Banned from Pro Dive

[Rick Murchison]

I have seen shops who have, essentially, three different policies for staff:
(1) Everyone must use what the shop sells
(2) Everyone is encouraged to use what the shop sells, and, when replacing old gear, must replace it with what the shop sells.
(3) No restrictions.
Now, if this shop is a type (1) shop, isn't it better to tell the student about it before the course than afterwards when they're expecting to be hired? (Now granted, the method reported in the original post was high-handed and beyond reason - but the timing at least was good.)
Rick

 

[MikeFerrara]

dc4bs once bubbled...
Now that I've read the nitrox-banishment thread I can see why you got riled...

You had me worried there for a moment.

I'm not riled but I'm not happy with this industry either. It's agood thing this is a long weekend. You know how people say they feel like crawling in a hole? Well that's exactly what I'm going to do. We're diving a muddy hole in Kentucky that they say has a cave in it.

 

[cudachaser]

I'm an independent instructor, though I do work alot thru a LDS. These guys are great...I teach the classes...They sell the equipment. Free pool and classroom ... all they is ask that I funnel the students their way, no hard pitches just let the students that they are there.

They are very well knowlable of mail order prices and try to stay competitive. It's a very synergestic relationship. I have worked with these guys for over 20 years and the entire relastionship has be Totally positive. They snagged me only after nasty relationship I had with another dive shop that was into the hard sales gimmic.

If the LDS is going to survive they are going to have adapt to the market....they can't bury their heads with mail order....it's here for good...they have to get creative...

I deal a lot the surfing industry...a shop that sells only boards is doomed to failure....clothing is the biggest seller...makes most of their bills.

One thing I notice from some of the polls in this group....we are very intelligent group...not very subject to BS. A dive shop operator has to be very familiar with all the lines that are out there and what particular pluses their system excells in...but never never knock the students choice or never knock other equipment. Hard sales pitches do nothing but turn the perspective buyer off. They will probably resort to online sales or find someone that is cheaper from that point on. They will walk away with a negative attitude and only use them as air filling station with only minimal purchases

My opinion

 

[RICHinNC]

Having just read another thread where an lds kicked a guy out of class because he bought his gear on line......it is getting time to show the lds' in court that customers have rights....lds' can only pick and choose their customers to a point.

 

[Pez de Diablo]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
I think they should just shut down every LDS on the face of the planet right now.

LOL

I knew a guy that had a dive shop, he kept the doors open by dipping into his and his wifes retirement money. Once that was all gone he sold the shop (for pennies we are lead to believe) and went back to being a drilling engineer.

Now that he is gone, I have moved my support to another LDS down the street. Where I am treated right and pay fair prices, just like the last one.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Pez de Diablo once bubbled...


LOL

I knew a guy that had a dive shop, he kept the doors open by dipping into his and his wifes retirement money.

Boy could I tell a story. Lets just say I will be one of those little old seniors cleaning tables at Mcdonalds cause the prospects for retirement aren't looking very good.

 

[MikeFerrara]

RICHinNC once bubbled...
Having just read another thread where an lds kicked a guy out of class because he bought his gear on line......it is getting time to show the lds' in court that customers have rights....

You don't have a hair on your butt if you don't.

You people are somthin...one minute your fighting to keep your business out of the dive shop and the next minute your fighting to get in. You crack me up.

 

[Doof]

I'm beginning to feel as though I've lived a sheltered life.

My LDS has never pulled any of this **** on me. They don't care what we use for equipment or where we got it. Hell, one of the employees actually pointed me to diveinn.com to pick up my regulators, and when she found out that I could get the computer I'm interested in for $150 less online, she said she'd probably do it, too.

Of course, I do buy MOST of my stuff there, including my first computer, drysuit, etc.

It probably also helps that they're the only dive shop within an hour's drive of this area. Even with the lack of local competition, they're prices are lower than any of the other shops I've been to. They just recognize that some levels of savings are difficult to ignore as a consumer, and that the current economy isn't any easier on us customers than it is them.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

RICHinNC once bubbled...
Having just read another thread where an lds kicked a guy out of class because he bought his gear on line......it is getting time to show the lds' in court that customers have rights....lds' can only pick and choose their customers to a point.

What an incredible crock. You armchair lawyers are laughable.

LDS' are private businesses. They have no obligation to serve you and you have no right to demand service.

You are, of course, free to walk away and watch them go out of business. But that's it.

You can be refused for any reason that is not related to unlawful discrimination.

I'd love to see someone take my LDS to court. By the time it finished, the plaintiff and his/her attorney would be paying for my next set of doubles and a couple of trips out of their own pockets.

Even better, the LDS still wouldn't need to serve them.

 

[dugandiving]

I presume your attitude is an example of the ethics of the american lawyer.