Change order script · New feature
Client asks for a new payment gateway
The checkout was scoped for Stripe. Now the client wants PayPal and Klarna too. Here is how to say yes to the idea and yes to the budget in the same message.
Megan Ruiz10:42 AM
Quick one, can we also add PayPal and Klarna at checkout? Our sales team says customers keep asking. Should be easy since Stripe is already in.
Possible scope change, visible to your team only
Cites SOW section 2.4, Checkout and payments. Estimated 48 hours. Change order draft ready for PM review.
The situation
Payment work looks small from the outside because the checkout already exists. In practice each new gateway brings its own SDK, its own webhook events, its own refund and dispute flows, and its own test matrix. The original SOW named Stripe only. The request is reasonable and probably good for the client's conversion rate, which is exactly why it deserves a proper estimate instead of a rushed yes in a Slack thread.
Why this script works
The script opens by agreeing with the business goal, cites the SOW line neutrally, and gives the client a choice between two clear options. It never says no. It turns an informal ask into a decision the client can make with full information.
- Scenario
- New feature
- Clause to cite
- SOW section 2.4, Checkout and payments
- Typical effort
- 48 hours
- Typical change order
- $7,920 at $165/hr
- Reply within
- Same business day
The script
Three versions: the quick reply, the email and the nudge.
Start in the channel where the request arrived, then follow with the email and change order. Copy any version and replace the bracketed placeholders.
Youdraft, reply in thread
Hi [Name], love this idea. Offering PayPal and Klarna usually lifts checkout conversion, so it makes sense to explore. Our SOW (section 2.4) covers Stripe as the payment provider, so adding two more gateways is new work: SDK setup, webhooks, refunds and testing for each. I'll put together a short change order with hours and the timeline impact by [day] so you can decide. Want me to price them separately so you can pick one or both?
Replace every [bracketed] placeholder before sending. Your PM approves every message, TWINJAM never contacts clients on its own.
What not to say
Small wording changes decide whether the client hears help or a bill.
| Avoid | Say instead | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “That's out of scope.” | “That's new work beyond section 2.4, and here is what it would take.” | Leads with the work, not the refusal. |
| “Should be quick, we'll squeeze it in.” | “I'll send an estimate by Thursday so you can decide.” | Quick favors are how margins disappear. |
| “We'll need to charge extra for that.” | “Here are two options with hours and timeline.” | Options feel like a service. Charges feel like a penalty. |
SOW clause to cite
SOW section 2.4, Checkout and payments
Agency will implement checkout using Stripe Payments as the sole payment provider, including card payments, Apple Pay and Google Pay through Stripe. Additional payment providers are outside the scope of this SOW and will be handled under the Change Control clause.
No clause like this in your SOW? Use one of the SOW templates for your next engagement, and have your counsel review final contract language.
CO-HFX-APP-07
Client asks for a new payment gateway
| Line item | Hours | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal Checkout SDK integration and order captureSenior engineer | 14 | $2,310 |
| Klarna integration via Stripe or direct APISenior engineer | 12 | $1,980 |
| Webhooks, refunds and dispute handling for both gatewaysEngineer | 10 | $1,650 |
| End-to-end test matrix and sandbox testingQA engineer | 8 | $1,320 |
| Project management and release coordinationProject manager | 4 | $660 |
| Total | 48 | $7,920 |
Priced at a $165 blended hourly rate. Cites SOW section 2.4, Checkout and payments.
Step by step
From the client’s message to a signed change order.
The script is one step. The process around it is what keeps scope conversations short and friendly.
- 1
Check the request against your signed SOW. For this scenario the clause to cite is usually SOW section 2.4, Checkout and payments.
- 2
Reply the same day in the channel where the request arrived, using the Slack version. Agree with the goal before you mention scope.
- 3
Estimate the work as line items with hours. This scenario typically lands around 48 hours.
- 4
Send the email version with the change order attached and two or three options, including a lighter or free path where one exists.
- 5
Set a decision date tied to the schedule. If there is no reply in three business days, send the follow-up.
- 6
Record the approval or the decision to defer, so the SOW baseline stays accurate for the next request.
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Agency Change Order Scriptbook
12 polite Slack and email templates to ask for more budget without friction.
The scriptbook collects the twelve conversations agency PMs dread most, from the fourth design round to the after-launch feature, with the SOW clause to cite and a change order form for each.
Spot the request before the work starts.
TWINJAM flags out-of-scope requests in Slack, Teams and Jira, cites the SOW clause and drafts a change order like this one for your PM to approve.