You understand that sensation when you’re 99% certain something’s a great idea, just to realize later … it was a complete dumpster fire? That’s exactly what occurred when I decided to switch my whole company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It appeared revolutionary. But in reality? It turned into among the most painful software choices I’ve made in over a decade of running my business.
So before you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me walk you with specifically what decreased– because if you’re anything like me, you’re always trying to find smarter, extra reliable means to grow your organization. Just … not like this.
The Sexy All-in-One Guarantee
Here’s the important things. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it sounded like a dream come to life. A solitary system to manage your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, appointment reservations, automation, payments– you name it.
If you have actually ever handled a Frankenstein pile of devices just to run your everyday, you know exactly how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I would certainly been utilizing Keap for years (and liking it, truthfully), yet still– I got drawn in by the promise of streamlining whatever under one roofing system.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I had a poor situation of glossy things disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Device That In Fact Functioned)
Let me be genuine with you: Keap wasn’t broken. It did whatever I required. It managed my email automations, sales funnels, appointment scheduling, invoicing– you call it. Certain, the interface really felt a little outdated in position, and often points took a few even more clicks than I suched as, yet hey, it functioned.
So why adjustment?
Truthfully, I simply began asking yourself if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was more affordable (externally), used a lot more features, and all the trendy marketing experts online seemed to be raving about it. FOMO is a hell of a medicine.
That interest expense me greater than simply money– it cost me time, power, and satisfaction.
What It Expense Me to Switch over
I went done in. Registered for the $297/month agency plan. Spent a strong 30 to 40 hours moving information, reconstructing workflows, and primarily attempting to reproduce my whole Keap configuration inside GoHighLevel.
Here’s what I needed to relocate:
- 20,000+ e-mail clients
- Dozens of automations
- All client profiles and notes
- Stripe billing integration
- Entire funnel framework
- Customized forms, landing pages, sets off … every little thing
Allow’s not even speak about the shed efficiency throughout those couple of weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, enjoying tutorials, and trying to identify where the heck fundamental setups were.
And simply when I believed points were functioning … they weren’t.
The Bugs Started Sneaking In
In the beginning, every little thing looked fine. Yet after that, out of nowhere, individuals on my checklist began obtaining emails they weren’t intended to receive. I’m chatting completely pointless messages– sent in batches of 171 users at a time. Three days in a row.
Complete chaos.
I reconstruct the automations from scratch. Still occurred. I got in touch with assistance. They condemned “web server concerns.” Yet absolutely nothing made good sense, and the trouble really did not vanish. Envision waking up every early morning wondering who your system could’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not simply bothersome– it threatens. When your whole brand name is built on trust, you can’t manage to resemble an unaware amateur blowing up the incorrect e-mails to the incorrect people.
Assistance? Yeah, Good Luck
Currently, I do not anticipate excellence from any type of platform. Bugs occur. Yet when they do? I anticipate the assistance group to step up quickly.
That didn’t occur right here.
Feedbacks were unclear. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was yelling into the void while my service shed. On the other hand, every minute I invested troubleshooting was a minute I wasn’t offering customers or growing my firm.
For a device that markets itself to major business owners, GoHighLevel certain really did not treat me like one.
The Interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever make use of a device and just really feel … lost? That was me inside GoHighLevel Funnels.
The UX was clunky. Points were buried in unusual areas. Even simple jobs like editing a funnel or tweaking an email circulation became a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even get me began. Intend to alter product setups, page layouts, and total flow? Amazing– you’ll require to search via three various areas that make no sensible sense. Half the time, I couldn’t also keep in mind where I would certainly clicked something 10 seconds earlier.
It seemed like using software application developed by engineers, for engineers– not everyday entrepreneur.
The “Economical” Plan That Got Real Pricey, Actual Quick
Let’s talk cash.
One of GoHighLevel’s huge selling points is the rate. I mean, $97/month for all those features? Appears fantastic, best?
However below’s what they do not inform you:.
You pay added per e-mail if you utilize their SMTP.
You have to link services like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their invoicing individually.
You’ll obtain random microcharges that aren’t clarified clearly.
Desire far better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you as well.
By the time I added whatever up, I was paying greater than I had been with Keap. And getting worse outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s simply bad mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Funnels
The last straw? Viewing my email open prices drop like a rock.
I would certainly been getting a strong 35% open price with Keap. My target market was engaged, my automations were dialed in, and things simply worked.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped below 15%. Clicks were practically missing. Something was clearly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability issue. Possibly the system was simply sending at bad times or not customizing messages correctly. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t lingering to play investigative while my list decayed.
Lessons I Found Out the Hard Way
If you’re thinking of switching to GoHighLevel– or any new platform– below’s what I want someone had actually told me prior to I made the leap:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s very easy to obtain hyped concerning the current “innovative” device. But just because everybody’s discussing something doesn’t mean it’s right for you. If your present system is functioning, reconsider prior to blowing it up.
2. Worth Simplicity Over Features
Much more isn’t always much better. A platform with a tidy, instinctive user interface will certainly conserve you time and migraines in the long run– even if it does not have every feature imaginable.
3. Need Openness
Surprise costs are the worst. Pick tools that are in advance concerning pricing, integrations, and limitations. You should not require a calculator and a synonym replacement tool to comprehend your regular monthly costs.
4. Listen to Real Individuals (Not Simply Marketing Experts)
Inspect honest testimonials, user forums, and Reddit threads. Take note of real customer experience– not just glossy sales pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Below Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trusted, easy to use platform to run your company, I have actually checked a lot. Right here are a couple of I ‘d really suggest:.
Keap— My existing go-to. Effective automations, strong assistance, and it just functions. Worth every penny.
HubSpot— Great for services that need scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one option for little to mid-sized businesses with strong reporting tools.
Monday.com— Wonderful for task monitoring, group collaboration, and sales pipeline tracking.
Bonsai— Particularly great for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Final Thought
GoHighLevel might help some. However, for me? It was a discouraging, expensive experiment that I could not wait to end.
So if you’re standing at the edge, questioning whether to make the jump– concentrate. Ask on your own what’s actually not operating in your existing configuration. Don’t burn your systems down just because something newer and shinier turned up.
Stick with what works. Your peace of mind (and your clients) will thanks.