Gatewise Case Study: A Blueprint for Sales Growth

Have you ever been so frustrated with a piece of software that you installed its replacement on your own, even while your company was still locked into the old contract? That’s a true story, and it’s how Mixmax landed at Gatewise. Their Director of Sales, Jeff Lyons, had reached a breaking point with a tool that was slow, unreliable, and constantly breaking their outreach sequences. He uninstalled it, installed Mixmax, and used it solo for 45 days before even talking to our team. His experience shows the real cost of bad software and the power of a tool that just works. Here’s the full story of how Gatewise made the switch.

“The fact that Mixmax is not trying to divert people into a web application, and has built its functionality to ride on top of and within Gmail with nice touches like the slash command... I think it's one of the best things on the face of the planet.” - Jeffrey Lyons, Director of Sales at Gatewise.

Meet Gatewise

Gatewise offers an innovative access control solution for property managers that allows residents to open gates and doors using their smartphones. By integrating cutting-edge technology with everyday convenience, Gatewise aims to simplify access control for residential and commercial properties.

How Gatewise Works

At its core, Gatewise is designed to replace traditional keys and fobs with a smartphone-based system. It provides a modern solution for managing access to apartment communities, from main vehicle gates to individual amenity doors like pools and gyms. The system is built around two key interfaces: one for the residents who need daily access and another for the property managers who oversee the entire community. This dual approach ensures that both user experiences are straightforward and tailored to their specific needs, moving property access into a more connected and manageable digital space.

System Components and Connectivity

The Gatewise system is elegantly simple, consisting of two primary parts. For residents, there's a mobile app that turns their smartphone into a universal key for the property. For management, a cloud-based portal provides complete control over access permissions and activity logs. One of the system's biggest advantages is its connectivity. Gatewise hardware uses its own cellular connection, which means it doesn’t rely on the property's Wi-Fi or internet service to function. This is a crucial detail, as it eliminates a common point of failure and simplifies installation, ensuring residents can always get in, even if the local internet is down.

Installation Process

Getting Gatewise up and running is a quick and minimally invasive process. Because the hardware doesn't need to be wired into a building's local internet network, the setup is much faster than many alternative systems. For smaller properties, the entire installation can often be completed in just a few hours. Even for larger, more complex communities with multiple access points, the process typically takes only one to two days. This rapid deployment means less disruption for residents and allows property managers to implement a modern access solution without a lengthy and complicated installation project hanging over their heads.

Features for Residents and Property Managers

Gatewise is built to serve two distinct groups: the residents living in the community and the managers responsible for its operation. For residents, the focus is on convenience and ease of use, making coming and going a seamless part of their day. For property managers, the platform provides powerful tools for security, oversight, and operational efficiency. By addressing the unique needs of each group, Gatewise creates a comprehensive system where everyone benefits from smarter, more modern property access control that simplifies daily routines and management tasks alike.

Resident Features

Residents interact with Gatewise through a mobile app designed for simplicity. A single tap on their phone is all it takes to open gates and doors. For even greater convenience, access credentials can be added to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, allowing entry even if the phone's battery has died. The system also makes managing visitors easy. Residents can send temporary digital keys to guests, family, or service providers, complete with set schedules. They receive notifications when a visitor arrives and can revoke access instantly. If an unexpected guest shows up, they can scan a QR code at the gate to place a call directly to the resident's phone.

Property Manager Features

For property managers, the Gatewise management portal is a centralized command center. From a single dashboard, they can oversee every access point across a property—or even multiple properties. This includes everything from main vehicle gates to doors for the gym, pool, and model units. The system provides real-time activity logs, showing who is entering and when. To make administration easier, Gatewise integrates with popular property management software like Yardi and RealPage. This allows for automated updates when residents move in or out, saving significant administrative time and reducing the risk of manual errors.

Gatewise Pricing and Contract Information

Understanding the cost and commitment is a key part of evaluating any new property technology. Gatewise structures its pricing with a recurring monthly fee for the service and a one-time cost for the hardware installation. This model is common in the industry and allows properties to adopt the technology without a massive upfront capital expenditure. The contract terms are also designed to be straightforward, offering a degree of flexibility that is not always standard in the property tech space, which can be a significant advantage for management companies weighing their options.

Monthly Costs and Installation Fees

Gatewise pricing is based on the number of access points being managed. The subscription plans start at $199 per month for each gate or door connected to the system. For properties that choose to pay for the service annually, discounts are available, which can lower the overall operating cost. In addition to the monthly service fee, there is a one-time installation fee of $599 per access point. This covers the cost of the hardware and the professional setup required to get the system online and integrated with the property's gates and doors.

Contract and Warranty Details

Gatewise offers contract terms that provide a good deal of flexibility. Unlike some providers that require long-term commitments, Gatewise allows customers to cancel their service with just a 30-day notice. This gives property managers the freedom to adapt if their needs change without being locked into a multi-year agreement. Furthermore, the hardware receiver box comes with a lifetime warranty. This is a significant benefit, as it protects the property's investment and ensures that any issues with the physical components will be resolved without additional cost for the life of the service.

User Feedback and System Limitations

No system is perfect, and looking at real-world user feedback provides a more complete picture of the Gatewise experience. While the system offers a modern approach to access control, reviews from residents and comparisons with competitors highlight a few areas where there is room for improvement. These points are important for any property manager to consider when deciding if Gatewise is the right fit for their community's specific needs and their residents' expectations. The feedback centers on both the user-friendliness of the mobile app and the hardware features available at the access points.

App Store Ratings and Common Complaints

Looking at the Apple App Store, the Gatewise app holds an average rating of 2.8 out of 5 stars. While many users appreciate the convenience of a phone-based system, a common theme in critical reviews is the app's user interface. Some residents report that opening a specific gate can require too many taps or that they have to scroll through a long list of doors to find the right one. For communities with numerous access points, this can make the experience feel less intuitive than intended, turning a task that should be instant into a minor inconvenience.

Missing Hardware and Features

When compared to other modern access control systems, the Gatewise hardware is missing a few key features. The system does not include a built-in camera or video calling capabilities, which means property managers and residents cannot visually verify who is at the gate. It also lacks a physical intercom or a touch screen at the entry point. This limits visitor interaction to the QR-code-to-phone-call feature. Additionally, there are no built-in options for creating temporary access PINs for deliveries, a feature that has become increasingly important with the rise of ecommerce and food delivery services.

The Challenge Gatewise Faced

When Jeff Lyons, Director of Sales at Gatewise, joined the company, they were using Outreach for their sales operations. However, the team faced several challenges:

🚫  Lacked a native Salesforce integration: Outreach’s complex field mapping caused confusion between Outreach activities and Salesforce records.

🚫  Data duplication: Storing data on Outreach's servers led to duplicate instances, complicating data management.

🚫  Poor integration with Gmail: Outreach required frequent use of its web app, disrupting workflows.

Jeff elaborated, "Outreach has a non-user-friendly field mapping functionality. It also likes storing all your data on its servers, so you're running a duplicate instance of your Salesforce."

Gatewise initially switched from Outreach to Groove, but new issues emerged, particularly after Groove was acquired. Jeff explains, "With Groove, we ran into a very foundational issue with sequencing, where people were not being removed from sequences based on activity. Once the illusion is broken on sequencing, you can't get it back."

Additionally, Groove's customer service deteriorated significantly post-contract signing. "Once we had cut them a check and were up and running, the signs that that company had been recently acquired became very obvious. They had previously been one of the best in the industry for support, but we ran into a nine-week ordeal where they could not fix our sequencing issues," Jeff recalls.

Performance issues aggravated the problem. "With Groove, I was constantly playing whack-a-mole, disabling all the extensions I use for other things because the performance was so awful. I had to refresh Gmail almost every single time I would go to compose something," Jeff noted. 

Frustrated, Jeff uninstalled Groove and installed Mixmax even while they were still paying for Groove. "I was running Mixmax solo for probably 45 days before I spoke to you guys about switching," he mentioned.

Finding the Right Fit with Mixmax

Mixmax provided a seamless solution, addressing Gatewise’s key requirements:

✅  Full accessibility within your inbox: Mixmax’s ability to function within Gmail improved workflow efficiency.

✅  No duplicate data: Mixmax didn’t act as a secondary CRM. The data between Salesforce and Mixmax synced perfectly without any duplicates.

✅  Reliable sequencing: Mixmax ensured sequences were correctly managed, preventing communication issues.

✅  Ease of use: Features like inline editing on dummy merge tags and the slash command in Gmail streamlined the user experience.

✅  Quick self-onboarding: Jeff highlighted that he self-onboarded Mixmax in just six minutes, demonstrating its user-friendly design.

Gatewise's Results with Mixmax

Since implementing Mixmax, Gatewise has seen significant improvements in their sales operations:

🟣  Cost savings: Mixmax offered Gatewise a financially attractive package. Jeff noted, "Mixmax was 30% less than what we were paying with Groove, and you also deferred our billing until our contract with them was up."

🟣  Increased productivity: Sales reps no longer experience lag or slowdowns, and the integration with Gmail means less time switching between tools.

🟣  Improved data accuracy: With no shadow CRM, all activities sync properly with Salesforce, ensuring clean and accurate data.

🟣  Enhanced support: Mixmax’s responsive customer support resolved issues promptly, ensuring smooth operations.

🟣  Better task management: The Mixmax reminder tool helps ensure no important follow-ups are missed, enhancing overall task management and efficiency.

Ready to See Your Own Results?

If you want to learn more about how Mixmax can help simplify your sales process, book a call with one of our specialists.

We’ll run a custom demo built for your specific needs (no generic B.S.).

Plus, our own teams use Mixmax, and our reps can share tips & tricks for you to maximize usage.

Request a Mixmax demo here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Gatewise switch from both Outreach and Groove? Gatewise left their previous tools because they were creating more work than they were saving. Their first platform, Outreach, caused major data issues by creating a duplicate of their Salesforce records. Their next tool, Groove, had fundamental problems where its sequencing would break, and the software was so slow it forced reps to constantly refresh Gmail just to write an email.

What was the main reason Gatewise chose Mixmax over other tools? The biggest factor was that Mixmax works entirely inside Gmail. Their sales director was tired of tools that force reps to jump back and forth between a separate web application and their inbox. He wanted a platform that lived where his team already worked, which eliminated the need to learn a new interface and kept their workflow focused.

How difficult was it for the Gatewise team to get started with Mixmax? The transition was incredibly simple. In fact, their sales director was so frustrated with his old software that he installed Mixmax on his own and was fully onboarded in just six minutes. He used it by himself for over a month before the rest of the company even made the official switch, which shows how intuitive the platform is from day one.

What were the most significant results Gatewise saw after switching? The results were both financial and operational. Right away, they saved money, as Mixmax was 30% less expensive than their previous contract with Groove. More importantly, their team’s productivity improved because the tool is fast and reliable. They no longer waste time troubleshooting broken sequences or waiting for their email to load.

Which Mixmax features had the biggest impact on Gatewise's daily workflow? The reliability of the sequencing was a huge win, as it restored their confidence in their outreach. Beyond that, simple but powerful features made a real difference in their day-to-day. Using slash commands to quickly insert templates and being able to edit merge fields directly in the email composer saved their reps a significant amount of time and clicks.

Key Takeaways

• Bad software costs more than its price tag: Gatewise’s story shows the true cost of a poor tool isn't the subscription fee; it's the broken sequences, lost selling hours, and rep frustration that ultimately hurts your pipeline.
• The best sales tools work inside the inbox: Forcing reps to switch between their email and a separate platform creates friction and kills momentum. A tool that functions directly within Gmail gets adopted immediately because it improves an existing workflow, not replaces it.
• A "shadow CRM" creates untrustworthy data: When a sales tool stores its own duplicate data, it leads to sync errors and an unreliable pipeline. Your platform should be a clean extension of Salesforce, ensuring all activity is logged accurately without creating a second source of truth.

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