Did SSI just get bought out by Mares?

[Avonthediver]

In a few words......HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!

The LDS I Master & Ins for is ALL Mares so I wonder if now I have to switch over from NAUI to SSI? Their was talk that they were going to drop NAUI in the next year so this would make since And I dont like it not one bit!
I started out SSI for OW and AOW and I did like how that LDS worked but it was so in house no master or instructor could work out side the shop and this was a big draw back to all my friends who wanted to work for the shop.
So it looks like time to call and get the full story.
DACOR was a great line and did no get the respect that it deserved. My frist set of gear was DACOR and so was my wife's, But I did buy her a big brad new set of gear....all MARES and she does love it. So I guess I will time will tell I guess thats busness!

 

[Avonthediver]

So why do you show Mares products in your shop on your website?

(Check last picture at the bottom of the page)

Atlantic Scuba, Scuba Diving Courses & Dive Boat Charter in Cornwall - Retail Shop

A few words........

 

[scubadiver888]

When I set my shop up in the U.K, because of other local dealers, Mares nor Scubapro would supply me. I then became an SSI school, Scubapro still would not supply me. I have my suppliers in place now so do not need Scubapro nor Mares.

p.s. When I set the shop up I offered 'cash with order' for all purchases, I still trade that way, I wasn't after credit at all.

So why do you show Mares products in your shop on your website?

(Check last picture at the bottom of the page)

Atlantic Scuba, Scuba Diving Courses & Dive Boat Charter in Cornwall - Retail Shop

BurhanMuntasser,

Did you mean the picture associated with: "We have a large range of second hand equipment"?

If you actually read the web page or went to the online store you would have seen that Mark's suppliers do NOT include Mares.

 

[BoltSnap]

BurhanMuntasser,

Did you mean the picture associated with: "We have a large range of second hand equipment"?

If you actually read the web page or went to the online store you would have seen that Mark's suppliers do NOT include Mares.

No, the picture above that section with the rest of the pictures showing the equipment in his store. The section related to second hand equipment has its own picture further down the page. No matter what is listed in the online store, there is still a picture of a brand that he doesn't sell and isn't part of his vendor/supplier line. I would NEVER post a picture of a brand I don't sell. One should only talk and show what he wants to sell and is indeed an officially authorized dealer for in this context.

It doesn't matter to me what he shows or does with his business. It won't keep me up at night or cause me to lose my appetite if he did or didn't show pictures of Mares equipment at all. It is merely an advice from a professional in the business based on my 30 years of experience that's all!!

 

[Joe Underwater]

I just want to know if this means that as an SSI instructor can I now get a killer deal on a pair of skis.

 

[kmurray719]

It goes along with the SSI philosophy about Divemasters and professionals. The Dive Con course from SSI includes a requirement to work in a SSI shop. It never made sense to me that a Divemaster needed to know how to sell gear.


Please pardon any typos. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There is no requirement for any SSI professional certification to work IN a shop selling anything. The requirement is to be affiliated with an SSI shop and teach through them. SSI dive pros cannot teach SSI courses independently of a shop, but are not required to work in that shop and sell gear.

 

[boulderjohn]

There is no requirement for any SSI professional certification to work IN a shop selling anything. The requirement is to be affiliated with an SSI shop and teach through them. SSI dive pros cannot teach SSI courses independently of a shop, but are not required to work in that shop and sell gear.

That is correct; however, a dive shop can tell an affiliated instructor that he or she must push gear sales during instruction. The instructors at the shop I left when it went SSI made that very clear to the staff before I left. A friend of mine who stayed was later told he could no longer instruct for the shop. Apparently, in comparison with the other affiliated instructors, his students were not buying enough gear.

That is a shop decision, not an agency decision.

 

[kmurray719]

That is correct; however, a dive shop can tell an affiliated instructor that he or she must push gear sales during instruction. The instructors at the shop I left when it went SSI made that very clear to the staff before I left. A friend of mine who stayed was later told he could no longer instruct for the shop. Apparently, in comparison with the other affiliated instructors, his students were not buying enough gear.

That is a shop decision, not an agency decision.

Absolutely. A dive shop is an employer and can put any not illegal requirements in place that they want. They could require instructors to teach all classes wearing a clown outfit if they wanted to. I was addressing kwinter's statement that the SSI Divecon course has a requirement to work in a dive shop and sell gear.

Requiring instructors to push gear sales is not an SSI only thing. I know plenty of PADI shops who encourage the same thing. I think firing someone whose students don't buy enough gear is ridiculous, but that has nothing to do with which agency the shop is affiliated with. There are people affiliated with every agency who are crappy businessmen and know nothing about managing staff appropriately

 

[BoltSnap]

Absolutely. A dive shop is an employer and can put any not illegal requirements in place that they want. They could require instructors to teach all classes wearing a clown outfit if they wanted to. I was addressing kwinter's statement that the SSI Divecon course has a requirement to work in a dive shop and sell gear.

Requiring instructors to push gear sales is not an SSI only thing. I know plenty of PADI shops who encourage the same thing. I think firing someone whose students don't buy enough gear is ridiculous, but that has nothing to do with which agency the shop is affiliated with. There are people affiliated with every agency who are crappy businessmen and know nothing about managing staff appropriately

Although I agree with most of what you said but every business organization, even training organizations, that depends on sales to its client makes certain requirements/quotes on their staff and if the staff person doesn't meet their quota, they will be shown the door. I don't see anything wrong with this arrangement especially if it is a known policy and all that are involved know it and know their targets.

 

[johnmckenzie]

I just heard that Head/Mares are cleaning house (firings people) on both sides of the Mares - SSI merger. What have you heard?