You recognize that sensation when you’re 99% sure something’s an excellent idea, just to recognize later on … it was a total dumpster fire? That’s exactly what happened when I chose to switch my whole firm over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It sounded revolutionary. However in reality? It developed into among the most agonizing software application decisions I’ve made in over a years of running my business.
So before you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you with exactly what decreased– since if you’re anything like me, you’re always searching for smarter, extra effective methods to expand your business. Simply … not such as this.
The Sexy All-in-One Pledge
Below’s things. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it seemed like a dream come true. A single system to handle your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, visit reservations, automation, settlements– you call it.
If you have actually ever handled a Monster stack of devices simply to run your day-to-day, you recognize exactly how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been using Keap for years (and liking it, honestly), however still– I obtained enticed in by the guarantee of simplifying every little thing under one roofing system.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a bad case of shiny things syndrome.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That Really Worked)
Let me be actual with you: Keap wasn’t broken. It did every little thing I required. It managed my email automations, sales funnels, visit organizing, invoicing– you call it. Certain, the interface really felt a little dated in position, and occasionally points took a couple of even more clicks than I liked, yet hey, it functioned.
So why modification?
Honestly, I just began asking yourself if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was cheaper (on the surface), supplied a lot more features, and all the trendy marketers online seemed to be raving regarding it. FOMO is a heck of a medication.
That curiosity cost me more than just cash– it cost me time, power, and assurance.
What It Cost Me to Switch over
I went done in. Signed up for the $297/month agency plan. Spent a strong 30 to 40 hours moving data, restoring workflows, and generally trying to replicate my entire Keap arrangement inside GoHighLevel.
Right here’s what I had to move:
- 20,000+ email customers
- Dozens of automations
- All client profiles and notes
- Stripe invoicing integration
- Entire funnel infrastructure
- Customized kinds, landing pages, activates … whatever
Allow’s not even speak about the shed productivity throughout those couple of weeks. I depended on my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, enjoying tutorials, and trying to find out where the hell basic settings were.
And just when I thought things were functioning … they weren’t.
The Bugs Started Slipping In
At first, everything looked fine. Yet after that, out of no place, people on my list began getting emails they weren’t expected to obtain. I’m speaking entirely irrelevant messages– sent in sets of 171 customers each time. Three days in a row.
Complete disorder.
I reconstruct the automations from the ground up. Still occurred. I contacted support. They condemned “server concerns.” However nothing made good sense, and the trouble didn’t vanish. Picture waking up every early morning questioning who your system may’ve spammed over night.
That’s not just bothersome– it threatens. When your entire brand name is built on trust fund, you can not pay for to resemble an unaware amateur blowing up the wrong emails to the wrong people.
Assistance? Yeah, Best Of Luck
Now, I do not anticipate excellence from any kind of platform. Bugs take place. Yet when they do? I anticipate the assistance group to step up fast.
That didn’t occur right here.
Reactions were obscure. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was screaming into the void while my company melted. At the same time, every min I spent repairing was a min I wasn’t serving customers or expanding my agency.
For a tool that markets itself to severe entrepreneurs, GoHighLevel certain didn’t treat me like one.
The Interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever before make use of a tool and simply feel … lost? That was me inside GoHighLevel Playbooks.
The UX was cumbersome. Points were hidden in strange places. Even easy tasks like modifying a funnel or tweaking an e-mail flow turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even get me started. Intend to change product settings, web page formats, and general circulation? Great– you’ll need to hunt through three different areas that make zero sensible sense. Half the time, I could not also bear in mind where I would certainly clicked something ten seconds previously.
It felt like using software built by designers, for engineers– not daily local business owner.
The “Cost effective” Plan That Obtained Actual Pricey, Real Rapid
Let’s speak cash.
Among GoHighLevel’s huge marketing factors is the cost. I suggest, $97/month for all those features? Seems amazing, best?
However below’s what they do not inform you:.
You pay added per e-mail if you use their SMTP.
You need to link solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and handle their payment independently.
You’ll obtain arbitrary microcharges that aren’t clarified clearly.
Want far better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I added everything up, I was paying greater than I had been with Keap. And becoming worse outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s simply poor mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Playbooks
The last straw? Seeing my e-mail open rates drop like a rock.
I ‘d been getting a solid 35% open rate with Keap. My audience was involved, my automations were called in, and things just functioned.
After switching over to GoHighLevel? Opens went down listed below 15%. Clicks were almost nonexistent. Something was clearly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability concern. Possibly the system was simply sending out at hard times or otherwise individualizing messages correctly. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t remaining to play detective while my checklist decomposed.
Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
If you’re considering changing to GoHighLevel– or any kind of new platform– right here’s what I want a person had actually informed me before I made the jump:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Plaything
It’s very easy to obtain hyped concerning the most recent “advanced” tool. But even if everyone’s speaking about something does not mean it’s right for you. If your present system is working, hesitate before blowing it up.
2. Value Simpleness Over Features
More isn’t constantly much better. A platform with a clean, user-friendly user interface will save you time and migraines in the future– even if it doesn’t have every feature imaginable.
3. Demand Transparency
Concealed prices are the most awful. Pick tools that are upfront about pricing, integrations, and restrictions. You shouldn’t require a calculator and a thesaurus to understand your regular monthly expense.
4. Pay Attention to Actual Customers (Not Simply Online Marketers)
Inspect honest evaluations, user forums, and Reddit strings. Pay attention to actual individual experience– not simply glossy sales pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Right Here Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a reliable, user-friendly system to run your business, I’ve examined a bunch. Here are a few I ‘d actually recommend:.
Keap— My existing go-to. Powerful automations, solid assistance, and it simply works. Worth every dime.
HubSpot— Great for companies that require scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one option for tiny to mid-sized companies with strong reporting tools.
Monday.com— Great for job management, group partnership, and sales pipeline monitoring.
Bonsai— Particularly wonderful for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Final Thought
GoHighLevel may help some. But also for me? It was a frustrating, pricey experiment that I could not wait to end.
So if you’re standing at the edge, asking yourself whether to make the leap– concentrate. Ask on your own what’s truly not operating in your existing arrangement. Do not melt your systems down just because something newer and shinier turned up.
Stick to what jobs. Your sanity (and your customers) will thank you.