You understand that feeling when you’re 99% sure something’s a fantastic concept, only to recognize later … it was a complete dumpster fire? That’s exactly what took place when I decided to switch my entire company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked glossy. It seemed revolutionary. Yet in truth? It turned into one of the most agonizing software application choices I have actually made in over a years of running my company.
So before you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you via exactly what dropped– due to the fact that if you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for smarter, much more efficient methods to expand your company. Just … not similar to this.
The Seductive All-in-One Assurance
Here’s the thing. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it sounded like a dream become a reality. A solitary platform to handle your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, visit bookings, automation, settlements– you call it.
If you’ve ever before managed a Monster pile of tools just to run your day-to-day, you understand how alluring the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I would certainly been utilizing Keap for years (and loving it, truthfully), yet still– I got lured in by the promise of simplifying every little thing under one roofing.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I had a poor instance of glossy object disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That In Fact Worked)
Let me be real with you: Keap had not been damaged. It did everything I needed. It handled my email automations, sales funnels, visit scheduling, invoicing– you call it. Certain, the user interface felt a little outdated in position, and in some cases points took a couple of more clicks than I suched as, but hey, it worked.
So why change?
Truthfully, I simply began asking yourself if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was cheaper (on the surface), provided extra features, and all the awesome marketers on the internet appeared to be raving concerning it. FOMO is a hell of a drug.
That curiosity expense me greater than just cash– it cost me time, energy, and comfort.
What It Cost Me to Change
I went done in. Enrolled in the $297/month agency plan. Spent a strong 30 to 40 hours migrating information, rebuilding workflows, and essentially trying to duplicate my whole Keap arrangement inside GoHighLevel.
Here’s what I had to move:
- 20,000+ e-mail customers
- Lots of automations
- All customer profiles and notes
- Stripe billing integration
- Entire funnel framework
- Customized forms, landing pages, causes … whatever
Let’s not also discuss the shed efficiency throughout those couple of weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, enjoying tutorials, and trying to find out where the hell fundamental setups were.
And just when I assumed things were functioning … they weren’t.
The Bugs Began Creeping In
At first, everything looked okay. Yet then, out of nowhere, individuals on my list started obtaining emails they weren’t intended to obtain. I’m chatting entirely unimportant messages– sent in sets of 171 customers at a time. Three days straight.
Complete disorder.
I rebuilt the automations from scratch. Still occurred. I contacted assistance. They condemned “server concerns.” But absolutely nothing made good sense, and the trouble didn’t disappear. Visualize getting up every early morning questioning who your system may’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not simply annoying– it threatens. When your entire brand name is built on trust, you can not manage to resemble a clueless amateur blasting the wrong e-mails to the wrong individuals.
Assistance? Yeah, Good Luck
Currently, I do not anticipate excellence from any kind of system. Insects occur. But when they do? I expect the assistance group to step up fast.
That really did not take place here.
Responses were unclear. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was shouting into the void while my business shed. Meanwhile, every minute I spent troubleshooting was a min I had not been serving clients or growing my firm.
For a device that markets itself to significant business owners, GoHighLevel certain didn’t treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever use a tool and simply feel … lost? That was me inside 3CX GoHighLevel.
The UX was cumbersome. Points were buried in odd areas. Even basic jobs like modifying a funnel or tweaking an e-mail circulation became a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even get me started. Intend to change item setups, page layouts, and general flow? Cool– you’ll require to hunt through three various locations that make zero sensible sense. Fifty percent the moment, I could not even keep in mind where I ‘d clicked something ten secs earlier.
It felt like using software program built by designers, for designers– not day-to-day entrepreneur.
The “Cost effective” Plan That Obtained Genuine Costly, Genuine Fast
Let’s chat money.
One of GoHighLevel’s large selling factors is the rate. I mean, $97/month for all those features? Appears remarkable, right?
But below’s what they don’t inform you:.
You pay additional per email if you use their SMTP.
You need to connect services like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their invoicing individually.
You’ll get arbitrary microcharges that aren’t clarified plainly.
Want better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you as well.
By the time I added everything up, I was paying more than I had actually been with Keap. And worsening outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s simply negative mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked 3CX GoHighLevel
The last straw? Enjoying my email open rates go down like a rock.
I would certainly been obtaining a solid 35% open price with Keap. My audience was engaged, my automations were called in, and points simply functioned.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped listed below 15%. Clicks were nearly missing. Something was plainly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability concern. Possibly the system was just sending at bad times or not customizing messages appropriately. Whatever the reason, I had not been lingering to play detective while my listing decomposed.
Lessons I Found Out by hand
If you’re considering switching over to GoHighLevel– or any type of brand-new system– right here’s what I wish a person had informed me prior to I made the leap:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Plaything
It’s easy to obtain hyped regarding the most up to date “innovative” tool. However even if every person’s speaking about something doesn’t imply it’s right for you. If your current system is working, think twice prior to blowing it up.
2. Value Simplicity Over Features
More isn’t always better. A platform with a clean, intuitive interface will save you time and frustrations over time– even if it doesn’t have every feature under the sun.
3. Demand Openness
Concealed prices are the worst. Pick tools that are in advance regarding pricing, integrations, and limits. You shouldn’t need a calculator and a thesaurus to comprehend your monthly expense.
4. Pay Attention to Actual Individuals (Not Just Marketing Professionals)
Examine impartial evaluations, user discussion forums, and Reddit threads. Take notice of real customer experience– not just slick sales web pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Here Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a reputable, user-friendly platform to run your organization, I’ve checked a bunch. Here are a couple of I ‘d actually suggest:.
Keap— My current go-to. Powerful automations, strong assistance, and it just functions. Worth every cent.
HubSpot— Great for companies that need scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one option for little to mid-sized organizations with strong reporting tools.
Monday.com— Great for project monitoring, team cooperation, and sales pipe tracking.
Bonsai— Especially excellent for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Final Thought
GoHighLevel may help some. But also for me? It was an irritating, expensive experiment that I could not wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the edge, questioning whether to make the jump– concentrate. Ask on your own what’s really not operating in your present setup. Don’t melt your systems down just because something newer and shinier turned up.
Stick with what jobs. Your sanity (and your customers) will certainly thanks.