DSS (Deep Sea Supply)---Warning

[Dogbowl]

I don't have a dog in this fight (although I did have one conversation with Tobin when originally looking for a BP/W and it was a helpful, if strongly opinionated, conversation), but I have started and run three different service businesses, and in my companies there was no such thing as an inconvenience when it came to customers - and all my employees knew this. I once jumped into a truck to drive 2 hours to deliver a $0.50 part immediately after receiving a call, even though I could have put them off and delivered or shipped it when convenient to us, or at least have one of my employees make the trip. This was primary to send a message to our employees about how we treat customers. It always paid off many times over and cemented our reputation for great customer service. But this is America, and any company is free to run anyway they chose and deal with the consequences. But for me, customer service is key when I'm looking to purchase something.

@mi000ke , what do you sell? I want to buy some.

 

[drrich2]

I knew the wing was out of warranty, and I was wondering if he would stand behind his product even though
past warranty.

I also said I would be willing to buy a
new wing if he wouldn't stand by his product.

Obviously we don't have a transcript of the original conversation and I don't want to read much into the above statements. I'm posting to clarify.

Did you by chance, in the conversation, especially before things got heated, actually ask Tobin something to the effect of whether he would 'stand behind his product?'

May just be me, but I can imagine somebody, especially fed up with a bad day (speculation on both counts; I don't know), perceiving that as offensive, though you may not've consciously intended it that way. Of course, your wording with him may've been different. When intelligent people converse and things get out of hand, sometimes it pays to look for things like this to explain where it went wrong.

Richard.

 

[BoltSnap]

Some folks find you that way at times

I am glad that it isn't all of the time!

I love you too!!! (You are getting a true Arab bear-hug and big kiss from me next time we meet. I hope at DEMA this year if I can make it)

 

[mi000ke]

@mi000ke , what do you sell? I want to buy some.

Ha Ha! Nothing these days since I retired. Ran a leasing company, an online education company, and a management consulting company. (The story about the part delivery was with the leasing company.) Turned me from a flaming liberal into a flaming liberal who believes in the free market (to a point). Always believed that if we could not attract and keep customers by providing a high quality service at the right (profitable) price, we deserved to go out of business. Things turned out pretty well in the end.

 

[ams511]

He's advertised DSS's move to Nevada for months, and explained the logistics in great detail on this board, and it doesn't surprise me in the least that he's not in a position to drop everything and help with an out-of-warranty issue. It's just bad luck/timing. That's not OP's fault, but it isn't Tobin's either, IMHO. DSS will remain a go-to for me.

This is news to me, where did he advertise it? His website made no mention of it until he shut it down.

 

[ams511]

I have no business here, but this is the internet so I can share my opinion.

So your warranty expires before you used it and it is his problem? you should always check stuff when you first receive it. Now he didn't do more than he stated he would when you purchased it so you have to write a bad review. This is just the modern version of a temper tantrum.

You are right, you have no business here because you don't know what you are talking about. The DSS Torus wing has does not have an accessible bladder. The shell is sewn shut, so you need to send it back to DSS for repair. The LCD wing does have an accessible bladder, BUT DSS does not recommend patching the wing and does not sell the bladders. The only way to get a new bladder is to sent the damaged wing back to DSS for a bladder replacement. So the OP's only choice is to buy another wing or stop diving until Tobin decides if and when to open up again.

 

[ams511]

The universal, or at least near universal consensus, is that DSS has top quality gear and that it is an up-and-up business that stands behind that gear. It is also true that the bedside manner may not always the best. But, that's a different issue.

This is not a universal consensus by a long shot. There is nothing special about DSS gear, it is not any better in quality than most other gear on the market. Anyone that says that it is either his friend or has nothing else to compare it to. Also Tobin does not stand behind his work. I sent a wing to him years ago for bladder replacement. The wing came back not holding air. It would go flat in about 2 hours. It was my fault, my inflator was bad, my fittings are bad, blah, blah, blah. He would not take responsibility for not testing the wing before sending it. I swapped out the fittings with another good wing and my fittings were fine, it is his repair that was not fine.

 

[Skyflyer]

ams511: I'm sorry you had a bad experience too. I have no doubt he knows more than most about diving and especially gear (just ask him), but you didn't need to be treated like that. The man is shooting himself in the foot all the while thinking..."that felt good!" To the guy who stands by him...my hat is off to you for your loyalty. Will you stand by him if your hose starts leaking at 120' and he leaves you without air with no deco? I'm glad mine happened at 15'!

 

[Damselfish]

Tobin got ruder? Didn't know that could be a thing. I was going to buy his wing years ago till I saw how he acts on the forum.

yeah, that. I was considering a DSS Kydex plate at one point, but after seeing Tobin's attitude on this board I dropped the idea.

 

[EireDiver606]

How do you know you don’t just have very fragile skin and are blowing this whole thread out of proportion.
(This post is not meant to insult you in anyway just to create a bit of perspective from his point of view, especially as he’s not here to defend himself and this is extremely embarrassing for him). This is just for perspective.

Imagine what it must feel like to be moving an entire business 1000 miles on his own. He’s probably getting less than 6 hours sleep a night and probably answering 200 phone calls a day, when half of them are from people who don’t know he’s temporarily out of business and who are moaning to fix their wing for free that is out of warrant, on top of that, he probably had a really stressful day...

Have you ever bitten someone’s head off when they were only nice to you? Of course you have, everyone has and you feel bad about it afterwards.

Moral of the story:
1. Get thicker skin.
2. I think it’s ridiculous that you’re trying to slander and harm his name relating to his business which is his only source of income on a forum that lots of people will see...that to me is criminal at the very least.

3. If you’re this unpleased about the bloody situation, call him upfront and tell him that, don’t go straight behind his back and do this. This is horrible. That’s what 12 yr olds in my opinion do (I’m not calling you a 12yr old).

Would you like it if someone did this to you when you were going through a hard and stressful time?