Help Dealing With My LDS

[fireted]

Your not alone in your worries. I ordered 2 Al-100's from my LDS that used to be very very friendly when you were spending money, but wouldn't even welcome you when you walked thru the door if you needed something as meaningless as an Air fill ( which would come in at around 2700 psi).
I t took over 6 months to finially get them in.. First round the owner thought he knew what I wanted more than I did and ordered polished 100's, second go the tanks were at my LDS several times, yet when I showed up there were magically no where to be found. When then finially did show up, the boots were missing and I had to order them seperatly which took another few months. Never an apology, no discount nothing. So your not alone, even up here in Canada the same thing applies. I have worked for and taught threw numerous dive shops, the ones that were the worst to deal with and use were the ones run by penny counting "ACCOUNTING" types that were too busy and foolish to realize that $4 dollars worth of product with no markup would bring back your customers, but screw them over with stupid running around and lies and mark-up and you loose $$$$$$$ faster than the sun sets.

 

[mongodives]

I learned the same lesson, if the shop doesn't have it in the stockroom or floor, I order onlline.
Too bad your shop wasn't thinking big picture, future sales, by not providing better customer service.

 

[redacted]

Kinda funny after I got back to work with the tank boot I noticed it's for a rounded bottom tank and mine is flat.

Why are you putting a boot on a flat bottom tank. In most cases, it is entirely unnecessary and can be damaging.

 

[ReefHound]

If they are ordering it from any of their tank suppliers, they probally have to meet a minimum order, thats most likley the case, they shuold be honest with you and most people understand. They probally cannot order just one boot they have to add it in with a larger order.

And you know this better than the owner of a major dive shop?

"Tank boots normally are made by UK (underwater Kinetics) and are also distributed through 2 other distributors we deal with, and all three sources will sell and ship just one if I order it..."

See post #17.

 

[MountainM]

It always suprises me the way some dive shops treat their customers. It makes us (the rest of the dive shops) look bad. We always let the customer know the real situation on products that have been ordered and 99% of the time can match online price. Maybe being around for over 35 years helps I guess.

 

[SparticleBrane]

I have thankfully never had this issue with any shop I've patronized. When a drysuit I ordered was taking awhile to come in, the shop called me; apparently the manufacturer was having issues fulfilling orders. I decided to cancel the order even though I had already paid for it -- the shop and I decided to work out a deal where I just put that money towards other gear, and we were all happy. From that one good experience, I have sent multiple people there, spending thousands of dollars on gear. It pays to be nice and work with customers.

My motto is: "If you have to order it, I can order it myself". It's not out of malice, or disappointment, or spite. It's just easier and usually faster. I don't hold it against the retailer.

Usually I find this to be true. However, in the case of some larger orders (and some manufacturers) I have the shop order it.

 

[nwhitney2003]

It always suprises me the way some dive shops treat their customers. It makes us (the rest of the dive shops) look bad. We always let the customer know the real situation on products that have been ordered and 99% of the time can match online price. Maybe being around for over 35 years helps I guess.

This particular shop has been around since 1966.

 

[nwhitney2003]

Why are you putting a boot on a flat bottom tank. In most cases, it is entirely unnecessary and can be damaging.

Can you elaborate as to how this can be damaging?

 

[redacted]

Can you elaborate as to how this can be damaging?

Basically cosmetic damage to the finish on aluminum tanks. The boot may scratch the finish during installation and removal. The boot also holds sand and salt deposits and hides any corrosion they may foster (again it is aluminum so just a cosmetic issue). It is not really a big deal. But, unless you are trying to give your pool a little extra protection from a tank ding, there is just not much reason to have a boot on a flat bottom tank. I threw most of mine away, but I still have one somewhere in the garage that I slip on a tank if I have a newbie playing in the pool.

 

[MountainM]

Sorry, years go by and can get slightly out of whack. We offically opened 1970, always has and always will be a family business.

As for boots we usually like to keep them on to help stop tanks from rolling around as easily.