Change order script · Stakeholder change
Client raises the performance target
The SOW set a Lighthouse score of 85. The client's new CTO wants 95 on every page. This script explains why the last ten points cost more than the first eighty-five.
Sofia Marin10:42 AM
Our new CTO wants every page scoring 95+ on mobile Lighthouse before launch. Can we get there?
Possible scope change, visible to your team only
Cites SOW section 5.3, Performance acceptance. Estimated 26 hours. Change order draft ready for PM review.
The situation
Performance targets are a deliverable, and the SOW specified Lighthouse 85 on mobile for two representative pages. Moving to 95 on every page is a different goal: image pipelines, script deferral, third-party tag audits, font strategy and possibly architecture changes. Third-party marketing scripts the client controls are often the biggest factor.
Why this script works
The script supports the ambition, explains the current agreed target, and breaks the work into tiers so the CTO can choose a level of investment. It also names the client-owned factors, such as tags, without blaming anyone.
- Scenario
- Stakeholder change
- Clause to cite
- SOW section 5.3, Performance acceptance
- Typical effort
- 26 hours
- Typical change order
- $4,290 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], we love a CTO who cares about speed! Our SOW (section 5.3) targets Lighthouse 85 on mobile for the home page and one inner page, and we're on track. Getting every page to 95+ is a bigger effort, usually image pipeline, script and tag audits, and font changes. I'll put together a tiered estimate so [CTO name] can pick the level that makes sense.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| “95 is unrealistic.” | “Here are tiers to get there.” | Ambition deserves a path, not a verdict. |
| “Your tracking scripts are the problem.” | “Third-party tags often account for much of the remaining gap.” | Neutral and educational. |
| “We'll optimize what we can.” | “Here is what each tier delivers, with numbers.” | Vague effort leads to vague acceptance. |
SOW clause to cite
SOW section 5.3, Performance acceptance
The home page and one representative inner page will score 85 or higher on Lighthouse mobile performance, measured on staging with final images. Higher targets or additional pages are 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-EWP-WEB-07
Client raises the performance target
| Line item | Hours | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Responsive image pipeline and AVIF conversionFront-end engineer | 8 | $1,320 |
| Script deferral and bundle splittingSenior engineer | 10 | $1,650 |
| Font subsetting and loading strategyFront-end engineer | 4 | $660 |
| Lighthouse testing and reporting per templateQA engineer | 4 | $660 |
| Total | 26 | $4,290 |
Priced at a $165 blended hourly rate. Cites SOW section 5.3, Performance acceptance.
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 5.3, Performance acceptance.
- 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 26 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.