You understand that feeling when you’re 99% certain something’s a fantastic concept, only to understand later … it was an overall dumpster fire? That’s exactly what happened when I made a decision to change my entire agency over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It sounded revolutionary. But in truth? It developed into among the most agonizing software decisions I have actually made in over a years of running my business.
So before you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you through exactly what dropped– because if you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for smarter, extra reliable methods to expand your organization. Simply … not similar to this.
The Sexy All-in-One Promise
Right here’s things. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it sounded like a desire come true. A solitary system to manage your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, visit bookings, automation, repayments– you name it.
If you’ve ever before juggled a Monster pile of tools just 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 years (and enjoying it, honestly), however still– I obtained tempted in by the promise of streamlining whatever under one roof covering.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a bad situation of glossy object syndrome.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That Really Functioned)
Let me be genuine with you: Keap had not been broken. It did everything I required. It managed my email automations, sales funnels, visit organizing, invoicing– you call it. Sure, the user interface really felt a little dated in places, and sometimes points took a few even more clicks than I suched as, but hey, it worked.
So why adjustment?
Honestly, I simply began questioning if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was more affordable (on the surface), provided more features, and all the cool marketing experts on the internet seemed to be going crazy about it. FOMO is a hell of a drug.
That interest cost me more than simply cash– it cost me time, power, and comfort.
What It Price Me to Change
I went done in. Registered for the $297/month agency plan. Invest a solid 30 to 40 hours moving information, rebuilding workflows, and basically trying to reproduce my whole Keap setup inside GoHighLevel.
Below’s what I needed to relocate:
- 20,000+ e-mail customers
- Dozens of automations
- All customer accounts and notes
- Stripe billing integration
- Whole funnel framework
- Customized types, landing pages, causes … whatever
Allow’s not also discuss the lost performance during those few weeks. I depended on my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, watching tutorials, and trying to find out where the hell fundamental settings were.
And simply when I thought points were working … they weren’t.
The Vermin Started Creeping In
Initially, every little thing looked okay. Yet after that, out of no place, people on my list started obtaining e-mails they weren’t meant to get. I’m chatting entirely unimportant messages– sent out in batches of 171 users at a time. Three days in a row.
Complete disorder.
I reconstruct the automations from square one. Still occurred. I got in touch with assistance. They criticized “web server problems.” However nothing made sense, and the problem didn’t go away. Think of awakening every early morning questioning who your system might’ve spammed over night.
That’s not just annoying– it threatens. When your whole brand is improved trust, you can not pay for to appear like an unaware amateur blasting the wrong emails to the wrong people.
Support? Yeah, Best Of Luck
Now, I do not expect perfection from any platform. Insects happen. However when they do? I expect the support team to step up quickly.
That didn’t take place right here.
Responses were obscure. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was yelling right into the void while my service melted. Meanwhile, every min I spent fixing was a min I had not been serving clients or growing my company.
For a device that markets itself to major entrepreneurs, GoHighLevel certain didn’t treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever before use a tool and just feel … lost? That was me inside GoHighLevel Client Portal.
The UX was cumbersome. Things were buried in odd locations. Even easy jobs like editing a funnel or tweaking an e-mail flow turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t also get me started. Wish to transform product settings, page designs, and overall flow? Great– you’ll require to search via 3 various locations that make no rational feeling. Half the time, I could not also keep in mind where I ‘d clicked something 10 seconds earlier.
It felt like utilizing software application constructed by designers, for designers– not everyday entrepreneur.
The “Cost effective” Plan That Got Actual Expensive, Real Fast
Let’s chat money.
Among GoHighLevel’s large selling points is the rate. I mean, $97/month for all those features? Appears amazing, appropriate?
But below’s what they don’t inform you:.
You pay extra per email if you use their SMTP.
You need to link solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and handle their invoicing independently.
You’ll get random microcharges that aren’t explained clearly.
Want much better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I included whatever up, I was paying greater than I had been with Keap. And becoming worse results.
That’s not a bargain– it’s just negative mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Client Portal
The final straw? Viewing my email open prices drop like a rock.
I would certainly been obtaining a strong 35% open price with Keap. My target market was involved, my automations were dialed in, and points just worked.
After switching to GoHighLevel? Opens went down listed below 15%. Clicks were virtually nonexistent. Something was plainly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability problem. Perhaps the system was just sending at hard times or not individualizing messages correctly. Whatever the cause, I had not been sticking around to play detective while my listing decomposed.
Lessons I Discovered by hand
If you’re considering switching to GoHighLevel– or any brand-new system– below’s what I wish a person had told me before I made the jump:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s very easy to get hyped concerning the current “cutting edge” tool. Yet just because everybody’s speaking about something doesn’t indicate it’s right for you. If your present system is functioning, reconsider prior to blowing it up.
2. Worth Simpleness Over Features
Much more isn’t constantly much better. A platform with a tidy, intuitive user interface will certainly conserve you time and frustrations in the long run– even if it does not have every feature imaginable.
3. Need Openness
Concealed costs are the most awful. Select tools that are upfront about pricing, integrations, and limitations. You should not require a calculator and a synonym replacement tool to comprehend your monthly bill.
4. Pay Attention to Real Users (Not Just Marketing Experts)
Examine impartial reviews, customer discussion forums, and Reddit strings. Pay attention to real customer experience– not simply slick sales web pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Right Here Are Better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a dependable, easy to use platform to run your service, I have actually checked a number. Here are a few I ‘d really advise:.
Keap— My current go-to. Powerful automations, solid support, and it just functions. Worth every dime.
HubSpot— Great for organizations that need scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one remedy for little to mid-sized services with solid reporting devices.
Monday.com— Great for task administration, group cooperation, and sales pipe tracking.
Bonsai— Particularly terrific for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel may benefit some. But for me? It was a frustrating, expensive experiment that I couldn’t wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the edge, asking yourself whether to make the leap– think hard. Ask yourself what’s truly not operating in your existing setup. Don’t shed your systems down even if something newer and shinier showed up.
Stick with what jobs. Your sanity (and your clients) will certainly thanks.