Bloody dive shops...

[Scraps]

Think of all the things you've wanted from your LDS that you can't get on line: fills, VIPs, regulator servicing, information on local dive sites, advice on gear purchases, service after the sale, training, etc.

What all of these things have in common is that someone has to give undivided attention to you or to your stuff to do them. Almost no transaction at a dive shop involves a customer walking in, selecting something to buy, and bringing it to the cashier to ring up.

Now look around at how many people are working in that dive shop at any given time to give all that undivided attention: usually two or three at most.

So yeah, when you walk into a random dive shop, there's a good chance that the owner or employee will be busy with someone else or on the phone arranging logistics for a dive or talking to a vendor. It's not designed to give instant gratification. It's designed to help enrich your diving hobby.

When you have to wait because the dive shop owner is giving thorough and attentive service to someone, console yourself with the thought that you will soon be getting that level of service yourself. Hang around and listen, wait patiently, or come back later when you can.

Treat your LDS like a resource, not like a vending machine. Everyone will get more out of the relationship.

 

[runsongas]

most dive shops do not have an actual business plan and it shows

 

[Shasta_man]

[Mod edit] I'm amazed about how many people with either positive or relatively positive LDS experiences live in places that are far from an ocean (though the Great Lakes is pretty much like an ocean). Perhaps that makes sense since it's even more important to keep customers once you find them.

That said, though I am somewhat close to the ocean, the LDS around here aren't so great. After completing certification courses with one of the primary ones, and bought a few thousand in gear, then rented some tanks, the relationship seemed to end when I wasn't buying anymore. Got that I am not their top customer, but I did come by at times, and the greeting and interest I got before was gone. Don't expect them to drop everything and carry me around the store but a simple hey, anything we can help you with?

The usual problem we have with businesses in this area of lots of people is that customer service and work quality suffers because they don't have to worry about pleasing you because another customer will be along soon. That crosses multiple businesses. Then those that appear to do good work have very inflated rates.

BTW, I did pick up some cool Australian terms in the thread like "rocked" and "stuffed around". Thanks!

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'm amazed about how many people with either positive or relatively positive LDS experiences live in places that are far from an ocean (though the Great Lakes is pretty much like an ocean). Perhaps that makes sense since it's even more important to keep customers once you find them.

That said, though I am somewhat close to the ocean, the LDS around here aren't so great. After completing certification courses with one of the primary ones, and bought a few thousand in gear, then rented some tanks, the relationship seemed to end when I wasn't buying anymore. Got that I am not their top customer, but I did come by at times, and the greeting and interest I got before was gone. Don't expect them to drop everything and carry me around the store but a simple hey, anything we can help you with?

The usual problem we have with businesses in this area of lots of people is that customer service and work quality suffers because they don't have to worry about pleasing you because another customer will be along soon. That crosses multiple businesses. Then those that appear to do good work have very inflated rates.

BTW, I did pick up some cool Australian terms in the thread like "rocked" and "stuffed around". Thanks!

The phrase that every customer should here is "Glad to see you? How have you been?"

Fostering a welcoming atmosphere, having regular organized shop dives where the focus is on fun, are key in my opinion to having a successful dive (sh)op. Make diving fun, make people feel valued for just being there, even if they haven't bought in over a year. Don't look at them as an ATM. Don't every screw them over. Don't sell them something that is wrong for them. If they buy elsewhere, try to win their business for servicing. Charge properly for classes (not loss leaders, this isn't 1995). Give quality experiences, from purchasing, to servicing, to courses, to just having a fun culture. People who stopped buying, stopped taking classes still provide business of servicing (if you do it right of course) and will bring in more people.

No one needs an MBA to figure this stuff out.

 

[TheRealScubaSteve]

No one [should] need an MBA to figure this stuff out.

Edited for clarity. In my limited experience, dive shops don't have a great percentage at figuring this out.

Out of the three local shops I've been to, two have gone out of business. The first I walked in with my father and we were ready to buy two full gear sets. The owner couldn't be bothered from leaving the counter and instead barked at us for bringing up brands that we had researched online and he sold. We never went back.

The second was okay. Great fills, helpful service, but they also tended to knock less expensive brands. They even lied about being dealers for certain brands simply because their margins weren't as high. We didn't find that out until they went out of business.

The third we found and said "aha, this is what a real dive shop is like."

 

[Belzelbub]

I'm amazed about how many people with either positive or relatively positive LDS experiences live in places that are far from an ocean (though the Great Lakes is pretty much like an ocean). Perhaps that makes sense since it's even more important to keep customers once you find them.

That said, though I am somewhat close to the ocean, the LDS around here aren't so great. After completing certification courses with one of the primary ones, and bought a few thousand in gear, then rented some tanks, the relationship seemed to end when I wasn't buying anymore. Got that I am not their top customer, but I did come by at times, and the greeting and interest I got before was gone. Don't expect them to drop everything and carry me around the store but a simple hey, anything we can help you with?

Yeah, that’s a good observation about proximity to the ocean, or really anywhere that might be have diving tourism. I’m also pretty close to water. There are five shops all over the place. Unfortunately, most of them suck. I’ve found a few that I like, though. One is my preferred shop, the other two are decent as well, and I’ll use them for items that my preferred shop is not a dealer of. My preferred shop greets me by name, just about all the staff recognize me, and those that don’t still greet me.

Now, there are some other shops in the area, that I just won’t spend any money in. One has a fairly large presence, and I’ve purchased gear from them in the past, and also did training with them. I was looking to upgrade something a while back. Despite having other options on the shelf, the staff would only point me toward their ScubaPro stuff. Happened a couple more times. I realize that ScubaPro makes good gear, it was just not what I was looking to buy, and they refused to talk about anything else. Their loss. Over the past 3 years or so, I’ve purchased 3 BCs, 2 regulator sets, 2 computers, and many other smaller pieces of gear. Not a dime went to that shop despite them being a dealer for the brands of regulators and BCs I purchased.

 

[Shasta_man]

Agree with the comments. While I can understand that some of these shops don't start out having a good understanding of what is actually important in business but they certainly have a lot of incentive once it's going to figure it out.

From all the comments about shops now and over the years, it seems to come down to trying to establish a positive relationship with your customers so they consider you first when they need something or someone asks them where to go for scuba X (classes, gear, trips, etc). Too many don't seem to understand that just because you don't buy what they have now, they should still try to give you a positive experience so you will come back for something else. As mentioned above, starts with when the customer walks in the door. Greet every customer. Ask whether they need help. Point them in the right direction. Give some insights into the product they are buying and what features can be helpful. If they don't want help, tell them you're available if they need it later. While ringing them up, point out the latest trip you're running. Don't have the camera store experience (we're too knowledge to bother talking to customers) Have the staff check in with the customers rather than all be in BS session the whole time the customer is wandering the store (one of the problems I encountered).

If they need service but didn't buy the gear there, have a price for service, but have a discounted price ready to offer along with "hey, sorry we have to charge for this service but we try to help our customers where we can". Doesn't have to be big but people get a warm fuzzy from saving any money. If you make more money on brand X, start by pointing to that as well as why it's a good product but, again as mentioned above, if the customer is going for something else, go with it so you sell them something. If they don't end up buying then "we're ready to help, come back when you need anything".

I can imagine that not every day is a perfect day and that there are some customers that you can't please, and that you don't have to give your profitability away but something similar has to be your mindset to have a successful business. If your staff isn't reflecting that, then fix that.

 

[Still Kicking]

Think of all the things you've wanted from your LDS that you can't get on line: fills, VIPs, regulator servicing, information on local dive sites, advice on gear purchases, service after the sale, training, etc.

What all of these things have in common......

The other thing that these have in common is that they are low-margin or zero-margin services. Too often I see customers who are happy to come in for these services, hang out, shoot the breeze and then buy gear online. Often it's these people are the first to moan when their LDS goes out of business.

And please don't come into the shop and tell us how stoked you are about your new bought-online scooter on the same day we got them in stock on the shop floor at a lower price. Just saying ....

 

[EFX]

The phrase that every customer should here is "Glad to see you? How have you been?" Fostering a welcoming atmosphere, having regular organized shop dives where the focus is on fun, are key in my opinion to having a successful dive (sh)op.

Earlier in my diving career I asked one of the instructors who was working at the LDS if they had a buddy list or knew of someone looking for a buddy. I was disappointed when they said no but wrote my name and info down if someone came along. Fortunately, they organized what they called a "fun day" at the local quarry once a month led by one of the shop instructors. For me, this was a God-send since I didn't have a regular buddy at the time. Organizing events like this is one way to keep and value prior customers. They also promoted yearly trips to warm exotic dive destinations (e.g. Cozumel, Bonaire, Cayman islands, etc.) which I took advantage of. Overall, my experience with this LDS was positive in the quality of service provided through their instruction and in their advice for equipment purchases.

 

[Shasta_man]

<<we got them in stock on the shop floor at a lower price>> Respectfully, I'd be surprised if this happened. The same price or slightly above, yeah but lower would be surprising otherwise the primary driver for not buying gear there would be gone.

However, I think the answer is a lot more complicated than that. It would be interesting to understand what is keeping some shops in business and whether that is just a quirk of thier own circumstances or something that could happen generally. The shop I was referencing has been in business more than 25 years.