competition between local LDS

[wardric]

Here's the scenario.

- You live in a small city (population around 100 000).
- You want to encourage local LDSs
- There is only one LDS, where the service is at most average
- A new LDS opens
- the old LDS reacts to the new competition and the service becomes better than average. But he's really POed every time he learns an old customer visit the new store. He tells you openly that his goal is to force the other one to close and cuts the prices down.


Now, would you:

stick with the first LDS, he was there first
Go with the new one
go to both LDS alternatively (to keep the new competition in town)
go to both depending on the prices

you can vote in general but opinions on the specific scenario are more than welcomed

 

[loosebits]

Go to the one that you are having the best experience with (price, service, whole-ball-of-wax) and let the market decide. Without a coodinated effort, you alone aren't going to be able to influence the local market.

 

[Ed Palma]

I frequent 2 shops around here. While one shop has better prices on equipment and services, I've developed better rapport with the other shop (they give me less attitude), and have decided to throw some of my business there way this december - say, a computer maybe?

 

[wardric]

Yeah, but what I'm afraid of is that if the new LDS closes and the competition is out, the old one could revert to his bad habits. And if I stop going to the old one, I might have even worse service if the new one closes. So I would try to encourage the new one to keep the competition but I would still go to the old one to keep a good friendly service (not sure how to say that)

This being an hypothetical situation of course

 

[wardric]

Thanks Doc, rapport is the word I was lookin' for

 

[ReefHound]

Based on your scenario, I'm going with the new one. I don't like crappy attitudes like the one held by the original LDS. They are only improving because they are forced to, they clearly don't like it and will return to previous performance level (or worse) as soon as they can.

I'll assume the new shop is providing better service and prices than the original one did previously (since the original LDS had to improve to compete).

 

[Diver Dennis]

I agree with ReefHound. The old LDS had their chance and blew it.

 

[dive_lover88]

i would go to both alternatively and try to have a good rapport with both. If the old LDS keep saying things behind my back, i would almost certainly throw all my business to the new store. Heck i vote with my wallet, you cant stop me from buying from the new store.

In that small city, the diving popluation would also be small,therefore the word would get around fast about the better store. I agree with Dennis, the old store had it's chance and blew it. And also the chance of survival of the new store increases when the good word about it gets around.

 

[cerich]

The one I like the people in more. Price I could deal with because I wouldn't like the people not willing to work with me...

 

[Scuba Brad]

I'm with Loose Bits............its not as easy as making a decision on one dive shop or web site. We all have different sets of skills and do better at some thing than the others. To your earlier point too..........dive shops like Quick Service Restaurants do have people changes. Some of the folks that you have a good or bad experience with may have moved on.......perhaps even to the dive shop or web site you now like.

My motto is always to judge me by what I can do for you today. If I can't assist you today, what I did for you yesterday isn't all that important.

Happy Diving