You understand that sensation when you’re 99% certain something’s a terrific idea, only to understand later on … it was an overall dumpster fire? That’s specifically what occurred when I chose to change my entire company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked glossy. It sounded revolutionary. But actually? It developed into among the most unpleasant software decisions I’ve made in over a years of running my organization.
So prior to you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you with exactly what went down– because if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly searching for smarter, a lot more reliable methods to grow your business. Just … not such as this.
The Seductive All-in-One Promise
Below’s things. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it sounded like a dream come true. A single system to handle your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, appointment bookings, automation, settlements– you name it.
If you have actually ever managed a Monster pile of tools just to run your daily, you know exactly how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been using Keap for many years (and loving it, truthfully), yet still– I obtained drawn in by the pledge of simplifying everything under one roof.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I had a poor situation of shiny object disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Device That Really Worked)
Let me be genuine with you: Keap wasn’t damaged. It did every little thing I needed. It handled my email automations, sales funnels, visit scheduling, invoicing– you call it. Certain, the user interface felt a little outdated in places, and sometimes things took a few even more clicks than I suched as, but hey, it worked.
So why adjustment?
Honestly, I just began wondering if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was less costly (externally), provided a lot more features, and all the cool marketing professionals on the internet appeared to be going crazy regarding it. FOMO is a heck of a medication.
That interest price me greater than simply cash– it cost me time, power, and peace of mind.
What It Expense Me to Change
I went done in. Registered for the $297/month agency plan. Invest a strong 30 to 40 hours migrating information, reconstructing workflows, and generally attempting to reproduce my whole Keap configuration inside GoHighLevel.
Here’s what I had to move:
- 20,000+ e-mail clients
- Loads of automations
- All client profiles and notes
- Stripe payment integration
- Entire funnel facilities
- Personalized kinds, landing pages, causes … everything
Allow’s not even speak about the shed efficiency during those few weeks. I depended on my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, viewing tutorials, and trying to find out where the heck standard settings were.
And just when I thought things were working … they weren’t.
The Bugs Started Sneaking In
In the beginning, whatever looked okay. But then, out of nowhere, people on my checklist began getting emails they weren’t intended to get. I’m talking totally unimportant messages– sent in sets of 171 individuals each time. Three days in a row.
Overall mayhem.
I restore the automations from square one. Still happened. I contacted support. They blamed “server problems.” Yet absolutely nothing made sense, and the problem really did not go away. Envision waking up every early morning wondering who your system could’ve spammed over night.
That’s not just frustrating– it threatens. When your whole brand is built on trust, you can’t pay for to look like a clueless amateur blowing up the wrong emails to the wrong individuals.
Assistance? Yeah, All The Best
Currently, I do not expect excellence from any kind of platform. Bugs happen. But when they do? I expect the assistance group to step up quick.
That really did not take place here.
Feedbacks were obscure. Tickets went unanswered. I felt like I was shouting into deep space while my organization shed. At the same time, every minute I spent fixing was a minute I had not been serving clients or growing my company.
For a tool that markets itself to serious business owners, GoHighLevel sure really did not treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Hot Mess
You ever utilize a device and simply feel … lost? That was me inside GoHighLevel Facebook Messenger.
The UX was cumbersome. Things were buried in odd places. Even basic tasks like editing and enhancing a funnel or tweaking an email flow became a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me began. Want to alter product settings, web page layouts, and general flow? Trendy– you’ll require to search with three various areas that make no rational sense. Half the moment, I could not even remember where I would certainly clicked something 10 seconds previously.
It seemed like using software application constructed by designers, for engineers– not day-to-day business owners.
The “Cost effective” Plan That Obtained Actual Expensive, Genuine Rapid
Let’s talk cash.
One of GoHighLevel’s large selling points is the rate. I indicate, $97/month for all those features? Appears impressive, right?
However below’s what they do not inform you:.
You pay extra per email if you utilize their SMTP.
You need to attach services like Mailgun or Twilio and handle their payment separately.
You’ll obtain arbitrary microcharges that aren’t clarified plainly.
Desire much better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I added whatever up, I was paying more than I had actually been with Keap. And worsening outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s just bad mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Facebook Messenger
The last straw? Watching my email open rates drop like a rock.
I would certainly been getting a solid 35% open price with Keap. My audience was engaged, my automations were called in, and points simply worked.
After switching over to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped below 15%. Clicks were nearly missing. Something was plainly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability problem. Perhaps the system was simply sending at bad times or otherwise individualizing messages appropriately. Whatever the cause, I wasn’t sticking around to play investigative while my checklist decomposed.
Lessons I Found Out the Hard Way
If you’re thinking about switching to GoHighLevel– or any kind of new platform– right here’s what I desire somebody had actually told me prior to I made the jump:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s very easy to get hyped regarding the most recent “revolutionary” device. But just because everyone’s discussing something doesn’t imply it’s right for you. If your existing system is functioning, think twice before blowing it up.
2. Value Simplicity Over Features
More isn’t constantly far better. A system with a clean, user-friendly interface will conserve you time and headaches over time– even if it does not have every feature under the sun.
3. Need Openness
Hidden costs are the most awful. Choose devices that are ahead of time about pricing, integrations, and limitations. You should not need a calculator and a synonym replacement tool to understand your month-to-month expense.
4. Listen to Actual Customers (Not Just Marketing Experts)
Check objective reviews, individual forums, and Reddit threads. Take notice of real customer experience– not just glossy sales web pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Below Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a reliable, user-friendly system to run your company, I’ve examined a lot. Right here are a few I ‘d actually advise:.
Keap— My present go-to. Effective automations, strong support, and it simply works. Worth every penny.
HubSpot— Great for organizations that need scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A strong all-in-one service for small to mid-sized services with strong coverage devices.
Monday.com— Great for job monitoring, group collaboration, and sales pipe monitoring.
Bonsai— Specifically terrific for consultants and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel may help some. But for me? It was an irritating, expensive experiment that I could not wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the edge, asking yourself whether to make the leap– think hard. Ask on your own what’s really not working in your present configuration. Don’t burn your systems down even if something more recent and shinier showed up.
Stick to what works. Your peace of mind (and your clients) will certainly thank you.