You know that feeling when you’re 99% certain something’s a great concept, only to understand later on … it was a total dumpster fire? That’s precisely what occurred when I made a decision to switch my whole firm over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It sounded revolutionary. However in reality? It turned into one of the most agonizing software decisions I’ve made in over a years of running my service.
So before you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me walk you with specifically what went down– because if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly trying to find smarter, extra reliable means to expand your company. Just … not similar to this.
The Seductive All-in-One Guarantee
Here’s the thing. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it sounded like a desire become a reality. A single system to manage your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, visit reservations, automation, repayments– you call it.
If you’ve ever handled a Monster stack of tools simply to run your everyday, you know how alluring the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been utilizing Keap for years (and enjoying it, truthfully), but still– I obtained tempted in by the promise of simplifying everything under one roof.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a bad case of shiny item disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That Really Worked)
Let me be real with you: Keap wasn’t damaged. It did everything I required. It managed my e-mail automations, sales funnels, visit scheduling, invoicing– you name it. Certain, the interface really felt a little outdated in position, and in some cases things took a couple of even more clicks than I suched as, but hey, it functioned.
So why modification?
Honestly, I just started asking yourself if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was more affordable (on the surface), used a lot more features, and all the awesome marketing experts online seemed to be raving about it. FOMO is a heck of a medicine.
That curiosity cost me more than simply money– it cost me time, energy, and assurance.
What It Cost Me to Switch over
I went done in. Enrolled in the $297/month agency plan. Spent a solid 30 to 40 hours migrating information, restoring workflows, and essentially trying to reproduce my entire Keap setup inside GoHighLevel.
Below’s what I had to move:
- 20,000+ e-mail customers
- Dozens of automations
- All customer accounts and notes
- Stripe invoicing integration
- Entire funnel infrastructure
- Personalized kinds, landing pages, triggers … everything
Allow’s not also discuss the lost efficiency throughout those couple of weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, viewing tutorials, and attempting to find out where the heck standard settings were.
And just when I believed points were working … they weren’t.
The Bugs Began Slipping In
In the beginning, everything looked alright. However then, out of nowhere, individuals on my checklist began getting emails they weren’t expected to obtain. I’m speaking completely irrelevant messages– sent out in sets of 171 individuals each time. Three days in a row.
Total turmoil.
I restore the automations from the ground up. Still occurred. I spoke to support. They condemned “web server problems.” Yet nothing made good sense, and the issue really did not go away. Imagine awakening every early morning wondering who your system might’ve spammed over night.
That’s not simply irritating– it’s dangerous. When your whole brand is built on trust fund, you can’t manage to look like an unaware amateur blasting the incorrect emails to the incorrect individuals.
Support? Yeah, Good Luck
Currently, I do not anticipate perfection from any type of system. Insects happen. Yet when they do? I expect the support team to step up quick.
That didn’t occur here.
Feedbacks were vague. Tickets went unanswered. I felt like I was yelling into the void while my company melted. On the other hand, every min I invested repairing was a min I wasn’t serving clients or growing my firm.
For a tool that markets itself to severe business owners, GoHighLevel certain didn’t treat me like one.
The Interface Was a Hot Mess
You ever before use a tool and just really feel … shed? That was me inside GoHighLevel General Atlantic.
The UX was clunky. Things were buried in strange places. Also basic jobs like editing and enhancing a funnel or tweaking an e-mail flow turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me began. Wish to alter item setups, page layouts, and general circulation? Trendy– you’ll need to quest through three different locations that make absolutely no rational feeling. Fifty percent the time, I could not also keep in mind where I would certainly clicked something 10 seconds earlier.
It seemed like using software program constructed by designers, for designers– not daily company owner.
The “Inexpensive” Plan That Obtained Genuine Expensive, Genuine Fast
Let’s speak cash.
One of GoHighLevel’s large selling points is the cost. I imply, $97/month for all those features? Appears outstanding, right?
Yet right here’s what they don’t inform you:.
You pay extra per email if you use their SMTP.
You have to connect services like Mailgun or Twilio and handle their billing individually.
You’ll obtain random microcharges that aren’t described clearly.
Desire much better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you too.
By the time I added everything up, I was paying greater than I had been with Keap. And worsening outcomes.
That’s not a bargain– it’s just bad math.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel General Atlantic
The final straw? Watching my email open rates drop like a rock.
I would certainly been getting a strong 35% open rate with Keap. My audience was engaged, my automations were called in, and points just functioned.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens went down listed below 15%. Clicks were practically missing. Something was plainly off.
Perhaps it was a deliverability concern. Perhaps the system was simply sending at hard times or not personalizing messages correctly. Whatever the cause, I had not been remaining to play detective while my checklist deteriorated.
Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
If you’re thinking of switching to GoHighLevel– or any kind of new system– here’s what I want someone had actually informed me prior to I made the jump:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Plaything
It’s very easy to obtain hyped concerning the current “cutting edge” tool. However just because everyone’s discussing something does not indicate it’s right for you. If your present system is working, hesitate before blowing it up.
2. Worth Simplicity Over Features
A lot more isn’t constantly much better. A system with a clean, intuitive user interface will certainly save you time and headaches in the future– even if it doesn’t have every feature under the sun.
3. Need Transparency
Covert prices are the worst. Pick devices that are ahead of time concerning pricing, integrations, and limits. You shouldn’t require a calculator and a synonym replacement tool to understand your regular monthly expense.
4. Listen to Genuine Users (Not Just Marketers)
Inspect objective reviews, user online forums, and Reddit threads. Take notice of actual customer experience– not simply glossy sales web pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Below Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trusted, straightforward system to run your organization, I’ve checked a number. Below are a few I ‘d really recommend:.
Keap— My current go-to. Effective automations, solid support, and it just functions. Well worth every cent.
HubSpot— Great for services that require scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one solution for small to mid-sized companies with solid coverage devices.
Monday.com— Superb for project management, group partnership, and sales pipeline monitoring.
Bonsai— Specifically excellent for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel may help some. But for me? It was a frustrating, costly experiment that I could not wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the edge, wondering whether to make the leap– concentrate. Ask yourself what’s actually not operating in your existing configuration. Don’t burn your systems down even if something more recent and shinier appeared.
Stick with what works. Your sanity (and your clients) will thank you.