If our audit recommends a feature build, an MCP integration, a migration, or a cloud setup, we quote that separately.

  • Feature builds and new application development
  • MCP development (vs MCP management — different services)
  • WordPress to Vercel migration projects
  • Team training or workshops
  • Implementation of audit recommendations
  • Custom skill development for your agent runtime

If any of these matters more to you than the standing review, we will direct you to a project quote instead. The retainer is for operators who want eyes on the stack, not hands building on it.

06 · Our stack

The stack we work with daily.

Stack Standby is built around the modern automation stack we run on AutomationSwitch itself: Next.js for application code, Vercel for deployment and infrastructure, Sanity for content, Supabase for data, Git/GitHub for version control, Axiom for observability, Nano Banana for image generation, and AI agents from Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (Codex), and Google (Gemini) as the orchestration layer connected via MCPs.

If your stack overlaps significantly with this set, you are a strong fit. If your stack uses adjacent tools (Astro, SvelteKit, Strapi, Neon, PlanetScale, Datadog, Notion, Cursor), we can still work with you; tell us during the discovery call and we will assess.

If your stack is fundamentally different (PHP/WordPress, Ruby/Rails monoliths, .NET, Java enterprise), the retainer is unlikely to be a good fit. Our value comes from deep familiarity with this specific shape of stack.

Primary stack
Next.jsVercelSanitySupabaseGit/GitHubAxiomNano BananaClaude (Anthropic)Codex (OpenAI)Gemini (Google)
Adjacent (case-by-case)
AstroSvelteKitStrapiNeonPlanetScaleDatadogNotionCursor
07 · Who runs this

Built by an operator who runs the same stack.

AutomationSwitch is the editorial intelligence layer for the automation and AI agent economy. We publish, score, and review the directories, frameworks, and tools that builders use to ship production automation. We run the same stack we audit. Every recommendation in your monthly Switch Compass is grounded in something we have either deployed ourselves or evaluated through our directory pipeline.

The retainer client gets the same operator judgment that goes into every published article on this site.

What retainer clients get
  • Monthly Switch Compass (PDF + Loom)
  • Quarterly Stack Audit with 60-min review call
  • Priority Slack channel with SLA
  • Emergency unblock when production breaks
  • Access to published audit methodology
  • The same operator judgment behind every published article
08 · FAQ

Questions worth answering.

If you are evaluating a retainer for your production stack, these are the questions to ask before booking a call.

What does the discovery call cover?+

A 30-minute conversation. We learn about your stack, your priorities, and your expected use of the retainer. We tell you if you are a fit. No pitch.

How long does onboarding take?+

One week from signed contract to first Slack channel ping. Three weeks to the first Switch Compass.

What if I want to cancel?+

Thirty days notice. No long-term contract. No cancellation fee. We hand back any artefacts we produced for you.

What counts as an emergency unblock?+

A deployment that will not ship, an agent that is producing broken output, a critical MCP that is down, a security incident. Not “I want this feature added.”

Can I upgrade from Standby to Partner mid-contract?+

Yes. Pro-rated for the current month. No fee.

What if my stack is not Next.js + Vercel + Sanity?+

Tell us during the discovery call. If your stack overlaps significantly with our specialty, we proceed. If it does not, we say so.

Will you write code in my repo?+

Only for emergency unblocks (one or two per month). Otherwise no. The retainer is review and recommendation, not implementation.

Is my code safe with you?+

We sign a mutual NDA at contract. We use read-only access where possible. We delete or return any artefacts at the end of the engagement.

09 · Book your call

Tell us about your stack.

We reply within 24 hours. The call is 30 minutes. We tell you if Stack Standby is a fit.
Discovery call
Which tier interests you? *
How did you hear about us?

We reply within 24 hours. Your data stays in our systems only. No third-party sharing.

What happens on the call.

A 30-minute conversation. We learn about your stack, your priorities, and your expected use of the retainer. We tell you if you are a fit. No pitch.

If you prefer to skip the call and subscribe directly, use the Standby tier CTA in the pricing section above.

After the call
  • We send a recap email within 24 hours
  • If it is a fit, we send a Stripe invoice + 1-page MSA
  • Onboarding starts within 7 days of signed contract
  • First Switch Compass delivered by day 21
Ready when you are

Stop watching the backlog grow.

Book a 30-minute discovery call. We will tell you within the call if Stack Standby is a fit and what tier suits your stack.