What to Do Before Firing Your Current Web Agency

At some point, businesses outgrow their web agency. Requirements change. The agency stops delivering. Costs get out of hand. Communication breaks down. Whatever the reason, you've decided to switch vendors.

Before you send a termination letter, there's critical groundwork to do. These steps take a few days and prevent weeks or months of disruption once the relationship ends.

Confirming Asset Ownership

The first step is confirming what you actually own and control.

Domain: Do you control the domain registrar account? Log in to confirm you can access it. If the agency registered it in their name, request a transfer or ask them to give you account access before you end the relationship. This is much easier when you're still working together than trying to reclaim it after.

Code repository: Do you have access to the GitHub, GitLab, or similar account where the code lives? Can you download the entire codebase and view the complete history? If the agency owns the repository, request a transfer to your account or a backup copy of the code before ending the relationship.

Hosting: Do you have access to the web hosting control panel? Can you view settings, logs, and configuration? If the agency manages hosting under their account, request credentials or confirmation that you're the account owner.

Email: If your email is hosted through the same account as your web hosting, confirm you have access. If the agency manages email, request backup copies of important emails or confirmation of how you'll access email going forward.

Analytics and other tools: Do you have access to Google Analytics, Search Console, social media accounts, email marketing platforms, or other tools used for the site? Request admin access before the relationship ends.

If you're missing access to any of these, request it now. In writing. Be clear that you need access to these assets before the transition ends. Most legitimate agencies will cooperate. If they resist, that's an escalation point.

Exporting Your Data

Before access is cut off, export everything you might need.

Content: Download or export all content from the website. If it's a blog, export posts. If it's product information, make a backup. Many content management systems have built-in export functions. If yours doesn't, you can often copy content from the live site or ask the agency for a database backup.

Files and media: Download all images, videos, PDFs, and other files hosted on the site. These are your assets and you'll need them whether you move to a new site or make changes to the current one.

Configuration: Take notes or screenshots of the current site configuration. How are redirects set up? What are the DNS records? What plugins or tools are installed? What's the server configuration? You might need this information when transitioning to a new agency.

Analytics data: Don't just rely on accessing your Google Analytics account later. Export historical data, key reports, and insights. If custom reports are set up in Analytics, document what they measure and why they matter.

Email: If you're moving email platforms or need to archive current email, do that now while you have system access.

Backup of the entire website: Request a full backup of the website database, files, and configuration. Most hosting platforms provide backup functionality. Download a complete backup and store it securely.

Documenting Current Setup

Create a document that describes how the current website works. This is essential for the next agency or developer to understand what they're inheriting.

Include:

Technical details:

• What CMS or framework is the site built on? (WordPress, custom code, headless CMS, etc.)
• What hosting provider and server setup? (shared hosting, VPS, serverless, etc.)
• What database and version?
• What dependencies or packages are installed?
• Are there any custom code or plugins?

Access and credentials:

• URLs for domain registrar, hosting control panel, GitHub, etc.
• Usernames and passwords (stored securely, not in this document)
• How to access logs, analytics, and other tools

Current functionality:

• What does the site do? What are core features?
• What third-party services are integrated? (email, payment processing, CRM, etc.)
• What automations or workflows are in place?
• What's custom code vs. off-the-shelf tools?

Performance and metrics:

• Current traffic volume
• Key conversion metrics
• Page load time and performance
• Any known issues or technical debt

Maintenance and ongoing costs:

• What needs to be maintained? How often?
• What's the current cost for hosting, licenses, tools?
• What maintenance has been deferred?
• What should the next agency know about cost?

This document becomes invaluable when you hand off to the next agency. It prevents miscommunication, reduces onboarding time, and helps the next vendor understand what they're inheriting.

Communication with the Agency

Before you officially end the relationship, communicate clearly.

Let them know you're considering a transition. Ask about exit procedures. Some agencies have formal transition processes. Some resist and make transitions difficult. You need to know which camp you're in.

Request all of the above in writing. Create a checklist and get confirmation that each item will be completed by a specific date. Don't rely on verbal promises.

If the agency is cooperative, treat the transition professionally. You'll want a good reference for future vendor relationships, and you want them to make the transition as smooth as possible. If they're resistant, document everything in writing and escalate if needed.

Timing the Transition

Once you have all assets and documentation, you can safely make the switch.

Give the new agency access to everything you've gathered. They'll review it and propose their transition plan. Some agencies migrate sites directly from the old hosting to new hosting. Some require rebuilding. It depends on the situation.

Communicate the transition timeline to customers. If there's any downtime or change, let them know in advance.

Plan for a few days of overlap where both agencies have access and can coordinate. This catches problems before the old agency's access is fully cut off.

After Transition

Once you've moved to the new agency, review access one more time.

Confirm you can log into the domain registrar. Confirm the code repository is in your control. Confirm you have access to analytics and other tools. Confirm email is working properly.

Some issues only emerge after transition. Having confirmed that you can access everything independently prevents a catastrophic situation where something breaks and only the old agency can fix it.

FAQ

What if the agency refuses to cooperate or transfer assets?

This is a serious problem. You have some options: (1) attempt negotiated resolution, maybe paying a transition fee; (2) escalate through your contract; (3) consult with an attorney if the amount is significant. This is why doing this work while the relationship is still functional is important. Once the relationship is terminated, cooperation becomes much harder.

How much of this do I need to understand technically?

You don't need to be a developer, but you need to understand enough to know whether the agency is cooperating. A non-technical business owner can verify: Can I log into the domain registrar? Can I log into the code repository? Can I access the hosting control panel? If yes, you have the essential access.

Should I hire a new agency before ending the current one?

Sometimes yes. Having the new agency review everything before the transition starts can catch issues early. Having both agencies available during transition can smooth problems. But make sure there's no conflict of interest or visibility to the old agency's work before you decide to make a change.

What if I find out the website is built on a deprecated platform I can't update?

This is common. Document it for the new agency. You might need a rebuilt site at some point, but you won't know that until you have it assessed. That assessment happens with the new agency.

How long should this process take?

Gathering assets and documentation: a few days to a week. Actual transition with a new agency: typically 1-4 weeks depending on complexity. Confirmation of everything working: another week or two. Plan for a total transition period of 4-8 weeks.

The Core Principle

The purpose of this process is to ensure that the transition is clean and that you maintain control of your digital assets throughout. By confirming ownership, exporting data, and documenting setup before you end the relationship, you give yourself options and reduce the risk of disruption.

Most transitions go smoothly. But the ones that don't go badly because people didn't do this groundwork. The cost of a few hours of planning is negligible compared to the cost and frustration of a botched transition.