So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you have actually seen the beautiful reviews. Become aware of the all-in-one magic. Check out just how it might change your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (sort of) GoHighLevel IVR.
I get it. The promise is appealing: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the idea of improving whatever under one roofing sounds like a performance dream. But let me quit you right there … since I succumbed to the buzz. And I wish someone had grabbed me by the shoulders and stated: “Do not do it.”
In this short article, I’m strolling you through my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from enthusiastic beginnings to a complete 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this initial. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Looked at GoHighLevel
You ever before obtain that itch for something brand-new? Like when your favored set of shoes instantly feels … boring? That’s what occurred to me. I would certainly been making use of Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– 5, to be specific. And honestly, it worked great.
I mean, Keap took care of everything: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the way I ran my service. Certain, it wasn’t perfect, however it was reliable. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, however it obtains you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I start considering the flashy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Due to glossy things disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re a business owner like me, you understand specifically what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS blog owners are humming about a “game-changer,” you start asking yourself if you’re missing out. And prior to I knew it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel trials and thinking, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Cost of Switching: What It Really Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your company’s entire tech pile is harsh. I desire I can inform you I just clicked a button and voilà, I was operating on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Below’s a glance of what I really went through:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (manually).
- Reconstruct a lots automations from scratch– things like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every client note, task standing, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Used close to 40 hours fiddling with setups and screening workflows.
And allow’s not neglect the psychological energy it drew out of me. You understand that exhausted, brain-fried sensation after looking at your display for as well long? That was my life for 2 weeks right.
I told myself, “This pain will deserve it.” It had not been.
When Everything Started Falling Apart
In the beginning, it resembled points were working. Automations were firing. Emails were going out. Funnels were real-time. I exhaled a little.
After that– chaos.
One early morning I awakened to a problem: 171 emails had actually been sent to the wrong team of calls. Entirely pointless web content. 3 days straight. And not the very same individuals either– different batches each time. I was frightened.
I tore through the automation settings, erased and rebuilt sequences, also connected to sustain. Their response? “Server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No liability. And the e-mails simply kept going out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything vital. My audience mattered too much to run the risk of an additional error.
Bad UX = Slow Fatality by Stress
Let me paint you a picture. You’re trying to tweak a workflow. Easy job, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Setups are concealed in places no person would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not also obtain me began. You have to accessibility three different arrangement panels– scattered throughout the user interface– to upgrade a single funnel.
It seemed like assembling IKEA furnishings without guidelines. I wanted to like the flexibility, yet every little thing about the customer experience made me seem like I required a developer resting alongside me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who ‘d been running automations and constructing funnels for several years. If I was battling, I can’t visualize what it resembles for somebody simply beginning.
Surprise Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they don’t promote plainly: GoHighLevel charges per email you send out through their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little fees that start piling up. I observed random $10 fees popping up– then $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was racking up shipment charges through Mailgun, their email service provider.
So what resembled an economical, flat-rate system? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and obtaining means less dependability in return.
That really felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel IVR.
Email Efficiency Tanked– And That Was the Straw that broke the camel’s back
If you do any kind of sort of email marketing, you recognize exactly how vital deliverability is. You spend years nurturing your list, building trust fund, tweak subject lines. So when your open prices drop off a cliff, it resembles seeing your hard work obtain purged away.
That’s exactly what took place when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to barely scuffing 10%. I modified subject lines, verified domains, warmed up IPs– you call it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And considering that GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability devices (without much guidance), I was left playing email roulette.
Then, I couldn’t warrant staying. I pulled the plug and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not suggest it. Not if you’re searching for something secure, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s too much at stake– your online reputation, your customer experience, your profits.
Yet if you’re still interested, at the very least share your eyes wide open. Test every little thing. Don’t blindly rely on the hype.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Here’s the reality nobody informs you when you’re going after the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what works– unless there’s a great factor to switch.
Keap wasn’t flashy, however it was solid. That’s worth greater than any new feature.
2. Simpleness beats complexity– each time.
An intuitive device that does 80% well is far better than a Monster system that does 100% badly.
3. Don’t succumb to low prices– check out the genuine cost.
Review the small print. Inquire about deliverability charges. Know what “unrestricted” actually suggests.
4. Keep an eye out for prejudiced evaluations.
A lot of the glowing reviews available? They’re from affiliates attempting to rack up a compensation. Discover people with absolutely nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something really feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding phase– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re searching for a platform that really works the means it assures, check these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Impressive automation, solid deliverability, and terrific support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with fantastic task administration tools for little groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a refined UX. Suitable if you’re scaling fast.
Monday— More project-focused, but fantastic for customer partnership and task monitoring.
Bonsai— Built for freelancers and creatives. Super clean, very structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to every little thing. And if it worked faultlessly, I ‘d probably be their largest supporter. However it didn’t. And I can not claim or else.
So prior to you dive into a major migration– or worse, encourage your customers to do the exact same– breathe. Ask the hard concerns. And think about whether the “all-in-one” dream is worth the real-world trade-offs.
You’ve functioned as well difficult to build something terrific. Don’t risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you desire my two cents? Stick with devices that just function.