I'll go ahead and throw my story into the pot as well.
I'll preface by stating that the closest LDS is over 100 miles away from me, but there are at least a half dozen down there in OKC, plus more in Tulsa if I wanted to drive East instead of South.
THE BAD
Last year I was planning a dive trip during a short military stay in another state. My tanks were out of hydro so I decided to try the oldest scuba shop in OKC. I figure they must be doing something right to stay open so long. I take my tanks down and explain the situation. Owner says 'sure, no problem' They would send the tanks off on Monday, and have them back the next monday. I get a call the next monday that they had screwed up and not sent the tanks. They would go that day with a 'rush order' and have them back Wed or Thurs. So I call Wed, and talk to the "phone answerer" who says she doesnt know anything about my tanks but none have come back. I call the next day and get told the same story. Now I'm getting pissed. I am driving though town on my way to the Army meeting and decide to make the detour over to the shop and see if MAYBE my tanks were there. I arrive at the shop at 10:30 am. Lights in the LDS are off, door locked. Sign on the shop door says they opened half and hour ago. I call the shop (maybe owner in back, didnt realize the time). All I get is the recording saying, AGAIN, that they opened at 10:00.
When I get back home and call the shop a week later I'm told that the tanks are in and ready. When I get down to pick them up he explains that they didnt get logged in his book, so the other worker (lady) didnt know about them and didnt go actually look at the "ready" tanks to see if mine were there. I expected him to offer me a discount for all this BS but he didn't. Several weeks later, after cooling down I decide to give them a second chance. I call about an UW camera part I need to replace since they are an authorized dealer for the line. The owner tells me he thinks it's such-and-such a price, but he'll have to call the company and verify, since he doesn't have it in stock.
Says he will call me back the next day with the answer (its late in the day at time of calling). He never calls, I never go back.
Now for the GOOD!
Blue Water Divers of OKC ROCKS!
I liked the website so I decided to make that the next shop to try out. FRIENDLY, FRIENDLY, FRIENDLY!
The owner stayed an hour late past normal close so I could drop off some regs for service on my way to my cruise. A+ I bought a safety sausage kit and some other small stuff (totaling over $120) from him at the time as a way to say thanks for the great service and staying late for me.
After picking up my regs from him, I was talking to him about some classes I wanted to take since I lived so far away. He's willing to work with me however I need to get the classes done. On top of this, he treated me like an old friend, even though this was the second to see me. AWSOME! another A+
I even tried to test him to see his true caliber. I talked about an Army buddy who was an instructor with a different organization that was going to teach the rescue diver class for me this summer. His response? 'Cool, thats a great class. Everyone should have it.' What? No jealousy? No PADI is the best, and you're better off taking it here? He's trully glad to see me taking a course to be a better diver whether through him or not!
He has great classes from OW through deco and beyond. I plan on taking all my future classes through this shop. I'll probably buy my next tanks (steels) from him to. When I can afford them that is.
I still love to get great deals from Ebay, but when it comes items I prefer to buy at an LDS, it will be his. He'll also get all my service business every year, on top of taking my future classes from him.
FD
