You understand that sensation when you’re 99% certain something’s a terrific concept, just to recognize later on … it was a complete dumpster fire? That’s exactly what happened when I made a decision to change my whole agency over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It sounded revolutionary. Yet in truth? It became one of one of the most painful software program decisions I have actually made in over a decade of running my service.
So before you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you with exactly what decreased– since if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly trying to find smarter, a lot more effective ways to grow your company. Simply … not such as this.
The Seductive All-in-One Assurance
Here’s things. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it seemed like a dream happened. A single platform to handle your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, appointment reservations, automation, payments– you call it.
If you have actually ever managed a Monster stack of tools just to run your day-to-day, you understand how alluring the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I would certainly been using Keap for many years (and loving it, honestly), but still– I obtained lured in by the assurance of streamlining every little thing under one roofing system.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I had a poor instance of glossy item syndrome.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That In Fact Functioned)
Let me be real with you: Keap wasn’t damaged. It did every little thing I needed. It managed my email automations, sales funnels, appointment organizing, invoicing– you name it. Sure, the interface really felt a little outdated in position, and sometimes points took a few more clicks than I suched as, however hey, it worked.
So why change?
Honestly, I simply began questioning if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was less expensive (on the surface), used extra features, and all the cool marketing experts online seemed to be raving concerning it. FOMO is a heck of a drug.
That curiosity price me more than just cash– it cost me time, energy, and peace of mind.
What It Price Me to Change
I went done in. Registered for the $297/month agency plan. Invest a strong 30 to 40 hours moving data, restoring workflows, and generally attempting to replicate my entire Keap arrangement inside GoHighLevel.
Here’s what I had to relocate:
- 20,000+ e-mail clients
- Lots of automations
- All client profiles and notes
- Stripe billing integration
- Whole funnel facilities
- Personalized types, landing pages, sets off … whatever
Allow’s not also talk about the lost performance throughout those couple of weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, enjoying tutorials, and trying to find out where the heck basic setups were.
And simply when I assumed things were functioning … they weren’t.
The Vermin Started Slipping In
In the beginning, everything looked all right. Yet after that, out of no place, individuals on my checklist started getting emails they weren’t supposed to get. I’m talking completely unnecessary messages– sent out in sets of 171 individuals at once. Three days in a row.
Overall mayhem.
I reconstruct the automations from scratch. Still occurred. I spoke to support. They blamed “web server problems.” But nothing made good sense, and the problem really did not vanish. Visualize getting up every morning wondering who your system may’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not just bothersome– it threatens. When your whole brand name is built on depend on, you can’t afford to look like an unaware amateur blasting the incorrect emails to the wrong individuals.
Assistance? Yeah, Good Luck
Currently, I do not expect perfection from any type of system. Bugs happen. Yet when they do? I anticipate the assistance team to step up quick.
That didn’t happen below.
Feedbacks were unclear. Tickets went unanswered. I felt like I was screaming into the void while my company melted. Meanwhile, every minute I invested troubleshooting was a min I wasn’t offering clients or expanding my agency.
For a device that markets itself to major business owners, GoHighLevel sure didn’t treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever use a device and simply really feel … lost? That was me inside GoHighLevel Authorize.net Integration.
The UX was clunky. Things were buried in unusual locations. Even basic tasks like modifying a funnel or tweaking an email flow turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Do not even get me started. Want to transform product setups, page designs, and total circulation? Awesome– you’ll require to hunt via three various areas that make no logical sense. Half the time, I couldn’t also keep in mind where I would certainly clicked something ten seconds previously.
It seemed like making use of software application built by designers, for designers– not everyday company owner.
The “Inexpensive” Plan That Got Genuine Expensive, Actual Quick
Let’s speak money.
Among GoHighLevel’s large selling factors is the rate. I imply, $97/month for all those features? Sounds fantastic, best?
Yet right here’s what they do not tell you:.
You pay extra per e-mail if you use their SMTP.
You need to link solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and handle their invoicing independently.
You’ll obtain random microcharges that aren’t explained clearly.
Desire far better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you as well.
By the time I added everything up, I was paying greater than I had actually been with Keap. And getting worse results.
That’s not a good deal– it’s just negative mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Authorize.net Integration
The final straw? Watching my e-mail open prices go down like a rock.
I ‘d been getting a solid 35% open price with Keap. My target market was involved, my automations were called in, and things simply worked.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped below 15%. Clicks were almost missing. Something was clearly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability issue. Maybe the system was simply sending out at hard times or otherwise customizing messages appropriately. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t staying to play investigator while my listing decomposed.
Lessons I Found Out by hand
If you’re thinking of changing to GoHighLevel– or any kind of brand-new system– right here’s what I want somebody had told me before I made the leap:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s easy to obtain hyped about the current “revolutionary” tool. However even if everybody’s discussing something does not suggest it’s right for you. If your current system is working, hesitate prior to blowing it up.
2. Value Simplicity Over Features
More isn’t constantly better. A system with a clean, intuitive interface will save you time and headaches in the long run– even if it does not have every feature imaginable.
3. Demand Transparency
Covert expenses are the worst. Choose devices that are upfront concerning pricing, integrations, and restrictions. You shouldn’t require a calculator and a synonym replacement tool to understand your monthly bill.
4. Listen to Real Customers (Not Just Online Marketers)
Inspect objective evaluations, individual online forums, and Reddit threads. Pay attention to real individual experience– not just glossy sales web pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Here Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trustworthy, user-friendly platform to run your service, I’ve examined a number. Right here are a couple of I ‘d in fact recommend:.
Keap— My present go-to. Effective automations, solid support, and it just functions. Well worth every cent.
HubSpot— Great for organizations that need scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A strong all-in-one remedy for tiny to mid-sized services with solid coverage devices.
Monday.com— Amazing for project administration, group partnership, and sales pipeline monitoring.
Bonsai— Specifically wonderful for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel may work for some. However, for me? It was a discouraging, costly experiment that I could not wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the edge, questioning whether to make the leap– concentrate. Ask yourself what’s actually not operating in your present arrangement. Do not shed your systems down just because something more recent and shinier appeared.
Stick to what jobs. Your sanity (and your customers) will thanks.