Hello all,
I am generally not a complainer, and when crap happens I just move on. However a recent a recent event at a drive shop makes me want to ask if I should do more.
I registered my son 17yo to do his AOW and my 19 yo daughter to do her OW at a our local LDS back for private classes on the 3rd of May. I explained that my Son was leaving for his moms in July for 3 1/2 weeks. The LDS has seen a recent boom in business and has had some issues keeping up with all their classes. Over the last year I had also purchased 3 new sets of year, (Atomic, Zeagle, Sunnto). I have had a good standing with the owner and other instructors at the shop diving at least 50 dives with them on top of gear purchase.
In short, it took my daughter 8 weeks to get certified. She had multi check out dives canceled, for unknown reasons, (Blue Grotto, Florida is never closed).
The really irritating part came with my son. As of today, almost 4 months later he has not finished his Check out dives. He has done 7 check out Dives with the LDS, including 2 Drifts, 2 deep, 2 grotto and 2 wrecks and 1 zero viz. (zero viz dive was to 110feet in a grotto)
During a casual dive with one of the over the summer, I was told that the shop has certified 2x more divers so far this year then all of last year combined.
I discovered at the first of August that the Dive shop submitted my son paperwork to PADI. I figured that maybe they were just going to pass him through. Sadly no. They said they were holding it till he completed his NAV and poll session.
So, since my sons return I have called the LDS, emailed, texted one of the instructors, regularly to get his last NAV dive in and poll session in. No response. This week I said heck with it and went online and paid for a replacement card. When I received the shipping notice, I Called the shop up the told them what I had done. During the call, I found out that the LDS and terminated 2 instructors, and the Owner was trying to clean up and do all the check out dives since he only had 2 part times instructors left. I also told them I wanted my son to finish the class.
Yesterday I received a call that the owner was Pissed and tried to call and cancel the cards delivery. I told them good luck I already had it.
My son has 32 dives, dives with me (AOW) and another Divemaster, we both feel safe taking the kid anywhere. He is very good diver and spent a lot of time in June in the LDS's pool with one of the former instructors helping with the youth classes.
The Odds of me going back to the LDS is minimal, other possible warranty work on gear. I am not and Instructor, but have been considering progressing through with the kid now to at least DM.
Did I do right by ordering his card and should I also call and report it to PADI?
Thanks all, I know it is a long read, but I wanted everything in the open.
I am generally not a complainer, and when crap happens I just move on. However a recent a recent event at a drive shop makes me want to ask if I should do more.
I registered my son 17yo to do his AOW and my 19 yo daughter to do her OW at a our local LDS back for private classes on the 3rd of May. I explained that my Son was leaving for his moms in July for 3 1/2 weeks. The LDS has seen a recent boom in business and has had some issues keeping up with all their classes. Over the last year I had also purchased 3 new sets of year, (Atomic, Zeagle, Sunnto). I have had a good standing with the owner and other instructors at the shop diving at least 50 dives with them on top of gear purchase.
In short, it took my daughter 8 weeks to get certified. She had multi check out dives canceled, for unknown reasons, (Blue Grotto, Florida is never closed).
The really irritating part came with my son. As of today, almost 4 months later he has not finished his Check out dives. He has done 7 check out Dives with the LDS, including 2 Drifts, 2 deep, 2 grotto and 2 wrecks and 1 zero viz. (zero viz dive was to 110feet in a grotto)
During a casual dive with one of the over the summer, I was told that the shop has certified 2x more divers so far this year then all of last year combined.
I discovered at the first of August that the Dive shop submitted my son paperwork to PADI. I figured that maybe they were just going to pass him through. Sadly no. They said they were holding it till he completed his NAV and poll session.
So, since my sons return I have called the LDS, emailed, texted one of the instructors, regularly to get his last NAV dive in and poll session in. No response. This week I said heck with it and went online and paid for a replacement card. When I received the shipping notice, I Called the shop up the told them what I had done. During the call, I found out that the LDS and terminated 2 instructors, and the Owner was trying to clean up and do all the check out dives since he only had 2 part times instructors left. I also told them I wanted my son to finish the class.
Yesterday I received a call that the owner was Pissed and tried to call and cancel the cards delivery. I told them good luck I already had it.
My son has 32 dives, dives with me (AOW) and another Divemaster, we both feel safe taking the kid anywhere. He is very good diver and spent a lot of time in June in the LDS's pool with one of the former instructors helping with the youth classes.
The Odds of me going back to the LDS is minimal, other possible warranty work on gear. I am not and Instructor, but have been considering progressing through with the kid now to at least DM.
Did I do right by ordering his card and should I also call and report it to PADI?
Thanks all, I know it is a long read, but I wanted everything in the open.