why so mean..

[scarefaceDM]

Treat those they way you want to be treated. Come in and give attitude..you will get a smile and attitude back..simple right? Where ever you bought your gear any shop would look at it. It is all in the way you present yourself.

any reg that comes in gets a once over and a full service done. Period. Each piece of gear is serviced accordingly and billed as such. No bulk rates. Dude your life depends on this stuff. it is not some power tool you mess around with on the odd weekend...

Consider it an extension of your life line. Pay what you have to pay and get done what you have to get done.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Go in buy a few nick knacks ask for a business card to promote their store
etc. They may warm up to you.

 

[Garrobo]

Get a price for hourly service. Don't ask or say anything else. My first set of regs were a set of old Dacors I bought on Ebay and my local LDS (50 miles away) were happy to do the work on an hourly plus parts basis. Also, there are many reg service shops online with a standard fee.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Can they still service your Dacors? They are difficult to service if they can still find parts for them and I see why they wanted to charge an hourly rate if it takes longer then say a Sherwood regulator that's easy to service.

 

[siikik]

What Lead carrier said, plus if you really are in FL they need to realize that there is probably another dive shop within 10 to 20 miles that you could take your gear to for service.

What does that particular LDS expect, that you sign your name in blood on a contract and only use their shop?! And if you do, is there a continuing discount on all gear purchases / service in the future?

And here in Orlando, they are even closer to each other than that! I frequented a shop... until I got a taste of their "true colors" and now I frequent a different one.

Simplified story... didn't buy my BC or regs from either shop but did spend what I would consider a good amount of money at each of them. The first, didn't like the "brand" I purchased and continued to treat me like I betrayed them. My new favorite LDS didn't care where I bought my stuff, they were quite happy to help me in every way a good shop should help a customer. It's all in the attitude... and guess who I will recommend from now on?

Years back, I ran my computer shop the same way... I didn't care where you bought it... if I could fix it, I would... only thing that confused people was if their system was under warranty (such as Dell or Gateway) I wouldn't work on it, stating that I would void their warranty if I did and that wouldn't be fair to them. I earned a lot of respect just for that attitude.

Today I can see that profit is the motivating factor... when you care more about $$ than helping a fellow diver, it shows and you shouldn't be in the business.



Ken

 

[TheScubaBOB]

Last year I bought a complete set of new gear and a lot of used stuff.

Brought my used bounty into the LDS where I purchased the new stuff and we dug through it together.

Art (at Sea Level Diving, Crystal Lake Illinois) was very helpful. I paid to get all of the used stuff serviced and we've had a good relationship since.

I'm scheduled for 3 more classes (PPB, Deep & Wreck) through his shop and my daughter is in the middle of her OW.

Heck he even sells used gear on consignment for people, I bought a used *pink* BCD for my wife from him.

 

[AbyssalPlains]

What did you expect? LDS's are in the business of selling equipment. The service business won't keep the ligihts on and classes don't make a lot of money either. Buying used equipment or equipment via the Internet takes food off their table. Did you think they would be happy for you?

I'm an underwater photographer. Can you please buy my photos? If you don't, I'll get really upset with you because you are taking food off my table.

Do I need to make myself more clear?

 

[rstofer]

you are right.....
but I was not trying to rub there nose in it...he was really nice about it asking all sorts of questions and it just slipped out.

He wasn't being nice about it! He was pumping you for information. He already knew he didn't sell the gear.

If you are bringing something in for service, the only information that need to be transferred is a) can they do it b) how much and c) how long.

Richard

 

[rstofer]

I'm an underwater photographer. Can you please buy my photos? If you don't, I'll get really upset with you because you are taking food off my table.

Do I need to make myself more clear?

I wasn't trying to justify the LDSs reaction; just explain it. The LDS was wrong but it is their business to run any stupid way they wish.

If you were a professional photographer selling to magazines and I was a hobbyist giving photos to the same magazine, I would indeed be taking food off your table and I doubt we would be best buds.

Were I the OP, I would get service prices from more than one LDS. I don't think there is a future in the existing relationship.

Richard

 

[Jupiter31]

I can understand the attitude - sorta - from an LDS when someone comes into the shop, tries on a bunch of eq, asks a lot of questions, and later shows up with the exact gear from an on line source w/out giving the LDS an opportunity to match, or come close to the on line price.

They are, after all a business, even if some don't run it in a very businesslike or professional manner - lets face it, few LDS owners came out of IBM or corporate America.

IMO, YOU did nothing wrong, and the LDS was wasting his time pumping you for info; what did it matter; its a done deal and you did not waste his time as in my example above.

But I do agree, find another shop to deal with - and if you bring in the equipment for service, you are under no obligation to to disclose its origins - hell, if they are that curious, they can likely trace it via the serial numbers.

I suspect you are a new diver, walked in and asked them to "check out" your eq, and thats what started the conversation.

It really should not have mattered, but you got an early lesson on why many LDS' are experiencing problems.

Instead of getting into a needless argument with a customer, that accomplishes nothing, they should have cultivated you as a customer, so your next purchase is with them.