Biggest thing killing dive shops?

[Marie13]

Come try the Great Lakes.....

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Come try the Great Lakes.....

I’m the type that would.

 

[scubadada]

Here is something for dive shops to think about.

My wife and I recently purchased a new camera at a local camera dealer. We could have gotten it cheaper online, but we bought it locally. It is by no means a high end camera--far from it. Like all modern cameras, though, it has a ton of features, and the instructions were not all that great. The camera shop offered a free lesson with the camera, and we took them up on it. Yesterday we sat down for over an hour with one of the managers while he went over the camera's features with us, showing us stuff we ever could have figured out on our own.

Neither of the dive shops I have worked with do anything like that for people purchasing computers or the like.

I recently bought a new camera and housing in person at an underwater photo and video shop, Reef Photo in Ft Lauderdale. I spent about 4 hours in the shop the day I bought it, they helped immensely in my choosing from 2 final candidates. They went over the camera and housing in great detail so that I would have an understanding of most of the features. They also helped me pick good starting settings to get me going. I have emailed the store 3 or 4 times with questions that have come up and they always get back to me promptly, with thoughtful responses. I could have saved a little money buying online, but I would have missed out on the personal attention, education, and follow-up. I became friends with one of the divers I met in the shop, we dive together occasionally, he always has a few helpful hints for improvement or flexibility. For me, worth every penny, and much more

 

[dmaziuk]

... The camera shop offered a free lesson with the camera, and we took them up on it.
...
Neither of the dive shops I have worked with do anything like that for people purchasing computers or the like.

Quite the opposite: whichever on-line shop I bought our computers from (I forget) included cards for @DiveNav's lessons.

 

[DevonDiver]

New article I wrote just recently: The Desperate Dive Shop

 

[Trace Malinowski]

New article I wrote just recently: The Desperate Dive Shop

That should be required reading during instructor training.

 

[markmud]

New article I wrote just recently: The Desperate Dive Shop

Way to go Andy! Well written and the graphics add to your message perfectly.

+1+1+1+1

And now, I am going back to your article and will click on the linked article at the bottom!

thanks,
markm

 

[HantsDiver]

New article I wrote just recently: The Desperate Dive Shop

I agree with the sentiment of that for the most part.

But it's totally wrong. Go to Bans on Koh Tao and tell me that the model you are knocking doesn't work. I could name companies like Bans all over Asia which work incredibly well using that business model. The only difference is that they sell very little equipment and don't rely on it to pay the bills.

Low price training doesn't have to be crap. If you or @Trace Malinowski chose to do a course for free or for a discount I'm sure you'd still do a good job. I've not done any courses - but I'm sure some BSAC instructors are decent and they are very cheap.

What low prices do is stop those who want to charge more, from being able to do so unless you can offer something the consumer sees as more valuable. That's the basis of a free market.

 

[markmud]

Hi Andy,

Your second article on the topic was superb!
An Evaluation of the Modern Scuba Diving Training Industry

I am your quintessential "Hobbyist Diver". And as you describe in your article, I have moved between categories for the exact reasons you stated: LIFE.

Your last two paragraphs were right-on and fit my overall experience with diving very well.

I have c-card-mill certifications up to tech 40 that don't seem to be of any value (don't get me wrong, some of my instructors were EXCELLENT; however, they are stuck with this system too). I go to an organized dive location and am evaluated on my diving skills throughout the week. On the last dive day, someone will invariably say: Hey, you're a good diver, next time you are here we will have to dive the good spots". BOVINE SCATOLOGY! Lowest common denominator diving sucks.

A good writer makes the reader feel as though the article was written for them, personally. I got that feeling from both your articles. I have read other articles of yours and felt the same way.

thanks,
markm

 

[markmud]

I agree with the sentiment of that for the most part.

But it's totally wrong. Go to Bans on Koh Tao and tell me that the model you are knocking doesn't work. I could name companies like Bans all over Asia which work incredibly well using that business model. The only difference is that they sell very little equipment and don't rely on it to pay the bills.

Low price training doesn't have to be crap. If you or @Trace Malinowski chose to do a course for free or for a discount I'm sure you'd still do a good job. I've not done any courses - but I'm sure some BSAC instructors are decent and they are very cheap.

What low prices do is stop those who want to charge more, from being able to do so unless you can offer something the consumer sees as more valuable. That's the basis of a free market.

Hi HantsDiver,

Could you reread your post? Do you see the economic fallacy that you have swerved into? Performing work for less than the cost of all resources is a free-market-system loser. It is the definition of failure.

When revenue is less than expenses, your business is insolvent. Unless of course, some entity is subsidizing your existence.

A healthy business requires profit.

Did I not understand your thinking?

thanks,
markm