So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you’ve seen the radiant evaluations. Become aware of the all-in-one magic. Check out how it might replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (sort of) GoHighLevel Missed Call Text Back.
I get it. The assurance is alluring: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the concept of streamlining whatever under one roofing system seems like an efficiency desire. Yet let me quit you right there … because I fell for the buzz. And I desire someone had grabbed me by the shoulders and said: “Do not do it.”
In this write-up, I’m strolling you with my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from confident beginnings to a full 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the switch, read this very first. It’ll save you time, cash, and a truckload of headaches.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Checked Out GoHighLevel
You ever obtain that crave something new? Like when your favorite set of footwear suddenly feels … boring? That’s what occurred to me. I ‘d been utilizing Keap (you could remember it as Infusionsoft) for several years– 5, to be precise. And honestly, it functioned great.
I indicate, Keap handled every little thing: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the method I ran my company. Sure, it wasn’t ideal, yet it was reputable. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, but it gets you where you need to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin looking at the showy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Due to shiny things syndrome. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re a business owner like me, you recognize precisely what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are buzzing regarding a “game-changer,” you start questioning if you’re losing out. And before I recognized it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demos and reasoning, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Rate of Switching: What It Really Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your company’s whole tech stack is brutal. I desire I can inform you I simply clicked a switch and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Here’s a glance of what I in fact experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (by hand).
- Rebuilt a loads automations from square one– things like onboarding, email series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, task standing, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near 40 hours fiddling with setups and testing workflows.
And let’s not fail to remember the mental power it sucked out of me. You recognize that tired, brain-fried sensation after looking at your screen for also long? That was my life for two weeks directly.
I informed myself, “This pain will certainly deserve it.” It had not been.
When All Of It Started Breaking Down
At first, it resembled points were functioning. Automations were firing. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were live. I exhaled a little.
Then– mayhem.
One early morning I woke up to a headache: 171 emails had actually been sent to the wrong group of get in touches with. Totally irrelevant material. Three days in a row. And not the same individuals either– various batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore via the automation setups, removed and restored series, even reached out to support. Their reaction? “Web server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No liability. And the e-mails simply kept going out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My audience mattered excessive to risk an additional screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Death by Stress
Let me repaint you an image. You’re trying to fine-tune a workflow. Basic job, right? Other than currently you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that do not make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Setups are concealed in places no one would logically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t also obtain me started. You need to accessibility 3 various arrangement panels– scattered across the user interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It seemed like putting together IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wanted to enjoy the versatility, but everything about the user experience made me feel like I needed a developer resting alongside me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who had actually been running automations and developing funnels for several years. If I was having a hard time, I can not envision what it resembles for someone simply beginning.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they don’t advertise plainly: GoHighLevel fees per e-mail you send out through their platform.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are tricky little fees that start accumulating. I noticed random $10 fees turning up– after that $20 … after that $50. Turns out, I was racking up distribution costs via Mailgun, their email carrier.
So what looked like an affordable, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was spending greater than I did on Keap– and getting method less reliability in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Missed Call Text Back.
Email Efficiency Tanked– Which Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of kind of e-mail marketing, you know just how essential deliverability is. You spend years nurturing your checklist, building trust fund, tweak subject lines. So when your open rates leave a high cliff, it’s like watching your effort obtain purged down the tubes.
That’s exactly what took place when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open rates fell from around 35% to barely scuffing 10%. I modified subject lines, validated domains, heated up IPs– you name it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And since GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability devices (without much assistance), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
At that point, I couldn’t validate staying. I pulled the plug and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re searching for something secure, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your online reputation, your consumer experience, your profits.
Yet if you’re still interested, at the very least go in with your eyes wide open. Test every little thing. Do not thoughtlessly rely on the hype.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Below’s the fact no one tells you when you’re going after the next “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick to what jobs– unless there’s an excellent factor to switch over.
Keap wasn’t fancy, however it was strong. That’s worth more than any kind of new feature.
2. Simplicity beats complexity– every time.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is far better than a Monster platform that does 100% severely.
3. Do not fall for small cost– look at the genuine expense.
Review the fine print. Ask about deliverability charges. Know what “unrestricted” actually suggests.
4. Watch out for biased evaluations.
A great deal of the radiant endorsements available? They’re from affiliates trying to score a payment. Find individuals with nothing to gain.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something really feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding phase– do not ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Consider
If you’re searching for a platform that really works the way it guarantees, check these out:.
Keap– My leading pick. Incredible automation, solid deliverability, and excellent assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with wonderful task monitoring tools for tiny teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a sleek UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, yet wonderful for customer collaboration and task monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, very structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the solution to whatever. And if it functioned flawlessly, I ‘d probably be their largest supporter. However it didn’t. And I can’t act or else.
So prior to you study a major migration– or worse, convince your customers to do the exact same– take a breath. Ask the difficult inquiries. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire deserves the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned as well tough to construct something fantastic. Don’t risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick with devices that simply function.