So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you’ve seen the glowing testimonials. Become aware of the all-in-one magic. Review how it might replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (type of) GoHighLevel Call Transcriptions.
I get it. The guarantee is tempting: one effective control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of streamlining every little thing under one roof sounds like a productivity dream. However let me stop you right there … due to the fact that I succumbed to the buzz. And I desire someone had actually grabbed me by the shoulders and stated: “Don’t do it.”
In this post, I’m walking you through my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from hopeful beginnings to a total 180. If you’re seriously considering making the switch, read this first. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever before get that crave something brand-new? Like when your preferred set of footwear all of a sudden feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I ‘d been utilizing Keap (you might remember it as Infusionsoft) for several years– 5, to be specific. And honestly, it worked great.
I indicate, Keap managed everything: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the means I ran my business. Sure, it had not been best, yet it was trusted. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, however it gets you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I start looking at the fancy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of glossy things disorder. Yep. It’s genuine. And if you’re a business owner like me, you understand exactly what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS blog owners are humming regarding a “game-changer,” you begin wondering if you’re missing out. And before I understood it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demos and thinking, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Cost of Switching: What It Really Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– moving your firm’s entire technology stack is ruthless. I desire I can inform you I just clicked a button and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Below’s a glimpse of what I in fact experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (manually).
- Restore a dozen automations from the ground up– points like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, task condition, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near to 40 hours adjusting setups and testing workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the mental power it drew out of me. You know that tired, brain-fried sensation after staring at your screen for too lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks straight.
I told myself, “This discomfort will certainly deserve it.” It wasn’t.
When Everything Began Crumbling
Initially, it resembled points were working. Automations were shooting. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were real-time. I exhaled a little.
After that– mayhem.
One early morning I awakened to a nightmare: 171 emails had actually been sent out to the wrong team of contacts. Completely unnecessary material. Three days straight. And not the exact same individuals either– different sets each time. I was alarmed.
I tore with the automation setups, erased and rebuilt series, even reached out to sustain. Their reaction? “Server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No accountability. And the e-mails simply maintained heading out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything vital. My audience mattered excessive to run the risk of an additional screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Death by Aggravation
Let me paint you a picture. You’re attempting to tweak a workflow. Simple job, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that do not make sense. Labels aren’t clear. Setups are concealed in position nobody would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even get me began. You need to access three different arrangement panels– spread across the user interface– to upgrade a single funnel.
It seemed like assembling IKEA furnishings without guidelines. I wanted to love the versatility, but every little thing concerning the user experience made me feel like I required a programmer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is originating from somebody who had actually been running automations and building funnels for several years. If I was having a hard time, I can not imagine what it resembles for a person just beginning.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they do not market plainly: GoHighLevel fees per email you send out with their platform.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are tricky little costs that begin piling up. I saw random $10 costs turning up– after that $20 … then $50. Turns out, I was racking up delivery charges via Mailgun, their email service provider.
So what appeared like a budget friendly, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending greater than I did on Keap– and obtaining way much less reliability in return.
That really felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Call Transcriptions.
Email Performance Tanked– Which Was the Last lick
If you do any kind of type of email marketing, you know just how vital deliverability is. You spend years nurturing your listing, constructing depend on, adjust subject lines. So when your open prices leave a high cliff, it’s like viewing your effort obtain flushed down the tubes.
That’s precisely what happened when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open prices fell from around 35% to barely scuffing 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, validated domains, warmed up IPs– you name it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And given that GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability devices (without much guidance), I was left playing e-mail roulette.
At that point, I couldn’t justify staying. I disengaged and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not suggest it. Not if you’re seeking something stable, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your online reputation, your client experience, your bottom line.
But if you’re still curious, a minimum of go in with your eyes wide open. Examination everything. Don’t thoughtlessly rely on the buzz.
Lessons Found Out (So You Do Not Repeat My Blunders).
Below’s the reality nobody informs you when you’re going after the following “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s an excellent reason to switch.
Keap had not been fancy, however it was solid. That deserves greater than any new feature.
2. Simplicity beats intricacy– each time.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is better than a Monster platform that does 100% badly.
3. Don’t fall for affordable price– take a look at the real cost.
Read the small print. Inquire about deliverability fees. Know what “unrestricted” actually means.
4. Watch out for biased reviews.
A great deal of the glowing endorsements available? They’re from associates trying to score a compensation. Discover people with absolutely nothing to acquire.
5. Listen to your gut.
If something really feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding phase– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re searching for a system that in fact functions the way it promises, check these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Fantastic automation, strong deliverability, and terrific support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with terrific task monitoring tools for tiny teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Ideal if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, however wonderful for customer cooperation and task monitoring.
Bonsai— Built for freelancers and creatives. Super clean, super structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the response to whatever. And if it functioned perfectly, I ‘d probably be their most significant cheerleader. However it really did not. And I can not make believe or else.
So before you study a full-blown migration– or even worse, encourage your clients to do the same– take a breath. Ask the hard questions. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” dream is worth the real-world compromises.
You have actually functioned also difficult to construct something wonderful. Don’t risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick with devices that just work.