You understand that feeling when you’re 99% sure something’s an excellent concept, just to recognize later … it was an overall dumpster fire? That’s exactly what occurred when I decided to change my whole agency over to GoHighLevel.
It looked glossy. It appeared revolutionary. Yet actually? It developed into one of one of the most agonizing software application choices I’ve made in over a years of running my service.
So before you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you through precisely what decreased– due to the fact that if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly looking for smarter, more effective means to expand your company. Simply … not such as this.
The Sexy All-in-One Promise
Right here’s the important things. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it sounded like a dream come to life. A single platform to handle your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, visit reservations, automation, repayments– you name it.
If you’ve ever managed a Frankenstein pile of devices simply to run your daily, you understand how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been utilizing Keap for many years (and enjoying it, truthfully), but still– I obtained drawn in by the pledge of simplifying everything under one roof covering.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a bad instance of shiny object syndrome.
Why I Left Keap (A Device That Really Worked)
Let me be genuine with you: Keap had not been damaged. It did whatever I required. It handled my email automations, sales funnels, consultation organizing, invoicing– you call it. Certain, the interface felt a little dated in places, and occasionally points took a few even more clicks than I liked, however hey, it worked.
So why change?
Honestly, I simply started wondering if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was cheaper (on the surface), used a lot more features, and all the great online marketers online seemed to be raving about it. FOMO is a hell of a drug.
That interest price me greater than just cash– it cost me time, power, and satisfaction.
What It Price Me to Switch
I went all in. Signed up for the $297/month agency plan. Spent a strong 30 to 40 hours moving information, rebuilding workflows, and essentially attempting to duplicate my whole Keap arrangement inside GoHighLevel.
Right here’s what I needed to move:
- 20,000+ e-mail clients
- Loads of automations
- All customer accounts and notes
- Stripe payment integration
- Whole funnel facilities
- Personalized kinds, landing pages, sets off … every little thing
Allow’s not even discuss the lost efficiency during those few weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, viewing tutorials, and attempting to find out where the hell fundamental setups were.
And simply when I believed things were working … they weren’t.
The Bugs Began Sneaking In
At first, every little thing looked fine. But after that, out of no place, people on my checklist began obtaining emails they weren’t supposed to obtain. I’m chatting completely irrelevant messages– sent in batches of 171 customers at a time. 3 days in a row.
Complete mayhem.
I restore the automations from square one. Still occurred. I got in touch with support. They blamed “server concerns.” However absolutely nothing made good sense, and the problem really did not disappear. Picture getting up every morning questioning who your system may’ve spammed over night.
That’s not just irritating– it threatens. When your whole brand name is improved trust, you can not pay for to look like an unaware amateur blowing up the incorrect emails to the incorrect people.
Assistance? Yeah, Best Of Luck
Currently, I don’t anticipate excellence from any system. Bugs happen. However when they do? I anticipate the support group to step up fast.
That really did not happen below.
Actions were obscure. Tickets went unanswered. I felt like I was shouting into the void while my company melted. Meanwhile, every minute I spent repairing was a minute I wasn’t offering clients or growing my company.
For a tool that markets itself to serious entrepreneurs, GoHighLevel sure really did not treat me like one.
The Interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever before use a device and simply feel … shed? That was me inside GoHighLevel Avis.
The UX was confusing. Points were hidden in strange places. Also straightforward tasks like modifying a funnel or tweaking an email circulation turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even get me started. Intend to transform item settings, page designs, and overall flow? Awesome– you’ll require to search with 3 various areas that make zero sensible sense. Half the time, I couldn’t even keep in mind where I would certainly clicked something ten seconds earlier.
It seemed like utilizing software application built by engineers, for engineers– not day-to-day local business owner.
The “Cost effective” Plan That Got Real Pricey, Real Fast
Let’s speak money.
One of GoHighLevel’s huge marketing points is the price. I imply, $97/month for all those features? Sounds remarkable, best?
However below’s what they don’t tell you:.
You pay added per e-mail if you use their SMTP.
You have to connect solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their invoicing independently.
You’ll obtain arbitrary microcharges that aren’t clarified plainly.
Want far better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you too.
By the time I added whatever up, I was paying more than I had actually been with Keap. And becoming worse outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s just poor math.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Avis
The last straw? Viewing my e-mail open rates drop like a rock.
I would certainly been getting a strong 35% open price with Keap. My target market was involved, my automations were called in, and things just worked.
After switching over to GoHighLevel? Opens went down listed below 15%. Clicks were virtually missing. Something was clearly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability issue. Maybe the system was just sending out at bad times or otherwise personalizing messages properly. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t sticking around to play investigator while my checklist decomposed.
Lessons I Discovered the Hard Way
If you’re considering switching over to GoHighLevel– or any kind of brand-new system– here’s what I want a person had actually informed me before I made the leap:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s simple to obtain hyped regarding the current “innovative” device. Yet just because every person’s discussing something does not indicate it’s right for you. If your present system is working, think twice before blowing it up.
2. Worth Simplicity Over Features
More isn’t always better. A platform with a clean, user-friendly user interface will certainly conserve you time and frustrations over time– even if it doesn’t have every feature under the sun.
3. Need Transparency
Covert expenses are the most awful. Choose devices that are ahead of time about pricing, integrations, and limits. You should not require a calculator and a thesaurus to understand your regular monthly expense.
4. Listen to Real Individuals (Not Simply Marketing Professionals)
Examine objective reviews, user forums, and Reddit threads. Focus on actual customer experience– not just glossy sales web pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Right Here Are Better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trustworthy, easy to use platform to run your organization, I have actually tested a bunch. Below are a couple of I ‘d in fact recommend:.
Keap— My current go-to. Powerful automations, strong support, and it just functions. Worth every cent.
HubSpot— Great for businesses that require scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one option for tiny to mid-sized businesses with solid coverage devices.
Monday.com— Wonderful for task administration, group partnership, and sales pipeline monitoring.
Bonsai— Specifically excellent for consultants and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel might work for some. But for me? It was a frustrating, costly experiment that I couldn’t wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the edge, wondering whether to make the leap– think hard. Ask yourself what’s actually not operating in your present setup. Don’t shed your systems down even if something newer and shinier turned up.
Stick to what jobs. Your peace of mind (and your clients) will certainly thank you.