Transactional Email Evaluation PoC Package

Objective

The Transactional Email Evaluation PoC Package supports customers in the structured evaluation of Retarus Transactional Email (TEM) within a controlled Proof of Concept environment prior to a productive rollout.

The package is designed to:

• validate technical feasibility and integration compatibility with the customer's sending applications

• demonstrate core sending, routing, and deliverability capabilities within the customer's environment

• evaluate operational handling, reporting, and API usability

• identify customer-specific integration requirements and considerations

• provide transparency regarding deliverability performance and operational impact

• establish a reliable basis for implementation and rollout decisions

The objective is to ensure customers can assess Retarus Transactional Email against defined success criteria before committing to a production rollout.

Typical Customer Scenarios

The package is particularly suitable for customers with:

• planned replacement of an existing transactional email or SMTP relay provider

• evaluation of a cloud-based transactional email solution prior to rollout

• business-critical sending requirements (order confirmations, invoices, notifications)

• modernization initiatives for existing application-to-email sending infrastructure

• requirements for evaluating deliverability, throughput, and API integration effort before committing to implementation

Typical PoC Duration

The duration may vary depending on customer availability and required stakeholder alignment.

Scope of Services

PoC Preparation & Kick-Off
Preparation and alignment activities including:

• review of customer environment, sending application, and technical prerequisites

• alignment of PoC scope, objectives, and timeline

• definition and documentation of evaluation success criteria

• clarification of customer responsibilities and required inputs

Technical PoC Enablement
Support for technical onboarding and PoC activation, including:

• sender domain and authentication setup (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) for the PoC scope

• API or SMTP connection setup for the customer's sending application

• customer onboarding within the Retarus TEM Portal

• validation of mail flow functionality

• coordination of required DNS activities

Evaluation & Operational Support
Support during the active PoC phase, including:

• review of sending results, deliverability, and identified findings

• operational guidance and best-practice recommendations

• support regarding configuration adjustments

• customer review and alignment sessions

• monitoring of agreed success criteria

Reporting & Final Evaluation
Structured evaluation and closing activities including:

• review of PoC results and observations

• assessment against defined success criteria

• summary of technical and operational findings

• recommendations for implementation and rollout planning

• final presentation and customer review session

Typical Evaluation Areas

The PoC may evaluate:

• deliverability and inbox placement performance

• sending throughput and latency

• API or SMTP integration effort and developer experience

• reporting, tracking, and event/webhook capabilities

• operational usability and transparency (TEM Portal)

• authentication setup effort (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

Success criteria are jointly aligned and documented during the PoC preparation phase.

Customer Alignment Sessions

The package includes:

• 1 kick-off session

• regular review and alignment sessions during the PoC phase

• 1 final evaluation and presentation session

Deliverables

The package provides:

• documented PoC scope and success criteria

• supported onboarding and technical activation

• review and alignment sessions throughout the PoC phase

• structured summary of technical and operational findings

• final evaluation report with implementation and rollout recommendations

Customer Responsibilities

The customer is responsible for providing:

• required technical contacts and stakeholders

• access to relevant DNS records for the sending domain

• timely execution of agreed customer-side activities (DNS changes, application-side integration)

• feedback and participation during the evaluation phase

• participation in review and evaluation sessions

Delays in customer-side activities may impact the PoC timeline and evaluation quality.

Assumptions & Limitations

The package is intended as an evaluation and onboarding service, scoped for a single sending application. The following activities are out of scope unless separately agreed:

• full production rollout

• dedicated IP warm-up (available as a separate package)

• multiple sending applications or complex application architecture

• customer-specific development

• managed operational services

• extensive migration activities

• long-term operational optimization

Outcome

After completion of the PoC, the customer receives:

• validated insights into Retarus Transactional Email capabilities within their specific environment

• documented evaluation results against agreed success criteria

• identified technical and operational considerations for rollout planning

• concrete recommendations for implementation approach and next steps

Format & Scope

For evaluations spanning multiple applications, higher volume, or complex integration, scope is assessed individually.