The Digital Irish Exit: Why a 30-Day Notice Still Matters

Every so often, a client ghosts us.

One day our security tools start pinging. The next, our credentials are revoked. Then we realize the whole website has been moved… no email, no heads-up, just…silence. And look, we’re not here to make you feel bad for moving on. We know business priorities shift. But ghosting? It’s not just unprofessional, it has consequences. For you and us.

Ghosting is common (sadly). According to Psychology Today, most people don’t ghost to be malicious. They just want to avoid an awkward conversation. Sometimes they forget. Sometimes they’re just done. We’ve all been on both sides of it.

But here’s the thing: ghosting leaves messes behind. Emotionally, it’s a form of avoidance that taxes the brain. Ever heard of the Zeigarnik effect? It’s the reason your mind keeps running in circles, trying to “close the loop.” In business, that loop isn’t just emotional, it’s logistical.

An adapted version of the Zeigarnik effect…IMHO

When you skip the courtesy of leaving notice, there’s a trail of loose ends that someone has to clean up. And often, it’s us. Quietly. Thoroughly. And often unpaid. Our contract (you know, the thing we both signed) includes one simple ask: 30 days’ written notice. And while that sounds like it’s for our benefit, it’s really a two-way safeguard.

Here’s what that window allows us to do:

• Unhook our tools from your systems
• Make sure you have a recent, clean backup
• Remove any shared access, logins, or connected accounts
• Cancel premium plugins or licenses tied to our billing (we often float these and invoice you later)
• Turn off security monitoring and uptime alerts
• Notify our internal teams (bookkeeping, maintenance, support) so they’re not wasting time chasing updates or sending invoices on a site that’s no longer under our care
• Send a final invoice for work already completed
• Offer an exit survey (optional, but helpful), so we can learn and improve

This is part of what you’re paying for: a thoughtful, intentional handoff. Done right, it makes your departure clean and conflict-free. No drama. No awkwardness. And sometimes, we can even work through it. If something’s not working (budget, direction, response time) we’re open to conversations.

Clients have come to us with concerns, and we’ve often been able to adjust how we work together. But we can’t help if we don’t know there’s a problem.

Here’s an example of how to leave well and exit responsibly:

1. Send a written 30-day notice (email is fine)
2. Let us know your last day of service
3. Request any backups or final documentation
4. Ask what we need from you for offboarding
5. Pay any outstanding invoices
6. Review your login and tool access to ensure ownership is fully transferred

What that email could look like:

Subject: Ending Website Support Services

Hi [Name],

I wanted to let you know that we’ll be ending our website support plan. Our last day of service will be [Date]. We’d appreciate your help with offboarding. Please let us know what steps we should take to ensure a smooth transition.

Thank you for the work you’ve done for us.

[Your Name]
[Your Company]

We’re professionals. We’ll never make your departure weird. We’ve offboarded plenty of clients with grace and gratitude. Sometimes we even recommend other trusted professionals in our circle who may be a better fit!

All we’re really asking for is the chance to do it right, because we believe endings should be handled with the same care as beginnings.