You recognize that feeling when you’re 99% sure something’s an excellent idea, only to understand later on … it was a total dumpster fire? That’s precisely what occurred when I decided to change my entire company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It appeared revolutionary. However in reality? It developed into among the most agonizing software program choices I have actually made in over a decade of running my organization.
So prior to you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you through precisely what decreased– because if you’re anything like me, you’re always searching for smarter, much more effective ways to expand your company. Just … not such as this.
The Sexy All-in-One Promise
Below’s the important things. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it sounded like a desire happened. A solitary platform to manage your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, visit reservations, automation, settlements– you call it.
If you’ve ever before handled a Monster pile of devices just to run your daily, you know just how appealing the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I would certainly been utilizing Keap for several years (and loving it, honestly), yet still– I obtained lured in by the assurance of simplifying every little thing under one roof covering.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a poor situation of glossy object syndrome.
Why I Left Keap (A Device That In Fact Worked)
Let me be genuine with you: Keap wasn’t damaged. It did everything I needed. It managed my e-mail automations, sales funnels, consultation scheduling, invoicing– you name it. Sure, the user interface felt a little outdated in places, and occasionally points took a couple of even more clicks than I liked, but hey, it worked.
So why adjustment?
Truthfully, I simply started wondering if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was less costly (externally), supplied a lot more features, and all the amazing marketing experts online seemed to be raving concerning it. FOMO is a heck of a medication.
That interest price me greater than just money– it cost me time, energy, and peace of mind.
What It Cost Me to Switch
I went done in. Enrolled in the $297/month agency plan. Spent a solid 30 to 40 hours migrating information, restoring workflows, and primarily attempting to replicate my whole Keap setup inside GoHighLevel.
Here’s what I had to relocate:
- 20,000+ email clients
- Lots of automations
- All customer profiles and notes
- Stripe payment integration
- Whole funnel infrastructure
- Customized kinds, landing pages, sets off … whatever
Allow’s not also speak about the lost performance during those couple of weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, viewing tutorials, and attempting to find out where the heck fundamental setups were.
And simply when I believed points were working … they weren’t.
The Bugs Started Creeping In
Initially, everything looked okay. But then, out of no place, individuals on my list began getting emails they weren’t meant to get. I’m speaking completely pointless messages– sent in batches of 171 users at once. Three days in a row.
Complete turmoil.
I rebuilt the automations from scratch. Still occurred. I contacted assistance. They condemned “web server problems.” Yet absolutely nothing made sense, and the problem really did not vanish. Imagine awakening every early morning wondering who your system may’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not just irritating– it’s dangerous. When your entire brand name is improved depend on, you can not afford to resemble a clueless amateur blowing up the wrong emails to the incorrect individuals.
Assistance? Yeah, Good Luck
Now, I do not anticipate perfection from any type of system. Insects take place. However when they do? I anticipate the assistance team to step up quickly.
That didn’t occur here.
Feedbacks were vague. Tickets went unanswered. I felt like I was yelling into deep space while my business melted. On the other hand, every minute I spent troubleshooting was a min I wasn’t serving clients or growing my agency.
For a device that markets itself to significant entrepreneurs, GoHighLevel sure didn’t treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Hot Mess
You ever make use of a device and simply feel … lost? That was me inside GoHighLevel DocuSign.
The UX was confusing. Points were hidden in weird places. Also basic jobs like editing a funnel or tweaking an email flow turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even get me started. Intend to alter product settings, page layouts, and general flow? Great– you’ll need to hunt through three different areas that make no sensible feeling. Fifty percent the time, I couldn’t also remember where I would certainly clicked something ten seconds previously.
It felt like utilizing software program developed by designers, for designers– not everyday entrepreneur.
The “Affordable” Plan That Got Actual Costly, Real Rapid
Let’s speak cash.
One of GoHighLevel’s large marketing points is the cost. I indicate, $97/month for all those features? Seems incredible, right?
Yet below’s what they don’t tell you:.
You pay extra per email if you utilize their SMTP.
You have to connect services like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their billing separately.
You’ll get random microcharges that aren’t discussed clearly.
Want much better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I added every little thing up, I was paying more than I had actually been with Keap. And becoming worse results.
That’s not a good deal– it’s just poor math.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel DocuSign
The last straw? Watching my email open rates go down like a rock.
I ‘d been obtaining a strong 35% open rate with Keap. My audience was involved, my automations were dialed in, and things simply worked.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens went down below 15%. Clicks were practically nonexistent. Something was plainly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability concern. Perhaps the system was just sending out at hard times or otherwise personalizing messages appropriately. Whatever the reason, I had not been remaining to play investigative while my checklist deteriorated.
Lessons I Discovered by hand
If you’re thinking of changing to GoHighLevel– or any brand-new platform– here’s what I want a person had actually told me before I made the jump:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s easy to obtain hyped regarding the current “cutting edge” device. But just because everyone’s speaking about something does not suggest it’s right for you. If your current system is working, think twice prior to blowing it up.
2. Worth Simpleness Over Features
Extra isn’t constantly better. A system with a clean, user-friendly user interface will save you time and headaches in the future– even if it doesn’t have every feature under the sun.
3. Need Openness
Surprise costs are the worst. Pick devices that are upfront concerning pricing, integrations, and restrictions. You shouldn’t need a calculator and a thesaurus to comprehend your regular monthly expense.
4. Listen to Real Individuals (Not Just Online Marketers)
Inspect objective testimonials, customer online forums, and Reddit threads. Pay attention to actual individual experience– not simply slick sales web pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Right Here Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trustworthy, easy to use system to run your organization, I’ve tested a number. Right here are a few I ‘d in fact suggest:.
Keap— My existing go-to. Effective automations, strong assistance, and it just functions. Worth every dime.
HubSpot— Great for businesses that need scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one option for tiny to mid-sized services with solid reporting tools.
Monday.com— Superb for task monitoring, team cooperation, and sales pipeline tracking.
Bonsai— Specifically terrific for consultants and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel might work for some. But for me? It was an irritating, expensive 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 on your own what’s actually not operating in your existing configuration. Do not burn your systems down even if something more recent and shinier showed up.
Stick to what works. Your peace of mind (and your customers) will thanks.