DEV Community: Arslan Mumtaz

A2P 10DLC for GoHighLevel Agencies: Handling Registrations at Scale

Arslan Mumtaz — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

For a GoHighLevel agency, A2P 10DLC isn't a one-off task. Every US client needs their own registration, every rejection delays a launch, and every unregistered account is a support ticket waiting to happen. Here's how to handle A2P across many sub-accounts without it becoming a bottleneck.

The rule that shapes everything: one brand per business

An A2P brand represents one legal business. You can't register your agency once and cover all your clients: each client sub-account needs its own brand, tied to that client's legal name and tax ID, plus a campaign for what they send.

Clients without an EIN can use the sole proprietor option, which has much lower sending limits. It's fine for a very small business, but plan to move them to a standard brand once they have an EIN.

Collect the right information at onboarding

Most delays come from chasing clients for details. Ask for all of this upfront:

Exact legal business name, as on the EIN or state registration
EIN, business type and registered address (not a PO Box)
Website URL on the client's own domain
An authorised contact's name, email and mobile number for verification
What they'll text: reminders, follow-ups, marketing or all of these

Use each client's own email and phone for their registration, not yours. The registry limits how many registrations one email or phone number can be used for, so agencies that reuse their own details hit walls quickly.

Standardise the compliance pages

The opt-in form, privacy policy and terms are where most rejections come from. For every client:

An opt-in form with an optional, unticked SMS checkbox and complete consent wording
A privacy policy with the SMS "no sharing" clause
Terms of service with an SMS section

Put these into your niche snapshots as templates (see my snapshots guide), then fill in each client's details. The exact wording that passes is in my A2P registration guide.

Track every registration

With more than a few clients, keep a simple tracker with:

Client and sub-account
Brand status and campaign status
Submission date and any rejection reasons
Who owns the next step (you or the client)

Check it weekly. Campaign reviews can take several business days, and a forgotten rejection quietly blocks a client's texting for weeks.

Handling rejections efficiently

Edit and resubmit, don't delete and recreate, because recreating a campaign costs a new vetting fee.
Fix every listed reason at once, not one at a time.
Look for patterns: if several clients fail on the same thing, fix the template in your snapshot.

The full list of common causes and fixes is in A2P 10DLC campaign rejected?

Who pays the fees?

Registration and campaign fees are charged per client account. Most agencies pass them on as part of onboarding or include them in their setup fee. Either way, make it clear in your agreement so it never becomes a surprise.

Launch checklist for each US client

Information collected and checked against official records
Compliance pages live on the client's domain
Brand submitted and approved
Campaign submitted with matching description, samples and message flow
Campaign approved and the number attached
A test text sent and received before any workflows go live

Want A2P off your plate?

I handle A2P registrations and rejection fixes for agencies, white-label and behind your brand, as part of onboarding and fulfilment. Per registration it's $99, or it's included in a monthly block of hours. See GoHighLevel for agencies, how to outsource fulfilment and pricing.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

A2P 10DLC Campaign Rejected? Common Reasons and How to Fix Them in GoHighLevel

Arslan Mumtaz — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Your A2P 10DLC campaign was rejected, your texts aren't going out, and every day costs you leads. The good news: most rejections come down to a handful of fixable problems, and fixing them doesn't mean starting over. Here's how to read the rejection, fix the cause and resubmit without wasting money.

New to A2P? Start with my step-by-step A2P 10DLC registration guide.

Before you do anything: don't delete the campaign

In GoHighLevel, editing and resubmitting a rejected campaign doesn't incur a new vetting fee, but deleting it and creating a new one does (around $15 each time, at the time of writing). Fix the existing campaign and resubmit it.

Step 1: Read the rejection properly

GoHighLevel shows the reasons next to the rejected campaign. Open each one (look for "View required fixes") to see the error code, the category, what it means and what needs changing. Fix every listed reason before resubmitting, not just the first one.

The most common reasons, and how to fix them

1. Problems with the opt-in form

This is the single biggest cause. Reviewers need to see exactly how people agree to receive texts.

Make the SMS consent checkbox optional and unticked, so people can still submit the form without agreeing to texts.
Name your business and say what messages they'll get.
Include message frequency, "message and data rates may apply", and STOP and HELP instructions.
Make sure the form is public: no login, no broken link.

2. A privacy policy that allows sharing

Generic wording like "we may share your information with partners" gets campaigns rejected. Add a clear SMS clause:

Mobile information will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties.

3. Missing or broken terms of service

Your terms need an SMS section (what you send, frequency, costs, STOP and HELP), and both the privacy policy and terms should be linked from the opt-in form.

4. Details that don't match

Everything must line up across the brand, website, opt-in form, campaign description and sample messages: the same business name, the same type of messages, the same website. If your brand says one name and your website another, expect a rejection.

5. Brand problems

The legal name doesn't exactly match the EIN records
A PO Box used as the business address
A very new EIN that isn't yet in the verification databases (wait, then retry)
The wrong business type selected
A missing or invalid website

6. Sample messages that don't fit the use case

Samples must look like what you'll actually send, match the use case you chose, include your business name and show opt-out wording. Marketing-style samples under a customer-care use case are a common mismatch.

A pre-resubmission checklist

Every listed rejection reason addressed
Opt-in form public, consent optional and unticked, wording complete
Privacy policy has the SMS no-sharing clause
Terms of service include SMS terms, and both are linked from the form
Business name, website and messaging consistent everywhere
Sample messages match the use case and include STOP
Campaign description and message flow explain exactly where and how people opt in

GoHighLevel now runs an automated compliance check on opt-in, privacy and terms links during submission. Use its feedback before you submit.

While you wait

Campaign review can take several business days. Keep following up leads by email and phone in the meantime, and don't send texts from unregistered numbers, which can hurt your reputation with carriers.

Want it fixed for you?

I fix rejected A2P campaigns and handle new registrations for $99, including checking your opt-in form, privacy policy and terms so the resubmission passes. It's also included in my GoHighLevel VA plans. See pricing, or the GoHighLevel expert for US businesses page.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

GoHighLevel for Home Service Contractors: 7 Automations for Roofers, HVAC, Plumbers and Cleaners

Arslan Mumtaz — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Roofers, HVAC techs, plumbers, electricians, cleaners and landscapers all lose money the same way: calls missed while they're on a job, estimates nobody follows up, and past customers who forget them by next season. These are the GoHighLevel automations I build for home service contractors, and the results they've produced.

1. Missed-call text-back

When you're on a roof or under a sink, the phone goes to voicemail, and the customer calls the next company. An instant text-back keeps them talking to you. For an HVAC and plumbing company, this recovered 89% of missed calls, with texts landing in under 15 seconds. HVAC & plumbing case study →

2. Emergency vs routine routing

Words like "leak", "no heat" or "burst pipe" route straight to the on-call tech's phone, while routine requests get a booking link. Urgent jobs pay the most, so they should never wait in a queue.

3. Instant quotes for standard jobs

For jobs with predictable pricing, a web form can calculate a consistent quote in minutes instead of days. My building and pest inspection build cut quote turnaround to under 60 seconds and replaced an 8-step manual booking flow. Inspection case study →

4. Estimate follow-up

Most estimates are never chased. A short sequence after every estimate (a check-in, an answer to common questions, a final nudge) wins jobs that would otherwise quietly go to a competitor. For roofing and other big-ticket jobs, a single recovered estimate can pay for the whole system.

5. Booking, reminders and "on the way" texts

Self-booking from your live calendar, confirmations, a reminder the day before and an "on the way" text when the crew heads out. Customers feel looked after, and no-shows drop.

6. Invoice and review request when the job is done

Marking a job complete on a phone sends the invoice and, once it's paid, a Google review request. Reviews are how home service businesses win locally, so every finished job should ask for one.

7. Seasonal maintenance and repeat work

Past customers get reminders before each season: furnace tune-ups before winter, AC checks before summer, gutter or roof inspections after the storm season. For cleaning companies, the same idea turns one-off jobs into recurring plans: 38% of one-off cleans became recurring contracts in my cleaning company build.

Where to start

This week: missed-call text-back and instant enquiry replies (1, 2)
Next: estimate follow-up and booking reminders (4, 5)
Then: reviews, seasonal reminders and quoting (3, 6, 7)

Before you text customers

US contractors need A2P 10DLC registration before texting from GoHighLevel, plus consent for marketing texts. UK, European and Australian contractors have their own rules (see my GDPR and Spam Act guides). I set this up as part of every build.

Want this for your business?

I build GoHighLevel systems for roofers, HVAC and plumbing companies, cleaners, inspectors and other home service businesses. Start with a $97 audit, or see GoHighLevel for home services and pricing.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

GoHighLevel Emails Going to Spam? How to Fix Deliverability

Arslan Mumtaz — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

GoHighLevel says your emails were sent, but customers never see them, because they're landing in spam or getting rejected. Since Gmail and Yahoo tightened their rules for bulk senders, unauthenticated email gets filtered far more aggressively. Here's how to find out why your GoHighLevel emails go to spam, and how to fix it.

Why GoHighLevel emails go to spam

No dedicated sending domain: sending through a shared domain means sharing its reputation.
Missing or broken SPF, DKIM or DMARC records.
A free email address in the From field, such as a Gmail or Yahoo address.
A brand-new domain sending too much, too fast.
Old or bought lists full of dead addresses and people who never opted in.
No easy unsubscribe, so people hit "report spam" instead.
Spammy content: all-image emails, link shorteners, misleading subject lines.

Fix 1: Set up a dedicated sending domain

In GoHighLevel, add your own domain for sending email. It typically sends through a subdomain (for example lc.yourdomain.com) while your From address stays on your main domain. Using a subdomain for marketing also keeps your main domain's reputation separate from campaign email.

Fix 2: Authenticate with SPF, DKIM and DMARC

GoHighLevel shows the exact DNS records to add. Add them at your domain's DNS host:

SPF says which services can send email for your domain. Important: a domain can have only one SPF record. If you already have one (for example for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365), merge the new entry into it. Two SPF records break each other.
DKIM adds a signature that proves the email really came from you and wasn't altered.
DMARC tells inboxes what to do when SPF or DKIM fail, and is now expected by Gmail and Yahoo for bulk senders. Starting with a monitoring policy is common, then tightening it once everything passes.

Don't send campaigns until all three show as verified. Sending from an unauthenticated domain damages your reputation, and recovery can take weeks.

Fix 3: Use a From address on your own domain

Sending "from" a Gmail or Yahoo address through GoHighLevel fails authentication checks, because the email isn't really coming from Gmail or Yahoo. Always send from an address on your own domain, such as hello@yourbusiness.com.

Fix 4: Meet the Gmail and Yahoo bulk sender rules

Authenticate with SPF and DKIM, and publish DMARC
Make the From domain align with your authenticated domain
Offer one-click unsubscribe in marketing emails, and honour it quickly
Keep spam complaints very low (Google asks bulk senders to stay under 0.3%, and lower is better)

Fix 5: Warm up new domains slowly

A new domain has no reputation. Start by emailing your most engaged contacts in small batches, then increase the volume over a few weeks. Don't send your first campaign to your entire list.

Fix 6: Clean your list

Remove hard bounces and people who haven't opened anything in months
Never email bought or scraped lists
Use double opt-in for new subscribers where you can
Keep marketing consent records (see my GDPR guide for UK and EU rules)

Fix 7: Write emails that look human

Mostly text, with a few images rather than one big image
Your full domain in links, not link shorteners
Honest subject lines that match the content
A real reply-to address that someone reads

How to check it's working

Confirm the records show as verified in GoHighLevel's email settings
Send a test to Gmail, open "Show original" and check that SPF, DKIM and DMARC say PASS
Watch open, bounce and complaint rates on your next campaigns

Same problem with texts?

If your SMS isn't arriving either, the cause is different: US texting needs A2P 10DLC registration. For other automation problems, see GoHighLevel workflow not working.

Want it fixed for you?

I set up sending domains, DNS authentication and clean sending practices as part of my GoHighLevel VA plans (from $199/month), or as a one-off fix at $20/hr. See pricing.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

GoHighLevel Fulfillment for Agencies: What to Outsource and How to Do It Safely

Arslan Mumtaz — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Most GoHighLevel agencies hit the same wall: sales are working, but fulfilment can't keep up. Every new client means another sub-account to build, another A2P registration, another round of fixes, and the founder ends up doing it at midnight. Outsourcing fulfilment is how agencies grow past that point. Here's how to do it without losing quality or control.

What agencies typically outsource

Client onboarding: loading snapshots, filling custom values, connecting calendars and payments
A2P 10DLC registrations for every US client
Workflow and funnel builds for new offers and client requests
Snapshot builds and updates for each niche you serve
Troubleshooting: "my texts stopped sending" tickets
Custom integrations GoHighLevel can't do natively

Keep in-house: sales, client relationships, strategy and pricing. Those are your agency's value. Fulfilment is the work that should scale without you.

Three ways to outsource

Per task: pay by the hour or by the job when overflow appears. Flexible, but you manage each request.
A monthly block of hours: a fixed number of hours each month for ongoing work. Predictable cost, and the same person learns your clients.
A dedicated part-time specialist: a set number of hours with working hours aligned to your team. Feels like a team member, without hiring one.

Standardise before you delegate

Outsourcing chaos just gives you faster chaos. Before handing work over:

Build a snapshot per niche so every client starts from the same tested system. See my snapshots guide.
Write an onboarding checklist covering everything a snapshot doesn't carry.
Use one request format: client, sub-account, what's needed, deadline and a link to anything relevant.
Agree on naming conventions for workflows and tags.

Quality control that actually works

Test with a real contact before anything goes live, every time.
A short change note for every build or fix: what changed and why.
A pre-launch checklist: custom values filled, numbers connected, A2P approved, triggers tested.
A monthly spot check of execution logs on key client workflows.

Protect your agency

White-label: your contractor works under your brand, and clients deal only with you.
NDA: for client data and your processes.
User permissions: sub-account access only where needed, two-factor authentication, never shared logins.
Ownership: snapshots, workflows and code built for you belong to your agency.
Offboarding: remove access the day the work ends.

Choosing a fulfilment partner

Ask the same questions you'd ask any hire, plus a few agency-specific ones:

Can you show snapshots or systems you've built?
How many A2P registrations have you done, and how do you avoid rejections?
What's your turnaround for a standard request, and for urgent fixes?
Which hours overlap with my team?
What happens when a client wants something GoHighLevel can't do?

My full hiring checklist, including red flags, is in how to hire a GoHighLevel VA.

White-label GoHighLevel fulfilment

I work white-label for GoHighLevel agencies: onboarding, snapshots, workflows, A2P registrations, troubleshooting and custom code, behind your brand and under NDA. Overflow work is $20/hr (or $30/hr for custom code), and monthly blocks run from $199 for 10 hours to $1,199 for 80 hours as a part-time dedicated specialist. My afternoons and evenings in Lahore overlap with UK and European working hours and US Eastern mornings. See GoHighLevel for agencies and pricing.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

How to Hire a GoHighLevel VA: Tasks to Outsource, Interview Questions and Red Flags

Arslan Mumtaz — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Hiring a GoHighLevel VA can give you back hours every week, or leave you with a broken account and texts going to the wrong people. The difference is knowing what to hand over, what to ask before hiring, and how to set them up safely. Here is the checklist I'd use if I were hiring one.

Step 1: Decide what you actually need

Most GoHighLevel work falls into three levels:

Admin: updating contacts, tags and pipelines, building pages from templates, scheduling campaigns. Any trained VA can do this.
Builder: creating workflows, funnels, calendars and sequences, fixing automations, handling A2P registration. Needs real GoHighLevel experience.
Engineer: designing whole systems, migrations, integrations with other software and custom code against the API. Needs a developer.

Hiring at the wrong level is the most common mistake: paying engineer rates for admin work, or expecting an admin VA to design your sales process. If you're still deciding between a VA, a freelancer and an agency, read which one you need.

Step 2: Tasks worth outsourcing first

Fixing workflows that stopped working (see 12 common causes)
A2P 10DLC registration for US texting
Building follow-up, reminder and reactivation sequences
Setting up calendars, forms and booking pages
Building and updating funnels and landing pages
Cleaning up contacts, tags and pipelines
Monthly campaigns: newsletters, offers, review requests
A monthly check that key automations are still running

Keep these with you: pricing decisions, client relationships and anything legal.

Step 3: Questions to ask before you hire

"Can you show me a system you built?" Screenshots, a Loom walkthrough or a case study. Skills lists prove nothing.
"A workflow sends the same text twice. How would you find out why?" Good answers mention execution logs, overlapping workflows and re-entry settings.
"What do you need to set up texting for a US business?" They should mention A2P 10DLC and consent. For UK, EU or Australian businesses, ask how they handle consent and opt-outs.
"What would you do if GoHighLevel can't do something we need?" Look for options (integrations, Zapier or n8n, custom code), not "it's impossible."
"Which hours will you overlap with mine, and how fast will you reply?"
"How do you document what you build?" You need to understand your own system if they leave.

Step 4: A small paid test first

Before committing to a monthly plan, give them one real, paid task with a clear result, like fixing a broken workflow or building a reminder sequence. Judge the result, how they communicated, and whether they explained what they changed.

Step 5: Set up access safely

Add them as a user with only the permissions they need. Never share your owner login.
Turn on two-factor authentication for every user.
Ask for a short change note for every workflow they build or edit.
Make sure you own the account, the domains and every integration.
Remove access the day the work ends.

Red flags

Asks for your owner password
Can't show any real work
Doesn't know what A2P 10DLC is
Builds without testing on a real contact
Can't explain what they changed or why
Prices far below the market for "expert" work

What a GoHighLevel VA costs

Rates range from about $6/hr for basic offshore admin to $60+/hr for US or UK experts, and monthly packages commonly run $600–1,800 depending on hours and skill. My full breakdown is in how much a GoHighLevel expert costs.

Hire me as your GoHighLevel VA

I'm a software engineer and Senior CRM Developer, so I cover all three levels, from monthly admin to custom code. Plans start at $199/month for 10 hours, with month-to-month terms, and you can start with a small paid task or a $97 audit. See GoHighLevel VA plans, my case studies and pricing.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

How Much Does a Business Website Cost in 2026? Landing Pages, Business Sites and Web Apps

Arslan Mumtaz — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Ask five web developers what a business website costs and you'll hear five answers, from $300 to $30,000. The range is real, because "a website" can mean a single landing page or a full web application. This guide breaks down typical 2026 prices, what drives them, and how to avoid paying for the wrong thing.

Typical 2026 price ranges

Landing page (one page, one goal): a few hundred to around $1,500
Small business website (5–8 pages): roughly $800–3,000 from experienced freelancers and smaller studios
Corporate site with a CMS: roughly $2,500–8,000
Online store: roughly $2,000–15,000
Custom web application (portals, dashboards, booking tools): from about $8,000 to $40,000+

Who you hire matters as much as what you build. Freelancers commonly charge around $30–80 an hour, while agencies often charge $150–250, and developers in lower-cost countries can deliver similar quality for considerably less.

What actually drives the price

Number of pages and templates: ten unique page designs cost more than ten pages using one template.
Custom design vs a template: bespoke design takes longer than adapting an existing one.
Features: booking, payments, member areas, calculators or integrations add development time.
Content: whether you supply the text and photos or they need writing and sourcing.
SEO setup: page structure, structured data, speed work and a sitemap done properly.
CRM connection: forms and bookings that feed your CRM and trigger follow-up.

Builder, template or custom code?

Website builders (including GoHighLevel's): cheapest and fastest, and good for funnels and simple sites, with some limits on speed, SEO control and features.
Templates and themes: a middle ground. Quick to launch, but they can be slow and look like everyone else's.
Custom-coded (for example with Next.js): the most control over speed, SEO and features, and you own the code. It takes more time up front.

I compare these in detail in GoHighLevel website builder vs a custom website.

Costs people forget

Domain: usually a small yearly fee
Hosting: from free for static sites to monthly fees for heavier ones
Maintenance: updates, fixes and small changes after launch
Paid tools: booking, forms, email or analytics subscriptions
Your time: writing content and giving feedback often takes longer than the build

How to avoid overpaying (or underpaying)

Start with the goal. More calls? More bookings? A landing page might beat a ten-page site.
Get a fixed quote for a clear scope, with what's included written down.
Check the developer's real work, including how fast their own site loads on a phone.
Make sure you'll own the domain and the code.
Plan how leads will be followed up, or the site will collect enquiries nobody answers in time.

What I charge

I build custom-coded websites with Next.js, connected to your CRM so every enquiry gets an instant follow-up. I'm based in Lahore, Pakistan, working with businesses in the US, UK, Europe and Australia, so my prices sit well below typical agency rates:

Landing page: from $299
Business website (5–8 pages): from $799
Custom web app: from $2,500
Website care plan: $79/month

This site is an example of my work: custom Next.js, a blog, case studies, structured data and a fast static build. See web development, my developer portfolio and pricing.

Market ranges are typical 2026 figures and vary by provider and scope. Always get a written quote.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

GoHighLevel Workflow Not Working? 12 Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Arslan Mumtaz — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

A GoHighLevel workflow that silently stops working is one of the most expensive problems a business can have: leads stop getting texts, reminders stop going out, and nobody notices for weeks. These are the 12 causes I find most often when fixing client accounts, and how to check each one.

Start here: open the workflow's Execution Logs (or the contact's workflow history). They show whether the contact entered the workflow at all, and which step failed. Most problems become obvious there.

Problems where the workflow never starts

1. The workflow is still in Draft

Edits made to a workflow aren't live until it's published. It sounds obvious, but it's the most common cause, especially after copying or editing a workflow.

2. The trigger filters are too narrow

A trigger like "Form submitted" with a filter for the wrong form, a tag spelled slightly differently, or a pipeline stage that doesn't match will never fire. Check every filter on the trigger against real data.

3. Re-entry is turned off

If a contact has been through the workflow before and re-entry isn't allowed, they won't enter again. That's correct for one-time sequences, but wrong for things like reminders for every appointment.

4. Another workflow got there first

Overlapping workflows can remove a tag, move an opportunity or change a field before your workflow's trigger condition is met. Map which workflows touch the same tags and stages.

Problems where messages don't send

5. The contact is on Do Not Disturb

If a contact has DND turned on for SMS, email or all channels, messages on that channel are skipped. That's correct when they opted out. But check whether an import or another workflow set DND by mistake.

6. The contact has no phone number or email

A text step can't send to a contact without a valid mobile number, and incorrectly formatted numbers often fail. Store numbers in international format (e.g. +1, +44, +61).

7. A2P 10DLC isn't approved (US numbers)

Texts from US local numbers are filtered or blocked without A2P 10DLC registration. If US texts "send" but nobody receives them, check your registration status. See my A2P 10DLC guide.

8. Emails land in spam

If emails show as sent but people say they never got them, check that your sending domain is set up with proper authentication, and avoid sending large campaigns from a brand-new domain all at once.

Problems where timing is wrong

9. Time zone mismatches

Reminders that arrive an hour early or late, or in the middle of the night, usually come from a mismatch between the account's time zone, the calendar's, and the contact's. Check all three.

10. Wait steps and send windows

A wait step that counts from the wrong date, or a step restricted to certain hours and days, can hold messages much longer than expected. Check what each wait is actually waiting for.

Problems where the workflow stops early

11. Goals and "stop on response"

Goal events and settings that stop the workflow when a contact replies are useful, but they can end a sequence earlier than you meant to. A one-word "ok" reply might stop your whole follow-up.

12. Empty custom values and fields

Messages that read "Hi ," or links that go nowhere come from empty custom fields or custom values. Fill in every custom value in Settings, and add fallbacks for fields that might be blank.

How to stop it happening again

Test with a real contact after every change, using your own phone and email.
Name workflows clearly and keep a short note of what each does.
Check key workflows monthly: do a quick review of the execution logs for your speed-to-lead and reminder workflows.
Add an internal alert to critical workflows, so your team knows they ran.

If you're setting up workflows from scratch, my list of 10 essential GoHighLevel automations is a good place to start.

Want someone to fix it for you?

Workflow fixes are a big part of my GoHighLevel VA plans (from $199/month), and I also fix one-off problems at $20/hr. If several things feel broken, a $97 audit reviews the whole account and tells you exactly what to fix. See pricing.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

AI Chatbots for Service Businesses: What a RAG Agent Is and When You Need One

Arslan Mumtaz — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

"Should we add an AI chatbot?" Most service businesses are asking. The honest answer: an AI assistant that answers from your own information can save hours a week and catch leads at 2am, but a careless one makes things up and frustrates customers. This guide explains the technology that makes the difference, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and when it's worth it.

What is a RAG agent?

A normal AI chatbot answers from what the model learned in training, which knows nothing about your prices, policies or opening hours, so it guesses. A RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) agent works differently:

Your documents (FAQs, service pages, policies, price lists) are split into small pieces and indexed.
When a customer asks a question, the system retrieves the most relevant pieces.
The AI writes its answer from those pieces, and can say so when the answer isn't there.

The result: answers based on your information, not the model's guesses.

Where it works well for service businesses

Answering common questions: services, prices, areas covered, opening hours, what to bring, cancellation policy
Qualifying leads: asking the right questions, then booking or passing to a human
After-hours enquiries: capturing details and booking appointments when nobody's in the office
Internal help: letting staff search procedures and policies in plain language

Where to be careful

High-stakes advice: medical, legal or financial guidance should come from qualified people, so the agent should hand these over.
No good source material: if your information isn't written down anywhere, RAG has nothing to retrieve. Write the FAQ first.
Prices that change often: keep the source up to date, or the agent will quote old prices.

Built-in AI vs a custom RAG agent

If you use GoHighLevel, start with what's built in: its conversational AI features with a knowledge base can cover many simple FAQ and booking conversations, and I've set these up for clients. A custom RAG agent, built with tools like LangChain, LangGraph or n8n, makes sense when you need:

More control over which sources it uses and how it answers
Large or complex document sets, or several data sources
Multi-step logic, such as looking up a booking or calling another system
The same assistant on your website, inside GoHighLevel and in internal tools

Connecting the agent to your CRM

An AI agent is only useful if conversations turn into business. Mine connect to the CRM so that:

Every conversation creates or updates a contact
Qualified leads get booked straight into the calendar
Anything the agent can't handle goes to a human, with the conversation attached
Follow-up automations take over after the chat, like a speed-to-lead sequence

Guardrails I always build in

Answer only from the sources, and say "I'm not sure, let me connect you with the team" otherwise.
A clear hand-off to a human at any point.
Topic limits: no diagnoses, legal opinions or promises about prices that aren't in the source.
Logs you can review, so you can see what customers ask and improve the sources.
Privacy: don't collect more personal data than needed, and tell users they're talking to AI.

How I'd roll one out

Collect and clean up your FAQs, policies and service information
Build the agent and test it against 50+ real customer questions
Launch on one channel, usually the website chat, with human hand-off
Review the logs weekly, improve the sources, then expand

Want an AI agent for your business?

I build AI agents, RAG pipelines and AI automation with LangChain, LangGraph, n8n and GoHighLevel, connected to your CRM and calendar. My developer portfolio includes an AI mock interviewer and an AI medical voice agent. Custom AI work is $30/hr, and most projects get a fixed quote after a $97 audit. See AI & automation and pricing.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

GoHighLevel Updates October 2026: New Features and What They Mean for You

Arslan Mumtaz — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: October 2026 GoHighLevel updates: number pool calls are labelled by ad platform (Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Bing) and can ring up to six team members at once; WhatsApp got a rebuilt template builder, per-contact media and limited-time-offer templates; AI Studio added payments and checkout options, chat widgets and two-way GitHub sync; agencies can enable or disable features for many sub-accounts at once; and workflows can post internal comments with @mentions. Voice AI agents on the older Gemini Live preview model are reported to migrate on November 2, so test them after that date.

GoHighLevel ships new features almost every week, and it's easy to miss the ones that
matter. This is my monthly roundup of GoHighLevel updates: what changed, and what it
actually means for service businesses and agencies. This edition covers late September
and October 2026. I update this page each month.

1. The short version

Call tracking got smarter: number pool calls now show which ad platform they came from, and can ring several team members at once.
WhatsApp templates were rebuilt, with a new limited-time-offer template and per-contact media.
AI Studio keeps growing: payments, chat widgets and GitHub sync for apps built in HighLevel.
Agencies can switch features on or off for many sub-accounts at once.
Workflows can post internal comments into conversations, with @mentions.

2. Calls and call tracking

Ad platform labels on number pool calls

Calls through number pools are now labelled by platform: Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn and Bing. What it means: if you run ads on several platforms, you can finally see which one makes the phone ring, not just which one gets form fills. Pair it with proper UTM tracking for the full picture.

Ring several team members at once

Number pool calls can ring up to six chosen team members at the same time, on whichever device each prefers. What it means: fewer missed calls from paid ads. Keep missed-call text-back as the safety net for the ones nobody answers.

3. WhatsApp

Rebuilt template builder with a live phone preview.
Per-contact media: a template's image or file can be different for each contact (for example their own quote or ticket).
Limited-time-offer templates: a marketing template with a countdown and a copyable discount code, with the expiry set per send.

What it means: better-looking, more personal WhatsApp campaigns. Remember these are Marketing templates, which Meta charges for per message. See the GoHighLevel WhatsApp guide.

4. AI Studio

AI Studio, HighLevel's tool for building apps and sites with AI, has been adding features quickly:

Payments and checkout: apps can sell products through HighLevel's hosted checkout, now with configurable fields, a two-step lead-capture checkout and an order summary after payment.
Chat widgets: Live Chat and Email Chat can be built into AI Studio apps.
Git sync with GitHub: projects sync both ways with a GitHub repository, with secret scanning on pushes.

What it means: agencies can build small client portals, calculators and landing apps inside HighLevel instead of separate hosting. For anything that needs complex logic or other systems, custom code and the API are still the reliable route.

5. For agencies

Bulk feature control: enable or disable features for many sub-accounts in one go, with a history of each bulk change. Useful for rolling out (or hiding) new features across clients safely.
Sub-account tags (reported): tag and filter client accounts, for example by plan or niche.
A2P status per number (reported): Pending, Registered or Failed shown for each campaign number, plus clearer rejection guidance. See fixing rejected A2P campaigns.

6. Conversations and workflows

Internal comments from workflows: a new action posts a team-only comment into a conversation, with @mentions. Great for flagging a hot lead or an unhappy customer to the right person automatically.
Localised gift card messages: gift card emails and texts are translated automatically based on the locale.

7. Voice AI and Conversation AI

Voice AI model change: speech-to-speech agents can use Google's Gemini 3.8 Live model, and agents on the older Gemini 3.1 Flash Live Preview are reported to migrate automatically on November 2. Test your voice agents after that date.
Conversation AI (reported): new model options and agent on/off changes recorded in audit logs.

More on both in the Voice AI guide and Conversation AI setup.

8. What to do this month

If you run ads that drive calls, check the new platform labels in call tracking.
Set number pools to ring more than one person during business hours.
Agencies: review which features each client plan should have and use bulk control.
Add an internal-comment step to your hot-lead or complaint workflows.
Test Voice AI agents after November 2.

How I track updates

Items above come from HighLevel's official changelog; ones marked "reported" come from release roundups and should be confirmed in your account. Older guides on this site are updated when features change. New to the platform? Start with what GoHighLevel is.

Want new features set up for you?

I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds and maintains GoHighLevel systems. A monthly GHL VA plan keeps your account current with new features, or see pricing.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

Automating Guest Messages for Short-Term Rentals with GoHighLevel

Arslan Mumtaz — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Every stay needs the same seven messages, from booking confirmation to review request. Send them by hand across several properties and guest communication becomes a full-time job. Here's the guest message timeline I automate for short-term rental hosts and property managers, with example messages and the platform limits to plan around.

First, know where each message should come from

Booking platforms control how you can contact their guests. Some route messages through their own inbox and limit or mask guest contact details, and they have their own rules about moving guests off-platform. So in practice:

Platform bookings: many hosts send the stay messages through their property management system, which posts into the platform's inbox. GoHighLevel handles what happens around the stay: team coordination, and post-stay marketing to guests who gave consent.
Direct bookings: GoHighLevel can run the whole guest journey by SMS and email, because the guest booked with you directly.

Check your platforms' current host policies before you automate anything outside their messaging.

The 7-message guest timeline

1. Booking confirmation (immediately)

Hi Emma, you're booked at Harbour View Apartment for 12–15 March 🎉 We'll send check-in details 3 days before arrival. Any questions, just reply here.

2. Pre-arrival (3 days before)

Hi Emma, looking forward to having you on Friday! Here's your guide with directions, parking and Wi-Fi: [link]. Check-in is from 3pm.

3. Check-in details (morning of arrival)

Good morning Emma! Your entry code for today is [code], valid from 3pm. Reply if your arrival time changes.

4. Mid-stay check-in (first morning)

Hi Emma, hope you slept well! Is everything OK with the apartment? Let us know if you need anything.

This is the most underrated message. It catches small problems while you can still fix them, before they turn into a bad review.

5. Checkout reminder (evening before)

Hi Emma, a quick reminder that checkout is at 10am tomorrow. Just leave the keys on the kitchen counter. Safe travels!

6. Review request (after checkout)

Thanks for staying with us, Emma! If you enjoyed it, a quick review would mean a lot: [link]

7. Return-guest offer (months later, with consent)

Hi Emma, it's been a while! Book your next stay directly with us and get 10% off: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out.

Behind the scenes: team coordination

Cleaner turnover: when a guest checks out, the cleaner gets the property, time and next check-in automatically.
Maintenance: issues reported mid-stay create a task and notify whoever handles repairs.
Owner updates: property managers can send owners regular automated summaries.

Connecting your booking data

Messages need to fire from booking dates, so bookings have to reach GoHighLevel. Many property management systems and channel managers can send booking events through native integrations, Zapier, n8n or webhooks. Where there's no ready-made connection, I build it with webhooks and APIs. That's the kind of work I describe in when GoHighLevel isn't enough.

Growing direct bookings

Past guests are the cheapest bookings you'll ever get. With their consent, GoHighLevel can send return-stay offers, seasonal campaigns and occasion messages that point to your own booking page. A fast, custom direct-booking website helps here. See GoHighLevel website vs a custom website.

Rules to respect

Keep stay messages (service) separate from offers (marketing), so opt-outs never block check-in details.
Marketing texts and emails need consent. See my guides for the US, UK and EU and Australia.
Never send entry codes earlier than needed, and change them between guests.

Want your guest journey automated?

Hospitality and short-term rental guest communication is one of my specialisms. I can map your current guest journey and automate it in GoHighLevel. Start with a $97 audit, or see GoHighLevel for short-term rentals and pricing.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.

GoHighLevel Black Friday 2026: Past Deals, What to Expect and Is It Worth Waiting?

Arslan Mumtaz — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: HighLevel hasn't announced a 2026 Black Friday deal yet (as of mid-October 2026). In past years it typically offered 50% off the first three months of monthly plans for new customers, from late November into early December. Over a first year, annual billing (two months free: $194, $594 or $994 saved on Starter, Unlimited or Agency Pro) usually saves more than 50% off three months ($145.50, $445.50 or $745.50), but the Black Friday deal suits people who want to stay monthly. Prepare contacts, A2P details and your first automations before buying so the discount isn't wasted.

If you're about to sign up for GoHighLevel in October or November, it's worth
asking whether a Black Friday deal is coming. This guide covers what GoHighLevel has
offered in past years, what to expect in 2026, whether the deal actually beats annual
billing, and how to get set up so the discount isn't wasted on an account you never
use. I'll update it when the 2026 offer is announced.

1. Is there a GoHighLevel Black Friday deal in 2026?

Not announced yet (as of mid-October 2026). HighLevel usually runs a promotion from late November into early December, around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Be careful with pages already claiming a live "2026 deal": many are affiliate pages guessing from previous years. The only reliable source is HighLevel's own website once the sale starts.

2. What GoHighLevel offered in previous years

The usual pattern: 50% off the first three months on monthly plans, for new customers.
Timing: roughly the last week of November to the start of December.
Trial: in some years the discount replaced the normal free trial.
Existing customers and annual plans: reports differ year to year, so don't count on it.

These details come from reports of past sales rather than an official archive, so treat them as a guide to what's likely, not a promise.

3. Black Friday deal vs annual billing: which saves more?

GoHighLevel's annual billing gives you two months free every year. Here's how that compares with a typical "50% off three months" offer over your first year:

Plan	Monthly price	Saving from 50% off 3 months	Saving from annual billing
Starter	$97	$145.50	$194
Unlimited	$297	$445.50	$594
Agency Pro	$497	$745.50	$994

If you're sure you'll use GoHighLevel for a year, annual billing usually saves more and is available any time. The Black Friday deal is better if you want to keep paying monthly, test it for a few months, or can't pay a year upfront. Full plan details are in GoHighLevel pricing 2026.

4. Should you wait for Black Friday?

Wait if you're still researching and have nothing ready to launch before December.
Don't wait if you're losing leads now. A month of missed calls and slow follow-up costs most service businesses more than the discount saves. See speed to lead.
Remember the trial: the normal 14-day trial lets you start learning now.

5. Get ready before the sale starts

The real cost of GoHighLevel isn't the subscription; it's an account that never gets set up. Prepare now so you can launch quickly:

Decide the plan: one business needs Starter; agencies with more than three clients need Unlimited. See what GoHighLevel is.
Export your contacts and clean them. See exporting and importing contacts.
Prepare your A2P 10DLC details (legal name, EIN, website, privacy policy) if you'll text US customers. See what is 10DLC.
Write down your customer journey: enquiry, booking, reminders, follow-up, reviews.
List the three automations you want first. See 10 GoHighLevel automations.
Decide who will set it up: you, a VA or an expert. See GoHighLevel training and expert costs.

6. Avoid these mistakes

Buying Agency Pro or Unlimited when you only run one business.
Signing up through a page that promises a "secret" deal; use HighLevel's official site or a link you trust.
Forgetting usage costs: texts, calls, email and add-ons are on top of the plan.
Letting the discounted months pass without launching anything.

Want GoHighLevel live before the holidays?

I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who sets up GoHighLevel for service businesses and agencies. If you're signing up around Black Friday, I can have your core system (pipelines, calendars, forms, A2P and your first automations) running within days. See pricing (setup from $397) or book a free call.

Originally published at arslanautomates.com. I'm Arslan Mumtaz, a software engineer who builds GoHighLevel CRM and AI automation for service businesses. See my case studies or book a call.