Scuba-Do in Key Largo closed

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Couple of dive ops are really expanding and this might also be a factor
 
I like Conch Republic......treat me like I'm family that they just saw yesterday, even though my last visit might have been 9 months in the past.

That's also why I like my LDS Jupiter Dive Center so much too.

And both of them are using guest management software. I just dove with Conch Republic in the spring and I hadn't dove with them for 2 years. 3 weeks before my trip when I talked to Brenda {and without a single bit of the call's info from me} she said she knew I liked to spearfish but would keep an eye on reservations if a separate boat could be put together for spearo's. She also knew I was an intermediate photographer and on the first day of my trip, had me introduced to a huge well known Discovery Channel photographer that I was able to share our shark encounters with and I got to dive with him. When I got to the counter the 1st day, she already saw in her program that I had my own steel tanks and offered {and I bought} a nitrox fill promotion. I haven't dove with CRD in 2 years and they completely knew exactly what I liked and needed and that not only translates into dollars, but more importantly it translates into referrals & reviews $$$$$.

Jupiter Dive Center is the same way. They know their customers inside and out. Talk about employee retention! Capt Mike has been there atleast 25 years and Capt Tim, a heck of a long time. When they do roll call they say... "and I see Johnoly, I see Beth, etc". Before that shop even opens in the morning, they know who is going to walk thru the door, what they like, and what promotions they can tell them about (including a free upcoming birthday dive)

It's a digital age and any shop not using guest service management (GSM) software (most work on smart phones too) they won't be around in the next half decade. For great GSM and repeat business, a customer will never even notice the software but they will appreciate the personal attention and remember it.
 
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Johnoly, do you sell guest service management software by chance? hehe
 
Johnoly, do you sell guest service management software by chance? hehe

I use customer service management for retail, but there is no way it would work the dive business. When I go to DEMA, I see hundreds of software programs offered, but I honestly wouldn't have a clue which one was better or fit best to different types of shops.

All I know is that those shops that are using some kind of GSM are growing and getting more new referrals than shops that are doing business the old way and their customers are retiring from the sport. Too many shops think its just cut price & be cheapest. It's all about customer service. There's one Cozumel shop that tracks where their guest go out to eat dinner and then the next time they come to town, recommends similar new places that have just opened so they can try it. That's incredible guest service to make a person's vacation memorable!
 
FWIW their rental building is tented, maybe unrelated.Rumors circulating for several months, this op has relocated multiple times. Top Instructor left them a few months ago and now works with me. Wish no ill will to anyone but the shake out in the Upper Keys was inevitable with too many boats chasing too few divers.Further complicating is the apparent consolidation of dock space in Key Largo and the redevelopment of the Upper Keys in general, with an emphasis on high end accommodations. Changes coming and it looks soon.
 
I use customer service management for retail, but there is no way it would work the dive business. When I go to DEMA, I see hundreds of software programs offered, but I honestly wouldn't have a clue which one was better or fit best to different types of shops.

All I know is that those shops that are using some kind of GSM are growing and getting more new referrals than shops that are doing business the old way and their customers are retiring from the sport. Too many shops think its just cut price & be cheapest. It's all about customer service. There's one Cozumel shop that tracks where their guest go out to eat dinner and then the next time they come to town, recommends similar new places that have just opened so they can try it. That's incredible guest service to make a person's vacation memorable!

Both Jupiter and Conch Republic Divers and a few other shows in SE Florida and the Keys are using Scubaocity which is a dive shop scheduling / tracking system. I wrote this software some 8 years ago and continue to improve it. As mentioned it can see what the profile of a customer likes so when they book again we can instantly pull have what they like and don't like.

Being a dive shop owner for 12 plus years we have seen what works and doesn't work with our business. Being able to track what a customer has done gives us insight into what they might want to do when calling/booking. Also the system gives customers access to future, present, and past dives is also a part of the system allowing the customer to book online, see what the dive conditions were for any previous dives, and also log in to see what dives they have done with the shop. All this can be done on the dive shops outside dive calendar.

We have another tool that helps you search all the dive centers using Scubaocity from your mobile device. Here are two links that allow you to search those dive centers and actually book with them directly.

Scubocity's Mobile Dive Search - Link works on mobile device
Scubaocity's Dive Search

Thanks for noticing Johnoly and hopefully more dive centers will come into the 21st century. I've tried to introduce the system to more dive shops, but some are fearful of new technology.

Good Diving
Capt Gary
 
Both Jupiter and Conch Republic Divers and a few other shows in SE Florida and the Keys are using Scubaocity which is a dive shop scheduling / tracking system...........Also the system gives customers access to future, present, and past dives.....
We have another tool that helps you search all the dive centers using Scubaocity from your mobile device.
Good Diving
Capt Gary

Capt Gary: you showed me the functionality of the customer portion of the Scubaocity site this last weekend when I was diving with your shop. It is pretty sweet!

BTW: I had an excellent time with you and your crew. The dive schedule was perfect in that 9 of the 14 dives were deep reefs or the wrecks and of the 5 shallow dives, one was twilight and the other a night dive. Perfect way to spend a long weekend in the Keys! -Rick
 
There is an ironic story Sportxlh diving this weekend. We actually were both on the boat together both Saturday and Sunday and did some chatting. It wasn't until Monday when he posted on another thread about diving there this weekend. We both put 2 and 2 together. Scubaboard is a small world.
 
Sorry I'm late to the thread but I have some insight into the closing of scuba do. My sister (who also dives) has a friend who worked as a DM for scubaDo, and what happened was they got bought out by a French couple who hardly spoke English, nor knew how to dive. It also didn't help that the owners lived in France and couldn't be at the shop for extended periods of time. Then the new owners had no idea how to run the shop, stopped paying the employees on time and genrally didn't care much for it. Most of the employees left right after the shop got bought out by the new owners because they knew it was only a matter of time before they got screwed over by the owners. Off hand I know Kim Chapman went to ocean divers and dale rhamsey went to rainbow reef. Both are quality instructors who I'm glad to have trained under. I'm surprised the shop lasted this long after the new owners.
 
Sorry I'm late to the thread but I have some insight into the closing of scuba do. My sister (who also dives) has a friend who worked as a DM for scubaDo, and what happened was they got bought out by a French couple who hardly spoke English, nor knew how to dive. It also didn't help that the owners lived in France and couldn't be at the shop for extended periods of time. Then the new owners had no idea how to run the shop, stopped paying the employees on time and genrally didn't care much for it. Most of the employees left right after the shop got bought out by the new owners because they knew it was only a matter of time before they got screwed over by the owners. Off hand I know Kim Chapman went to ocean divers and dale rhamsey went to rainbow reef. Both are quality instructors who I'm glad to have trained under. I'm surprised the shop lasted this long after the new owners.

I was shocked when I found out. My husband, and I got our AOW with them back in April. We were so happy with the way they worked as a team that we decided to go back and get Nitrox certified. I personally had dealt with Caroline. She was amazing. She would email me even at 10 pm so not sure where everything went wrong. I personally will miss them. Most dive boats in the keys are filled with a lot of divers/snorkelers taking away all the joy from diving. Being used to diving in Fiji, and SE Asia where they really spoil you when it comes to diving, believe me Scuba-do did a good job, at least for us.

Diane was our dive instructor. She has to be one of the best dive instructors I've ever met.
 
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