You recognize that feeling when you’re 99% certain something’s a great concept, only to recognize later on … it was a complete dumpster fire? That’s exactly what happened when I determined to change my whole company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It seemed revolutionary. Yet actually? It became one of the most excruciating software program choices I have actually made in over a decade of running my company.
So before you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me walk you via precisely what went down– because if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly searching for smarter, more effective means to grow your organization. Just … not similar to this.
The Sexy All-in-One Guarantee
Below’s the thing. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it seemed like a dream happened. A solitary platform to handle your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, visit reservations, automation, payments– you name it.
If you have actually ever before juggled a Monster pile of tools just to run your daily, you understand exactly how appealing the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been making use of Keap for years (and loving it, truthfully), but still– I got tempted in by the promise of streamlining whatever under one roof.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I had a negative situation of glossy object syndrome.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That Actually Worked)
Let me be actual with you: Keap had not been damaged. It did every little thing I required. It handled my email automations, sales funnels, visit organizing, invoicing– you name it. Certain, the user interface really felt a little outdated in places, and sometimes points took a couple of more clicks than I suched as, yet hey, it worked.
So why modification?
Truthfully, I just started asking yourself if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was less costly (externally), provided extra features, and all the cool marketers on-line appeared to be raving regarding it. FOMO is a hell of a drug.
That inquisitiveness cost me greater than just money– it cost me time, power, and satisfaction.
What It Price Me to Switch
I went done in. Enrolled in the $297/month agency plan. Invest a solid 30 to 40 hours moving data, restoring workflows, and primarily trying to replicate my entire Keap configuration inside GoHighLevel.
Below’s what I had to move:
- 20,000+ e-mail customers
- Lots of automations
- All customer accounts and notes
- Stripe payment integration
- Entire funnel framework
- Personalized kinds, landing pages, sets off … whatever
Let’s not even talk about the lost productivity during those few weeks. I depended on my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, seeing tutorials, and attempting to find out where the heck basic settings were.
And simply when I believed things were working … they weren’t.
The Bugs Started Slipping In
Initially, every little thing looked fine. Yet after that, out of no place, people on my listing started getting e-mails they weren’t expected to obtain. I’m talking entirely unimportant messages– sent in sets of 171 customers at a time. 3 days in a row.
Total disorder.
I reconstruct the automations from the ground up. Still taken place. I called assistance. They blamed “web server concerns.” Yet nothing made good sense, and the trouble really did not vanish. Visualize getting up every early morning wondering who your system might’ve spammed over night.
That’s not simply irritating– it threatens. When your entire brand name is improved depend on, you can’t manage to appear like a clueless amateur blasting the wrong e-mails to the wrong individuals.
Support? Yeah, Good Luck
Now, I do not expect excellence from any kind of system. Bugs occur. Yet when they do? I anticipate the support group to step up quick.
That didn’t happen here.
Responses were vague. Tickets went unanswered. I felt like I was yelling into deep space while my organization melted. On the other hand, every min I spent fixing was a min I had not been serving customers or growing my agency.
For a device that markets itself to severe business owners, GoHighLevel sure didn’t treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever make use of a tool and just feel … shed? That was me inside GoHighLevel Mastery.
The UX was cumbersome. Points were buried in weird places. Also basic jobs like editing and enhancing a funnel or tweaking an email flow turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Do not even obtain me began. Want to transform item settings, web page layouts, and total flow? Awesome– you’ll need to search through three different locations that make no rational sense. Half the time, I could not even keep in mind where I would certainly clicked something ten seconds previously.
It seemed like making use of software program built by engineers, for designers– not daily entrepreneur.
The “Economical” Plan That Obtained Real Costly, Actual Quick
Let’s speak money.
Among GoHighLevel’s large marketing points is the cost. I suggest, $97/month for all those features? Appears impressive, best?
But here’s what they don’t tell you:.
You pay added per e-mail if you utilize their SMTP.
You have to connect services like Mailgun or Twilio and handle their billing individually.
You’ll get random microcharges that aren’t described plainly.
Desire far better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you as well.
By the time I included every little thing up, I was paying greater than I had actually been with Keap. And getting worse results.
That’s not a good deal– it’s just poor mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Mastery
The final straw? Viewing my e-mail open rates go down like a rock.
I would certainly been getting a solid 35% open price with Keap. My audience was engaged, my automations were called in, and things just worked.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped below 15%. Clicks were almost missing. Something was plainly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability issue. Maybe the system was simply sending at bad times or not customizing messages appropriately. Whatever the cause, I wasn’t sticking around to play investigator while my checklist decayed.
Lessons I Found Out the Hard Way
If you’re thinking about switching to GoHighLevel– or any new system– below’s what I wish somebody had actually told me prior to I made the jump:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s simple to obtain hyped about the most recent “cutting edge” device. However just because everybody’s discussing something doesn’t suggest it’s right for you. If your existing system is working, reconsider before blowing it up.
2. Value Simplicity Over Features
A lot more isn’t constantly far better. A system with a tidy, intuitive user interface will certainly conserve you time and frustrations in the long run– even if it does not have every feature under the sun.
3. Need Transparency
Concealed expenses are the worst. Pick tools that are ahead of time regarding pricing, integrations, and limits. You should not need a calculator and a thesaurus to comprehend your month-to-month costs.
4. Listen to Real Customers (Not Simply Marketers)
Examine impartial testimonials, individual forums, and Reddit threads. Pay attention to actual user experience– not just glossy sales pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Here Are Better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trustworthy, easy to use platform to run your company, I’ve tested a lot. Below are a few I ‘d in fact advise:.
Keap— My current go-to. Effective automations, strong assistance, and it just functions. Worth every cent.
HubSpot— Great for businesses that need scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one service for little to mid-sized services with solid coverage tools.
Monday.com— Fantastic for task administration, team collaboration, and sales pipeline tracking.
Bonsai— Particularly fantastic for consultants and service-based solopreneurs.
Final Thought
GoHighLevel might work for some. But also for me? It was a discouraging, costly experiment that I could not wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the side, asking yourself whether to make the jump– think hard. Ask on your own what’s really not working in your current arrangement. Do not melt your systems down even if something more recent and shinier appeared.
Stick with what works. Your peace of mind (and your customers) will certainly thank you.