Stage 8: Billing and Support
Stage 8: Billing and Support
Owner: CEO (process TBD for future clients) Blueprint stage: Stage 8 -- Billing and Support
Trigger
Delivery confirmation received from Dana (Stage 7 gate passed).
Inputs
| Source | What |
|---|---|
| Dana (Stage 7) | Signed delivery confirmation |
| Camille (Stage 1) | Client agreement (scope, timeline, terms) |
Activities
8.1 Generate Invoice
Based on client agreement: fixed price, milestone-based, or time-and-materials. Payment terms per agreement.
Note: For STM, the CEO handles billing directly. Formal process needed before second client.
8.2 Track Payment
Record invoice sent date. Track payment received. Follow up if overdue.
8.3 Begin Support Period
- Start date: delivery confirmation date
- End date: per client agreement (typically 30, 60, or 90 days)
- Support channels: email, Slack, scheduled calls
- Response time commitments
8.4 Handle Support Requests
Log all requests with date, description, resolution. Resolve configuration issues directly. Escalate product defects to Max (Maintenance Engineer). Escalate feature requests to Pablo.
Outputs
| Deliverable | Format | Destination |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice | PDF/Markdown | Client |
| Payment record | Internal log | Company records |
| Support log | Markdown | Order records |
Beta Billing Process
Pre-Payment (Default for Beta)
- Client completes intake form on beta portal
- Client proceeds to Stripe checkout (one-time payment)
- Stripe webhook confirms payment → order auto-advances to Stage 2
- Support period begins at delivery (Stage 7 completion)
Support Period by Tier
- Starter: 30 days email support
- Professional: 60 days priority email support
- Enterprise: 90 days dedicated support + scheduled calls
Gate Criteria
- Payment confirmed in Stripe OR invoice issued and tracked
- Support period start date documented
- Support channel communicated to client
- Billing complete — order can proceed to Stage 9 (Feedback)
Quality Gate
Gate: Invoice issued and support period active. Criteria: Invoice per agreement, support dates documented, escalation path documented, support log initialized. Evidence: Invoice record + support period documentation.