Do you think that's it, though? I've never taken a business course and it seems obvious to me. I wonder if there might be something else at work. Maybe not wanting to trash-talk other shops/instructors, or even to give the appearance of doing so?
Bloody dive shops...
- Thread starter Divectionist
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For dive shops, yes. A lot need to look at how to factor in costs, how to amortize assets, etc..
Fair enough; I was thinking more in terms of the narrow issue of marketing.
Field of Dreams thinking perhaps?
Shasta_man
Contributor
The business course is good, but as you point out, a lot of this could come out of just sitting down and thinking out what your problems are, and what it would take to solve them. Thinking from the customers point of view. What the customer would want, how you could show them X, etc. I think business owners get wrapped up in day to day things and everything from their point of view. They also probably think everything is very simple and there is little to reveal by a study of what they are doing, but there's actually a lot when you come from the angle of not knowing.
BTW, my input as a perspective customer on the video thing would be take video during the class and go over any interesting/useful parts with the individual student. If you see something that is generally useful for your training course, then I would ask if I could use for general business use. Otherwise, my default answer to an upfront request for marketing use would probably be no even though I can easily see the value of using the video. The issue is that using for marketing is such an open ended request. Just my 2 cents.
BTW, my input as a perspective customer on the video thing would be take video during the class and go over any interesting/useful parts with the individual student. If you see something that is generally useful for your training course, then I would ask if I could use for general business use. Otherwise, my default answer to an upfront request for marketing use would probably be no even though I can easily see the value of using the video. The issue is that using for marketing is such an open ended request. Just my 2 cents.
TheRealScubaSteve
Contributor
The majority probably do. I think a lot of new divers don't know much about the craft of classes and are looking at a cheaper alternative to see if they'll survive and/or like it. I don't think I shopped around too much when I first got certified, but I probably did to some extent.
As I got more experience and took classes with different instructors, I see now more than before the value in a good instructor. I'd be willing to pay a lot more for the instructor after "been there, done that" realizing that some instructors just stink.
That's why I don't currently teach tech. I haven't gotten my craft down on how to teach that thoroughly. I'd stink if I did.
TheRealScubaSteve
Contributor
I doubt it. People with an attitude such as yours are usually the best instructors in my experience. That's not to say that the poor instructors were flaunting how wonderful they were - hard to put to words about what makes one good vs bad, I suppose.
lol, you'd have to be reeeeeeeaaallly patient, as it would take a long time to get you there. I like to have conversations about expectations. I.e., what will they learn? How will they improve? What dives will this course provide? I think this is basic. Now that I think about it, I should answer these questions in the syllabus addendum's I have for my courses.
I don't consider myself a very good tech diver at this point. I haven't gone diving since my daughter was born in October (I used to get 150 dives per year, then I met my wife, and singlehood was over, I still dive though, just not as much). I'm hoping to in the coming weeks (one of the things I want for my birthday, go diving, then have a b-day party at my home with family and friends).
Huh, teach tech? I thought all you had to do is get a BPW then you are a tech diver. I've been fooled!
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