You know that sensation when you’re 99% certain something’s an excellent idea, only to recognize later … it was a total dumpster fire? That’s specifically what occurred when I determined to change my entire firm over to GoHighLevel.
It looked glossy. It sounded revolutionary. But in truth? It became one of the most uncomfortable software decisions I have actually made in over a decade of running my company.
So before you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you via precisely what went down– because if you’re anything like me, you’re always searching for smarter, much more effective means to expand your service. Simply … not similar to this.
The Seductive All-in-One Promise
Right here’s the important things. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it seemed like a desire happened. A single platform to manage your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, consultation bookings, automation, payments– you call it.
If you’ve ever before handled a Frankenstein pile of devices simply to run your day-to-day, you understand exactly how alluring the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been making use of Keap for several years (and liking it, truthfully), however still– I obtained tempted in by the guarantee of streamlining every little thing under one roof.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a bad situation of shiny things disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That Really Worked)
Let me be genuine with you: Keap wasn’t broken. It did every little thing I required. It handled my email automations, sales funnels, consultation organizing, invoicing– you call it. Sure, the interface really felt a little dated in position, and often points took a couple of even more clicks than I liked, but hey, it worked.
So why change?
Truthfully, I simply started wondering if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was cheaper (on the surface), used more features, and all the amazing marketers online appeared to be raving concerning it. FOMO is a heck of a medicine.
That curiosity price me greater than just money– it cost me time, energy, and peace of mind.
What It Price Me to Switch over
I went all in. Signed up for the $297/month agency plan. Invest a solid 30 to 40 hours migrating data, restoring workflows, and generally trying to duplicate my whole Keap setup inside GoHighLevel.
Here’s what I needed to move:
- 20,000+ e-mail customers
- Lots of automations
- All customer accounts and notes
- Stripe invoicing integration
- Whole funnel facilities
- Personalized forms, landing pages, sets off … everything
Let’s not even speak about the shed performance throughout those couple of weeks. I depended on my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, watching tutorials, and trying to figure out where the heck basic setups were.
And just when I thought points were functioning … they weren’t.
The Bugs Began Creeping In
In the beginning, everything looked okay. But after that, out of nowhere, people on my listing began obtaining e-mails they weren’t intended to get. I’m chatting entirely pointless messages– sent in sets of 171 individuals at once. 3 days straight.
Overall chaos.
I restore the automations from square one. Still happened. I got in touch with support. They criticized “web server problems.” However nothing made good sense, and the issue didn’t go away. Think of waking up every morning wondering who your system could’ve spammed over night.
That’s not just frustrating– it threatens. When your entire brand is built on count on, you can’t manage to appear like an unaware amateur blowing up the wrong emails to the incorrect people.
Support? Yeah, Best Of Luck
Now, I do not anticipate perfection from any kind of platform. Bugs take place. Yet when they do? I anticipate the support team to step up fast.
That didn’t take place here.
Actions were unclear. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was yelling into the void while my business shed. Meanwhile, every min I invested repairing was a min I wasn’t offering clients or growing my firm.
For a device that markets itself to significant business owners, GoHighLevel sure really did not treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Hot Mess
You ever make use of a tool and simply feel … shed? That was me inside GoHighLevel Square POS.
The UX was clunky. Things were buried in odd areas. Also basic tasks like modifying a funnel or tweaking an email circulation developed into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even get me started. Wish to alter item settings, page layouts, and overall circulation? Great– you’ll need to search through 3 various areas that make no logical sense. Fifty percent the moment, I could not also remember where I would certainly clicked something ten secs earlier.
It seemed like utilizing software built by engineers, for designers– not everyday entrepreneur.
The “Affordable” Plan That Got Genuine Costly, Actual Rapid
Let’s speak cash.
One of GoHighLevel’s large marketing points is the cost. I indicate, $97/month for all those features? Sounds fantastic, right?
Yet right here’s what they don’t tell you:.
You pay additional per email if you use their SMTP.
You have to attach solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and handle their payment independently.
You’ll obtain arbitrary microcharges that aren’t discussed plainly.
Desire far better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I added everything up, I was paying greater than I had actually been with Keap. And worsening outcomes.
That’s not a bargain– it’s just negative mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Square POS
The last straw? Viewing my email open prices drop like a rock.
I ‘d been getting a strong 35% open rate with Keap. My audience was engaged, my automations were dialed in, and points simply worked.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped listed below 15%. Clicks were nearly missing. Something was plainly off.
Maybe it was a deliverability issue. Perhaps the system was just sending at hard times or not personalizing messages correctly. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t staying to play investigative while my checklist decayed.
Lessons I Discovered the Hard Way
If you’re thinking about switching to GoHighLevel– or any kind of new system– right here’s what I want a person had told me before I made the jump:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s simple to get hyped about the most up to date “revolutionary” device. Yet even if everyone’s talking about something does not mean it’s right for you. If your present system is functioning, reconsider before blowing it up.
2. Worth Simplicity Over Features
A lot more isn’t constantly much better. A system with a tidy, instinctive interface will conserve you time and headaches in the long run– even if it does not have every feature imaginable.
3. Demand Transparency
Covert prices are the worst. Select tools that are ahead of time about pricing, integrations, and limits. You shouldn’t require a calculator and a thesaurus to understand your monthly costs.
4. Pay Attention to Genuine Customers (Not Simply Online Marketers)
Examine unbiased testimonials, customer forums, and Reddit strings. Focus on real user experience– not simply slick sales pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Right Here Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a dependable, user-friendly platform to run your organization, I have actually tested a number. Here are a few I ‘d in fact recommend:.
Keap— My existing go-to. Powerful automations, strong support, and it just works. Worth every dime.
HubSpot— Great for services that require scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A strong all-in-one option for small to mid-sized organizations with solid coverage devices.
Monday.com— Fantastic for job monitoring, group partnership, and sales pipeline tracking.
Bonsai— Especially excellent for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Final Thought
GoHighLevel may help some. But for me? It was a discouraging, 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 yourself what’s really not operating in your existing configuration. Don’t melt your systems down even if something newer and shinier appeared.
Stick to what works. Your sanity (and your customers) will certainly thanks.