You know that feeling when you’re 99% certain something’s a great concept, just to understand later on … it was an overall dumpster fire? That’s precisely what took place when I decided to change my entire agency over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It sounded revolutionary. But in reality? It developed into one of one of the most unpleasant software decisions I’ve made in over a years of running my company.
So before you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me walk you with exactly what decreased– because if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly seeking smarter, extra reliable ways to grow your organization. Simply … not such as this.
The Sexy All-in-One Guarantee
Right here’s the thing. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it sounded like a desire come to life. A single system to handle your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, visit reservations, automation, repayments– you name it.
If you’ve ever before handled a Frankenstein stack of devices simply to run your day-to-day, you know just how alluring the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I would certainly been utilizing Keap for years (and liking it, honestly), yet still– I got tempted in by the promise of streamlining every little thing under one roof covering.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I had a bad instance of shiny object syndrome.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That Really Worked)
Let me be real with you: Keap had not been broken. It did every little thing I needed. It managed my e-mail automations, sales funnels, appointment organizing, invoicing– you call it. Certain, the interface really felt a little outdated in position, and often things took a few more clicks than I suched as, but hey, it functioned.
So why adjustment?
Truthfully, I just began wondering if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was less costly (on the surface), used more features, and all the cool marketing professionals on-line appeared to be raving about it. FOMO is a hell of a medicine.
That interest price me more than simply money– it cost me time, power, and comfort.
What It Expense Me to Switch over
I went all in. Registered for the $297/month agency plan. Invest a solid 30 to 40 hours moving data, rebuilding workflows, and primarily attempting to replicate my whole Keap arrangement inside GoHighLevel.
Below’s what I needed to move:
- 20,000+ e-mail clients
- Lots of automations
- All customer profiles and notes
- Stripe billing integration
- Entire funnel framework
- Personalized forms, landing pages, activates … whatever
Let’s not also talk about the shed productivity throughout those couple of weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, viewing tutorials, and attempting to figure out where the hell standard setups were.
And simply when I believed points were working … they weren’t.
The Bugs Started Creeping In
Initially, everything looked okay. Yet after that, out of nowhere, individuals on my list began obtaining e-mails they weren’t expected to receive. I’m talking completely unimportant messages– sent in sets of 171 customers at a time. 3 days straight.
Total chaos.
I rebuilt the automations from the ground up. Still happened. I contacted support. They condemned “server concerns.” Yet absolutely nothing made sense, and the problem didn’t go away. Envision waking up every early morning questioning who your system might’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not simply irritating– it’s dangerous. When your entire brand name is built on trust fund, you can not manage to resemble an unaware amateur blasting the wrong e-mails to the wrong people.
Support? Yeah, All The Best
Currently, I do not anticipate excellence from any system. Bugs take place. However when they do? I anticipate the support group to step up fast.
That didn’t occur right here.
Feedbacks were obscure. Tickets went unanswered. I felt like I was screaming right into deep space while my service shed. On the other hand, every min I invested fixing was a minute I wasn’t serving clients or expanding my company.
For a tool that markets itself to major entrepreneurs, GoHighLevel certain really did not treat me like one.
The Interface Was a Hot Mess
You ever before utilize a tool and simply feel … shed? That was me inside GoHighLevel For Doctors.
The UX was cumbersome. Points were buried in weird locations. Even easy jobs like modifying a funnel or tweaking an email flow developed into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even get me began. Want to change product settings, web page formats, and overall circulation? Amazing– you’ll require to hunt with three various locations that make zero sensible sense. Half the time, I couldn’t also bear in mind where I ‘d clicked something ten secs previously.
It felt like making use of software program built by engineers, for engineers– not day-to-day local business owner.
The “Affordable” Plan That Obtained Real Costly, Genuine Fast
Let’s talk cash.
One of GoHighLevel’s big marketing points is the cost. I suggest, $97/month for all those features? Sounds outstanding, ideal?
However here’s what they do not inform you:.
You pay added per email if you use their SMTP.
You need to link services like Mailgun or Twilio and handle their payment independently.
You’ll obtain arbitrary microcharges that aren’t discussed clearly.
Want better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you as well.
By the time I added whatever up, I was paying more than I had been with Keap. And worsening outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s just negative math.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel For Doctors
The final straw? Watching my email open prices drop like a rock.
I would certainly been getting a solid 35% open rate with Keap. My target market was involved, my automations were dialed in, and things just functioned.
After switching to GoHighLevel? Opens went down listed below 15%. Clicks were almost missing. Something was clearly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability issue. Perhaps the system was simply sending out at hard times or not individualizing messages properly. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t lingering to play investigative while my list rotted.
Lessons I Learned by hand
If you’re thinking of switching over to GoHighLevel– or any new platform– here’s what I wish somebody had informed me before I made the jump:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Plaything
It’s very easy to get hyped concerning the current “cutting edge” device. But just because everyone’s discussing something doesn’t suggest it’s right for you. If your existing system is working, reconsider prior to blowing it up.
2. Value Simplicity Over Features
A lot more isn’t constantly much better. A system with a tidy, user-friendly interface will certainly save you time and migraines in the long run– even if it does not have every feature imaginable.
3. Need Openness
Covert costs are the worst. Choose devices that are in advance concerning pricing, integrations, and limitations. You should not need a calculator and a thesaurus to comprehend your monthly expense.
4. Listen to Actual Individuals (Not Simply Marketing Experts)
Examine impartial evaluations, individual online forums, and Reddit threads. Pay attention to real individual experience– not just glossy sales web pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Here Are Better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trustworthy, straightforward system to run your company, I’ve checked a bunch. Here are a couple of I ‘d really recommend:.
Keap— My current go-to. Effective automations, solid support, and it simply functions. Well worth every dime.
HubSpot— Great for services that require scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A strong all-in-one option for little to mid-sized businesses with strong coverage tools.
Monday.com— Superb for job monitoring, group partnership, and sales pipe monitoring.
Bonsai— Specifically great for consultants and service-based solopreneurs.
Verdict
GoHighLevel may help some. However, for me? It was a frustrating, expensive experiment that I couldn’t wait to end.
So if you’re standing at the edge, wondering whether to make the leap– think hard. Ask on your own what’s really not working in your present arrangement. Don’t melt your systems down even if something newer and shinier showed up.
Stick with what jobs. Your sanity (and your customers) will certainly thanks.