You understand that feeling when you’re 99% sure something’s a great concept, only to understand later on … it was a complete dumpster fire? That’s exactly what happened when I made a decision to switch my entire agency over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It seemed revolutionary. However actually? It developed into among one of the most excruciating software program decisions I have actually made in over a years of running my service.
So prior to you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me walk you through specifically what dropped– since if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly looking for smarter, more reliable methods to grow your service. Simply … not such as this.
The Sexy All-in-One Guarantee
Below’s things. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it seemed like a dream become a reality. A solitary system to handle your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, appointment bookings, automation, repayments– you name it.
If you have actually ever before juggled a Frankenstein stack of tools just to run your everyday, you know just how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been utilizing Keap for several years (and liking it, truthfully), yet still– I got tempted in by the pledge of simplifying everything under one roofing.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I had a negative instance of glossy object disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That Really Functioned)
Let me be genuine with you: Keap had not been damaged. It did whatever I needed. It managed my email automations, sales funnels, consultation organizing, invoicing– you call it. Sure, the interface felt a little outdated in places, and occasionally things took a couple of more clicks than I suched as, however hey, it functioned.
So why adjustment?
Truthfully, I simply began asking yourself if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was cheaper (on the surface), offered more features, and all the amazing marketing experts on the internet seemed to be raving concerning it. FOMO is a hell of a medicine.
That curiosity price me greater than just cash– it cost me time, power, and assurance.
What It Price Me to Switch over
I went all in. Signed up for the $297/month agency plan. Spent a solid 30 to 40 hours migrating information, reconstructing workflows, and essentially attempting to reproduce my entire Keap setup inside GoHighLevel.
Below’s what I needed to relocate:
- 20,000+ email clients
- Dozens of automations
- All client profiles and notes
- Stripe payment integration
- Whole funnel framework
- Custom forms, landing pages, sets off … everything
Allow’s not even discuss the shed performance throughout those couple of weeks. I depended on my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, seeing tutorials, and trying to identify where the heck standard setups were.
And simply when I assumed points were functioning … they weren’t.
The Bugs Started Creeping In
In the beginning, every little thing looked fine. But then, out of no place, people on my checklist started getting emails they weren’t supposed to receive. I’m chatting completely irrelevant messages– sent out in sets of 171 customers at once. 3 days in a row.
Complete mayhem.
I restore the automations from square one. Still occurred. I contacted assistance. They condemned “server issues.” But absolutely nothing made good sense, and the issue really did not vanish. Imagine awakening every early morning questioning who your system could’ve spammed over night.
That’s not simply irritating– it threatens. When your whole brand is improved trust fund, you can not manage to resemble an unaware amateur blasting the incorrect e-mails to the incorrect people.
Support? Yeah, Good Luck
Currently, I don’t anticipate perfection from any kind of platform. Pests happen. Yet when they do? I anticipate the assistance team to step up quickly.
That really did not take place below.
Responses were obscure. Tickets went unanswered. I felt like I was shouting into the void while my business burned. Meanwhile, every min I spent troubleshooting was a min I wasn’t serving clients or expanding my agency.
For a device that markets itself to significant business owners, GoHighLevel certain didn’t treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever use a tool and simply feel … shed? That was me inside GoHighLevel For Dentists.
The UX was confusing. Things were hidden in odd places. Also basic tasks like editing and enhancing a funnel or tweaking an email circulation became a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me started. Intend to alter item settings, page designs, and general flow? Trendy– you’ll need to search through 3 different locations that make no sensible sense. Half the moment, I couldn’t also keep in mind where I would certainly clicked something 10 seconds earlier.
It felt like utilizing software application built by designers, for engineers– not everyday business owners.
The “Budget friendly” Plan That Obtained Real Pricey, Actual Rapid
Let’s chat cash.
One of GoHighLevel’s large marketing factors is the cost. I indicate, $97/month for all those features? Appears impressive, ideal?
However right here’s what they do not tell you:.
You pay additional per email if you utilize their SMTP.
You have to connect services like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their billing separately.
You’ll obtain arbitrary microcharges that aren’t explained plainly.
Desire better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I included every little thing up, I was paying greater than I had been with Keap. And getting worse outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s simply poor math.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel For Dentists
The final straw? Watching my email open rates go down like a rock.
I ‘d been obtaining a solid 35% open price with Keap. My target market was involved, my automations were called in, and things simply worked.
After switching over to GoHighLevel? Opens went down listed below 15%. Clicks were virtually missing. Something was plainly off.
Perhaps it was a deliverability issue. Perhaps the system was just sending at hard times or otherwise personalizing messages appropriately. Whatever the cause, I had not been sticking around to play detective while my list decayed.
Lessons I Discovered by hand
If you’re thinking of switching over to GoHighLevel– or any kind of brand-new system– right here’s what I desire a person had informed me before I made the jump:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s simple to obtain hyped concerning the most recent “innovative” device. But just because everybody’s speaking about something doesn’t indicate it’s right for you. If your current system is functioning, hesitate prior to blowing it up.
2. Worth Simpleness Over Features
Extra isn’t always far better. A system with a clean, instinctive interface will save you time and migraines in the long run– even if it does not have every feature under the sun.
3. Need Openness
Surprise expenses are the worst. Pick devices that are in advance concerning pricing, integrations, and limits. You should not need a calculator and a thesaurus to recognize your month-to-month bill.
4. Listen to Real Customers (Not Just Marketing Experts)
Examine unbiased evaluations, customer forums, and Reddit threads. Focus on real customer experience– not simply glossy sales pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Right Here Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trustworthy, easy to use platform to run your service, I have actually checked a number. Here are a couple of I ‘d in fact advise:.
Keap— My existing go-to. Effective automations, strong support, and it just functions. Well worth every dime.
HubSpot— Great for companies that require scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one service for little to mid-sized organizations with solid reporting tools.
Monday.com— Superb for task management, team partnership, and sales pipeline tracking.
Bonsai— Particularly terrific for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel might work for some. But also for me? It was an aggravating, expensive experiment that I could not wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the side, wondering whether to make the jump– think hard. Ask on your own what’s really not operating in your existing configuration. Don’t shed your systems down just because something newer and shinier appeared.
Stick to what jobs. Your sanity (and your customers) will certainly thank you.