You understand that feeling when you’re 99% certain something’s a fantastic idea, just to understand later … it was a total dumpster fire? That’s exactly what took place when I determined to change my whole agency over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It seemed revolutionary. But in truth? It turned into among the most painful software application choices I’ve made in over a decade of running my business.
So prior to you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you with specifically what dropped– due to the fact that if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly trying to find smarter, more reliable methods to grow your organization. Just … not similar to this.
The Seductive All-in-One Pledge
Right here’s things. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it seemed like a desire come true. A single system to handle your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, appointment reservations, automation, payments– you name it.
If you have actually ever handled a Monster pile of tools simply to run your day-to-day, you recognize just how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I would certainly been using Keap for many years (and loving it, truthfully), however still– I obtained drawn in by the assurance of simplifying every little thing under one roof.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a bad instance of shiny things disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Device That In Fact Functioned)
Let me be actual with you: Keap wasn’t broken. It did every little thing I required. It managed my e-mail automations, sales funnels, appointment organizing, invoicing– you call it. Certain, the interface really felt a little dated in position, and often things took a few even more clicks than I liked, but hey, it worked.
So why change?
Honestly, I simply began questioning if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was more affordable (externally), provided a lot more features, and all the cool online marketers on-line seemed to be raving regarding it. FOMO is a hell of a medicine.
That curiosity expense me more than just money– it cost me time, power, and satisfaction.
What It Price Me to Change
I went done in. Enrolled in the $297/month agency plan. Invest a strong 30 to 40 hours migrating data, restoring workflows, and essentially trying to replicate my entire Keap arrangement inside GoHighLevel.
Right here’s what I had to relocate:
- 20,000+ email clients
- Lots of automations
- All client accounts and notes
- Stripe billing integration
- Entire funnel infrastructure
- Customized kinds, landing pages, activates … whatever
Let’s not also discuss the shed performance during those few weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, enjoying tutorials, and trying to find out where the hell fundamental setups were.
And just when I assumed points were functioning … they weren’t.
The Bugs Began Slipping In
At first, whatever looked all right. However then, out of nowhere, people on my list began obtaining e-mails they weren’t meant to get. I’m speaking entirely unimportant messages– sent in batches of 171 customers at once. 3 days in a row.
Complete chaos.
I restore the automations from scratch. Still taken place. I contacted support. They condemned “server issues.” However absolutely nothing made sense, and the problem really did not vanish. Think of awakening every morning questioning who your system might’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not just frustrating– it’s dangerous. When your whole brand name is built on depend on, you can not manage to resemble a clueless amateur blasting the wrong e-mails to the wrong people.
Assistance? Yeah, Good Luck
Currently, I do not expect perfection from any platform. Pests occur. Yet when they do? I expect the assistance team to step up quickly.
That really did not occur here.
Reactions were obscure. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was shouting right into the void while my service melted. At the same time, every minute I spent repairing was a minute I had not been serving customers or expanding my company.
For a device that markets itself to major business owners, GoHighLevel sure really did not treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Hot Mess
You ever before utilize a device and simply feel … shed? That was me inside GoHighLevel Community Feature.
The UX was confusing. Points were hidden in odd places. Even straightforward tasks like editing a funnel or tweaking an email circulation became a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Do not also obtain me started. Wish to change item settings, web page designs, and total circulation? Cool– you’ll require to hunt with 3 different locations that make absolutely no rational sense. Half the moment, I could not even bear in mind where I would certainly clicked something 10 seconds previously.
It seemed like utilizing software application built by engineers, for engineers– not daily local business owner.
The “Economical” Plan That Obtained Actual Expensive, Real Quick
Let’s talk money.
One of GoHighLevel’s big selling points is the cost. I mean, $97/month for all those features? Sounds remarkable, best?
But here’s what they don’t tell you:.
You pay extra per email if you utilize their SMTP.
You have to attach solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and handle their payment individually.
You’ll obtain arbitrary microcharges that aren’t explained clearly.
Want much better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I added whatever up, I was paying greater than I had actually been with Keap. And getting worse outcomes.
That’s not a bargain– it’s just negative mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Community Feature
The last straw? Watching my e-mail open rates drop like a rock.
I ‘d been getting a strong 35% open rate with Keap. My audience was involved, my automations were called in, and things just worked.
After switching over to GoHighLevel? Opens went down listed below 15%. Clicks were practically nonexistent. Something was plainly off.
Perhaps it was a deliverability problem. Possibly the system was just sending out at hard times or not customizing messages properly. Whatever the cause, I had not been remaining to play detective while my listing deteriorated.
Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
If you’re thinking about switching over to GoHighLevel– or any new platform– right here’s what I want somebody had informed me before I made the jump:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Plaything
It’s very easy to obtain hyped regarding the most recent “revolutionary” tool. However even if every person’s speaking about something does not indicate it’s right for you. If your present system is functioning, think twice before blowing it up.
2. Worth Simplicity Over Features
Extra isn’t always much better. A system with a tidy, intuitive interface will certainly conserve you time and headaches in the long run– even if it doesn’t have every feature under the sun.
3. Need Openness
Hidden prices are the most awful. Pick devices that are ahead of time about pricing, integrations, and restrictions. You should not need a calculator and a thesaurus to recognize your month-to-month expense.
4. Pay Attention to Genuine Customers (Not Just Marketers)
Check impartial testimonials, user online forums, and Reddit strings. Pay attention to actual customer experience– not just glossy sales pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Here Are Better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a dependable, easy to use system to run your service, I have actually checked a lot. Below are a couple of I ‘d actually suggest:.
Keap— My current go-to. Effective automations, strong assistance, and it just functions. Well worth every penny.
HubSpot— Great for services that need scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A strong all-in-one solution for little to mid-sized organizations with strong coverage tools.
Monday.com— Amazing for task administration, team collaboration, and sales pipe tracking.
Bonsai— Especially fantastic for consultants and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel might help some. But for me? It was a frustrating, costly experiment that I couldn’t wait to end.
So if you’re standing at the side, questioning whether to make the jump– think hard. Ask yourself what’s truly not working in your current configuration. Don’t melt your systems down even if something more recent and shinier turned up.
Stick to what works. Your sanity (and your customers) will certainly thanks.