So– you’ve been eyeing GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you’ve seen the beautiful testimonials. Heard about the all-in-one magic. Check out exactly how it might change your CRM, your email marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (type of) Hospitality GoHighLevel Snapshot.
I get it. The assurance is alluring: one powerful dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a firm, the idea of enhancing everything under one roof covering sounds like a performance dream. But let me quit you right there … because I succumbed to the buzz. And I want somebody had ordered me by the shoulders and said: “Don’t do it.”
In this article, I’m walking you via my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from enthusiastic beginnings to a full 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 obtain that crave something brand-new? Like when your favored set of shoes instantly feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I would certainly been using Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– five, to be specific. And truthfully, it functioned wonderful.
I suggest, Keap managed every little thing: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my organization. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but it was trusted. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, however it obtains you where you require to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin eyeing the flashy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of glossy object disorder. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re a business owner like me, you know exactly what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS blog owners are humming concerning a “game-changer,” you begin asking yourself if you’re losing out. And before I recognized it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel trials and reasoning, “Maybe it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Rate of Switching: What It Truly Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your agency’s entire tech stack is harsh. I wish I can inform you I simply clicked a switch and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Right here’s a glance of what I in fact went through:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (manually).
- Restore a dozen automations from square one– things like onboarding, e-mail sequences, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, task status, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected repayment integrations like Stripe.
- Used near to 40 hours fiddling with setups and testing workflows.
And let’s not fail to remember the psychological power it drew out of me. You know that tired, brain-fried sensation after staring at your screen for too long? That was my life for two weeks straight.
I informed myself, “This pain will certainly be worth it.” It had not been.
When It All Began Crumbling
In the beginning, it looked like points were working. Automations were firing. E-mails were going out. Funnels were live. I exhaled a little.
After that– turmoil.
One morning I awakened to a nightmare: 171 emails had actually been sent to the incorrect team of get in touches with. Totally irrelevant content. Three days straight. And not the same people either– various sets each time. I was horrified.
I tore with the automation settings, removed and rebuilt series, also reached out to sustain. Their action? “Web server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No accountability. And the e-mails simply maintained heading out like a rogue robotic on autopilot.
Then, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My target market mattered way too much to risk one more screw-up.
Negative UX = Slow Fatality by Frustration
Let me repaint you a picture. You’re attempting to modify a workflow. Easy job, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make sense. Tags aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in places nobody would rationally look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even get me began. You need to accessibility three different setup panels– scattered throughout the interface– to upgrade a solitary funnel.
It seemed like constructing IKEA furnishings without guidelines. I wanted to love the adaptability, but whatever about the customer experience made me seem like I needed a designer resting next to me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who ‘d been running automations and building funnels for years. If I was battling, I can’t picture what it’s like for somebody simply starting.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they do not market plainly: GoHighLevel fees per email you send out via their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little charges that begin accumulating. I observed arbitrary $10 costs appearing– then $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was racking up delivery fees via Mailgun, their e-mail supplier.
So what appeared like an economical, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was spending greater than I did on Keap– and obtaining method much less reliability in return.
That felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me Hospitality GoHighLevel Snapshot.
Email Performance Tanked– Which Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of kind of e-mail marketing, you recognize just how important deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your listing, constructing trust, adjust subject lines. So when your open rates leave a cliff, it resembles watching your hard work obtain flushed down the tubes.
That’s precisely what occurred when I switched over to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to barely scratching 10%. I modified subject lines, confirmed domain names, warmed up IPs– you name it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And given that GoHighLevel relies on third-party deliverability devices (without much support), I was left playing e-mail roulette.
Then, I couldn’t justify staying. I pulled the plug and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re searching for something secure, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s too much at risk– your track record, your customer experience, your profits.
But if you’re still curious, at least share your eyes wide open. Examination every little thing. Don’t blindly trust the hype.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Mistakes).
Right here’s the reality no one tells you when you’re chasing after the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick to what jobs– unless there’s a very good factor to switch.
Keap wasn’t flashy, but it was strong. That’s worth greater than any type of brand-new feature.
2. Simpleness beats complexity– each time.
An instinctive device that does 80% well is better than a Frankenstein platform that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not fall for small cost– look at the genuine price.
Review the small print. Ask about deliverability fees. Know what “limitless” truly suggests.
4. Watch out for biased testimonials.
A lot of the beautiful testimonies around? They’re from affiliates attempting to rack up a compensation. Locate individuals with nothing to gain.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Consider
If you’re looking for a system that actually works the way it assures, check these out:.
Keap– My leading pick. Remarkable automation, solid deliverability, and excellent support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with terrific job monitoring tools for tiny teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— More project-focused, but great for customer partnership and job tracking.
Bonsai— Constructed for consultants and creatives. Super clean, incredibly streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to everything. And if it worked flawlessly, I ‘d possibly be their greatest cheerleader. However it didn’t. And I can not pretend or else.
So prior to you dive into a full-blown movement– or even worse, convince your clients to do the very same– breathe. Ask the hard concerns. And think about whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world trade-offs.
You have actually worked too hard to develop something terrific. Do not risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick to tools that just work.