Dive Center Horror/Hero Stories

[boulderjohn]

I can see how that would work on some, especially if they didn't have anywhere else to go. Very, very sad to hear that though. No business needs to be ran that way. There's no reason why they need to do that.

In my line of work (gas systems / sales of propane) I give people all the different options out there. I lay out the pros and cons and give my personal opinion on what and why they should go with what I'm suggesting, but always finish with it's their house, they have to be comfortable with their decision and live with it. As long as they've been informed, I've done my job.

You point me to a shop that works like that, and I'm a customer for life.

When I first started diving, I wanted to buy gear, but I was not in the kind of financial shape needed to just go out and buy. I had gotten certified on vacation and so had no relationship with any local shop. I shopped around at the 3 dive shops in Boulder carefully, and then discovered a different source--a new company called eBay. I used it to buy a BCD, primary regulator, and air integrated computer. All I needed at that point was an alternate regulator and some way to get everything put together. (I had no idea then how easy it was.)

The local shop I had liked the most was Rocky Mountain Diving. I bought a wetsuit from them and an alternate regulator, and then had the gall to ask them to put the primary regulator set, the air integrated computer, and the alternate together. I sensed a somewhat hurt look on the face of the man waiting on me, who I later learned was the shop owner, but he did it for me without hesitation. I felt so guilty that I vowed I would never do that again. I was their dedicated customer until the owners retired by selling their business to one of the other shops in town.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

When I first started diving, I wanted to buy gear, but I was not in the kind of financial shape needed to just go out and buy. I had gotten certified on vacation and so had no relationship with any local shop. I shopped around at the 3 dive shops in Boulder carefully, and then discovered a different source--a new company called eBay. I used it to buy a BCD, primary regulator, and air integrated computer. All I needed at that point was an alternate regulator and some way to get everything put together. (I had no idea then how easy it was.)

The local shop I had liked the most was Rocky Mountain Diving. I bought a wetsuit from them and an alternate regulator, and then had the gall to ask them to put the primary regulator set, the air integrated computer, and the alternate together. I sensed a somewhat hurt look on the face of the man waiting on me, who I later learned was the shop owner, but he did it for me without hesitation. I felt so guilty that I vowed I would never do that again. I was their dedicated customer until the owners retired by selling their business to one of the other shops in town.

I understand where your coming from. I would not expect any LDS to do what they did for you unless you pay for it. Its bit of a conundrum because you don't know that you can trust a shop until you know. Let's say that shop (and I have no idea) was killing it on every sale they made to you....50% mark ups across the board. Would you have still been a "die hard" customer for life? I think you might of found out that the shop you were at was an honest shop, hence why the owner was hurt and not angry....that's not necessarily how every story turns out though...

 

[EireDiver606]

I felt so guilty that I vowed I would never do that again. I was their dedicated customer until the owners retired by selling their business to one of the other shops in town.

I told the counter guy at me LDS who is a friend at this point that, I got a reg and bcd online in a conversation. He wasn’t pleased about it but wasn’t rude or anything, he was jokingly saying about how he was going to lose his job... he wasn’t serious and didn’t really care.

That’s why I keep going back to them because of that customer service, helping hand and friendly conversations. It’s funny because the owner is the complete opposite.... thank god he doesn’t work at the till

 

[BlueTrin]

I told the counter guy at me LDS who is a friend at this point that, I got a reg and bcd online in a conversation. He wasn’t pleased about it but wasn’t rude or anything, he was jokingly saying about how he was going to lose his job... he wasn’t serious and didn’t really care.

That’s why I keep going back to them because of that customer service, helping hand and friendly conversations. It’s funny because the owner is the complete opposite.... thank god he doesn’t work at the till

My experience is that the people at the till are usually not taking it too personally as they do not get paid by commission (when they are not the owners)

At least where I go, they are always friendly and give my free advice when I ask them.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

My experience is that the people at the till are usually not taking it too personally as they do not get paid by commission (when they are not the owners)

At least where I go, they are always friendly and give my free advice when I ask them.

Is also my experience. Shame as I really like the DM's at the shop...

 

[alvinsuper]

A few years ago I took a week-long marketing workshop (called Scuba University) put on by the owner of a major scuba agency. The main message was that the purpose of scuba instruction is to help the shop sell scuba gear. A huge portion (portions, actually) of the presentation was about dealing with customers who buy gear from somewhere else. He talked about how to talk to the customers to make them feel that deep sense of shame they should feel for having betrayed the shop after all they had done for them (out of the goodness of their hearts).

The shop you describe wanted you to feel that shame, but they did not have the benefit of the training they would have received had they taken that workshop. If they had, you would have been taken aside and given a through verbal working over.

I'm a salesman, although in a domain that has nothing to do with diving. That kind of bs is what gives the profession a bad reputation. It's antiquated advice, shoddy marketing, discredited theory and overall terrible practice. Quite frankly, anyone who received that kind of information as part of paid education should feel ripped off.

 

[boulderjohn]

I'm a salesman, although in a domain that has nothing to do with diving. That kind of bs is what gives the profession a bad reputation. It's antiquated advice, shoddy marketing, discredited theory and overall terrible practice. Quite frankly, anyone who received that kind of information as part of paid education should feel ripped off.

...and I didn't mention the stuff that you really would not have liked.

 

[boulderjohn]

We had a huge thread a few years ago about a shop in California trained under the same theories from the same people mentioned earlier. Here is a quick summary.

The woman came into the shop because she was curious about diving. The owner sat down with her, and after a few glasses of wine she walked out of the door having committed to the OW course and having purchased all the equipment she would need for it. The equipment came with the promise of a full refund if she changed her mind.

Well, she changed her mind after the first pool session. She decided during that session that scuba was not in her future. When she tried to return all the gear, she found out it could only be returned if it was unused. Since she had used it in the first pool session of the OW class, it was now used equipment that could not be returned. She was most upset about the rebreather. That was a seriously big ticket item for her, costing over $10,000.

After a very long thread on ScubaBoard, the owner finally relented and took it back.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

My story involves great customer service from a shop half way across the country. I’ve heard great reviews re their service and when I saw them at the Scuba Show I stopped to chat with DRIS as they had a great show deal on lavacore vests, something I had been pining for. They didn’t have my size, and we sort of guestimated what size I would wear, Terry sent me 2 vests to try on and when they did not fit he sent me 2 more. It goes without saying that of course they honored the show deal.

 

[Dogbowl]

We had a huge thread a few years ago about a shop in California trained under the same theories from the same people mentioned earlier. Here is a quick summary.

The woman came into the shop because she was curious about diving. The owner sat down with her, and after a few glasses of wine she walked out of the door having committed to the OW course and having purchased all the equipment she would need for it. The equipment came with the promise of a full refund if she changed her mind.

Well, she changed her mind after the first pool session. She decided during that session that scuba was not in her future. When she tried to return all the gear, she found out it could only be returned if it was unused. Since she had used it in the first pool session of the OW class, it was now used equipment that could not be returned. She was most upset about the rebreather. That was a seriously big ticket item for her, costing over $10,000.

After a very long thread on ScubaBoard, the owner finally relented and took it back.

Excuse me???

A shop owner sold a rebreather to a female non-diving customer after a few glasses of wine? That's beyond sneezy. Sounds almost criminal to me. I hope the guy's name was posted publicly as a public service announcement.