What do you look for in a dive center?

[Insert Catchy name]

For the people in the store not to act as if they are doing YOU a favor. There are a few LDS here. One happens to be the biggest with the most other stores in other city's. Both the one in my town and the one in Sarasota, the people that work there are such ass'. They really do act as if it is your pleasure to spend your money there. If you are new to diving you are made to feel stupid for asking questions.

Guess when you are the only game in town you can act this way.

 

[james croft]

All I require from a dive shop is air. And if they don't have that, I will get it from the fire dept. or my own compressor if need be.

 

[TennisCoach]

Good staffers are able to make recommendations, but don't get preachy, and are willing to work with each customer, based on skill level, the type of diving they plan on, and budget. I used to train bicycle sales staff and always tried to teach them that it was more important to listen than to speak.

Funny I was gonna say the same thing. I did sales for a long time and also use to train the new recruits, and one of the most important things that I used to tell them is listen to the customer. It is ok to upsale but do it as a sugestion not as a nesecity. The customer that wants to buy cheap stuff is gonna get it one way or another. If you help them you get the sale if you tell them that what they wanna buy is not good then you are going to lose the sale.
Also the store should have good displays and carry a couple of brands. The other day I went to 2 diving shops one had everything organized and had displays of almost everything for Scuba even a display just for the bumper stickers. Then I went to another one that looked more like a tackle shop that a diving shop. Not a single regulator on site It had 3 new Bcs hanging on the wall with something hanging in front of them and no price on the merchandise. The guy did not speak english and because I look like American the guy did not approach me to help me. I was in there for like a minute and then I ran out.

 

[Supershark]

A good Dive Centre must have:
1) Friendly, knowledgeable staff.
2) A good range of gear from many brands, and the ability to order gear quickly.
3) A proper purpose built dive pool.
4) Staff that still love to dive.
5) Their own boat/transport.
6) Be busy, good shops get good customers.

 

[TSandM]

Here are a couple of things I like in the physical layout of the store:

Have separate entrances for retail customers and wet gear. If possible, have the entrance that tanks for fills go through be close to parking, and not up or down any stairs (ramp if necessary!)

Have the service area be clean and well organized. I feel better about having my regulator full of little tiny parts taken apart somewhere where the counter is a clean, white surface.

Have some inventory. I know this is difficult, because inventory costs money, but in this day of the internet, the BIG advantage my LDS has is that I can a) try things on and b) take them home TODAY. If an item has to be ordered, why would I order it through my shop and wait the same length of time (or longer) and pay more for it in the long run?

Have legible prices on goods. I HATE places that don't have price tags, or have them in tiny, pale grey numbers that I can't read. I don't WANT to have to go ask someone what something costs.

Making an effort to have the showroom attractive -- nice (though commercial) carpet, clean painted walls, some photographs or posters professionally displayed (not thumbtacked), good lighting -- makes a shop pleasant to go into, although I'm with everybody else about that: The bottom line is the people. If I feel as though the folks in the shop are glad to see me, I go there more often and with a better attitude. If the shops folks go out of their way for me a time or two, I'll make an effort to spend my money there rather than ordering elsewhere. The people, their attitude and their business practices are what make or break a dive shop in the long run.

 

[h90]

I see your point. Most people wouldn't want to do their pool training in a 6 ft. deep pool though. When I was first certified, there was a regular pool for the swimming requirements but there was an above-ground 15ft cylinder tank that was used for the pool work. It was nice to be able to go to the bottom and actually feel like I was underwater instead of feeling like I'm just barely under the surface.

If you were building a dive center, what would you like it to have?

Well I considered if they don't have a pool they need to go with the car somewhere 10 min away to find a good pool, but that might be not true in every area.

 

[avnj]

Not only honesty and customer service but clear policies also that everone can see or look up. I almost signed up to take a class at one shop where the price of the corse was just the tip of the iceberg, it didn't include all the stuff you had to get with the corse. I don't have a problem with buying more gear but it was like oh you have to get this and this and this and it has to be from us and you can't get it somewhere else. It was such a turnoff I won't go their again.
Be upfront and don't force a sale you will lose out much more.

 

[rstofer]

Have legible prices on goods. I HATE places that don't have price tags, or have them in tiny, pale grey numbers that I can't read. I don't WANT to have to go ask someone what something costs.

The thing I hate is variable pricing. One price for me, a lower price for someone else. If they have a web presence, why are they charging more in the store?

The thing is, I dislike dickering over price. I didn't like it in Singapore where it is a way of life and I don't like it here. One price, clearly marked, the same for everyone. Most often, it doesn't work that way.

So, I buy a lot of my stuff on line. One thing about eCommerce, you know the price going in. There's no embarrassing negotiation. Just enter your credit card information and the stuff ships.

Richard

 

[miketrance84]

The thing I hate is variable pricing. One price for me, a lower price for someone else. If they have a web presence, why are they charging more in the store?

The thing is, I dislike dickering over price. I didn't like it in Singapore where it is a way of life and I don't like it here. One price, clearly marked, the same for everyone. Most often, it doesn't work that way.

So, I buy a lot of my stuff on line. One thing about eCommerce, you know the price going in. There's no embarrassing negotiation. Just enter your credit card information and the stuff ships.

Richard

I personally don't mind a dive shop rewarding frequent customers with a lower markup. I think its an incentive to keep good customers coming back. Its nice to get the advice of a LDS. I still go there for all major purchases. They will discuss things with me until I understand them to my satisfaction and it always seems although they want to make a sale, it doesnt matter what they sell the latest and greatest or something cheap as long as the customer gets the right peice of equiptment for their level of diving and their expectations.

I think the best dive shop attitude is keep people diving happy and longer and they will be customers longer.

 

[sabbath999]

What I look for in an LDS is a large selection of tank bangers...

It is important to have a wide range of color choices...