The Tools We Use at Tallwater (and Why We Chose Them)

We spend a lot of time evaluating tools — for our own operations and for the systems we build for clients. The tech landscape for small business operations is crowded, and the number of "all-in-one" platforms that promise to do everything keeps growing.

Our philosophy is the opposite of "more is more." We use a small, durable stack that we understand deeply. Here's what's in it and why.

GoHighLevel — CRM and automation backbone

GoHighLevel is our primary platform for client-facing systems. It handles CRM, pipeline management, SMS and email automation, appointment scheduling, reputation management, and unified inbox.

Why we chose it: GHL is built for agencies managing multiple client accounts, which means it handles multi-client deployments cleanly. The automation capabilities are deep — you can build genuinely sophisticated workflows without custom code. And the platform has continued to improve meaningfully since we started using it.

What we've had to work around: The UI is dense and the documentation is inconsistent. New features ship frequently, not all of them well-tested. The reporting is adequate but not great — we supplement it with Supabase-based dashboards when clients need more. The platform is also overkill for very small clients; we've steered some clients toward simpler tools when GHL's complexity outweighs its benefits.

Alternatives we've evaluated: HubSpot (too expensive for most clients, built for sales teams not service businesses), Jobber (excellent for field service dispatch but limited automation), Salesforce (wildly inappropriate for a business with eight employees), Keap/Infusionsoft (dated UI and limited flexibility).

n8n — Workflow automation and integrations

n8n is an open-source workflow automation tool, similar in concept to Zapier but self-hosted and dramatically more flexible.

Why we chose it: The flexibility is the primary reason. n8n can connect to virtually any API, handle complex logic, run custom code when needed, and process data in ways that Zapier simply can't. For the kinds of automations we build — multi-step workflows with conditional branches, data transformations, integrations with multiple platforms — n8n is the right tool.

Self-hosting also matters to us. Our clients' business data flows through these workflows. Having control over where that data lives and how it moves is important, especially for clients who are handling customer personal information.

What we've had to work around: n8n requires more technical configuration than Zapier. It's not for non-technical users. We manage all n8n instances ourselves; clients don't interact with it directly.

Alternatives we've evaluated: Zapier (too limited for complex workflows, expensive at scale, data leaves your control), Make/Integromat (good but less flexible than n8n for custom logic), custom code (right for some use cases, adds maintenance overhead we prefer to avoid when a tool works well).

Twilio — Voice and SMS infrastructure

Twilio is the backbone of the phone and SMS capabilities we build. When a lead gets a text acknowledgment within 90 seconds of submitting a web form, Twilio is what sent it.

Why we chose it: Twilio is the industry standard for programmatic voice and SMS for good reasons — it's reliable, well-documented, and flexible. Phone number provisioning, two-way SMS, voice call routing, IVR systems — all handled cleanly through the Twilio API.

What we've had to work around: Twilio's pricing is usage-based, which can surprise clients with high SMS volumes. Carrier surcharges for business texting have increased in recent years as the industry responds to spam concerns. And for simple use cases, Twilio is more infrastructure than necessary — GoHighLevel's built-in SMS, which runs on top of Twilio anyway, handles most standard scenarios without the additional configuration.

When we use GHL vs. Twilio directly: For most client automations, GHL's SMS handles it. We reach for Twilio directly when we need custom voice routing, IVR, call recording, or high-volume SMS operations that benefit from more direct control.

Claude API — AI-powered tools

We use Anthropic's Claude API to build AI-powered tools for specific client use cases.

Why we chose it: We've built with multiple AI APIs. For tasks that require nuanced language understanding, careful instruction-following, and reliable output quality — which is most of what we use AI for — Claude consistently performs better for our use cases.

What we build with it: Document processing and extraction (pulling structured data from inspection reports, invoices, contracts), customer-facing FAQ chatbots, draft-generation tools for estimates and customer communications, and internal tools that summarize job histories or customer interactions for quick reference.

What we don't build with it: We're deliberate about not replacing human judgment with AI in processes where the consequences of errors are significant. AI tools augment; they don't replace.

Supabase — Data infrastructure and reporting

Supabase is an open-source Firebase alternative built on PostgreSQL. We use it as the data layer for custom reporting dashboards and for any client use case that requires structured data storage beyond what GHL provides.

Why we chose it: Postgres is a mature, reliable relational database. Supabase wraps it with a clean API, real-time capabilities, and solid authentication — making it practical to build on without requiring a full backend engineering setup. For custom reporting dashboards (built with tools like Retool or custom React frontends), Supabase as the data layer works cleanly.

When we use it: Not every client gets a Supabase build. It's most valuable when a client needs custom reporting that goes beyond GHL's built-in capabilities, or when they have a specific data use case (inventory tracking, multi-location aggregation, historical performance analysis) that requires a proper database.

What we've deliberately excluded

ServiceTitan. Excellent software for large service businesses with complex dispatch, inventory, and fleet management needs. Complete overkill for a 5–10 person trades business, and priced accordingly.

Salesforce. The name comes up in every tools conversation. Not once have we recommended it for a client. It's enterprise software designed for enterprise sales organizations.

Proprietary CRMs from industry vendors. A number of trades-specific platforms include their own CRM. They're usually adequate at the CRM part and limited everywhere else. For clients who are deeply embedded in one of these platforms (Jobber, ServiceTitan, HouseCall Pro), we work with them — but we don't lead with them.

Zapier at scale. We use Zapier for simple, low-volume integrations where it makes sense. We don't build critical business workflows on it because the reliability at scale and the cost at volume both become problematic.

The underlying principle

The goal is a small stack that does a lot well, not a large stack where everything does one thing. Every tool we add to a client's system is something that can break, something that requires maintenance, something that costs money. The question is always: does the capability this adds justify the overhead?

Usually the answer is no, and we find a simpler way. When the answer is yes, we build carefully.

If you want to talk through what tools make sense for your specific business, book a call. We'll give you an honest assessment.