Dixie Divers in Deerfield Groupon

[boulderjohn]

I think this thread IS pretty much an attack on a dive shop. A dive shop is supposed to hire PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTORS who are required to meet each and every criteria spelled out in the class curiculum by the certifying agency. To assume that they will do a sub-standard job, just because the course itself was sold as a loss leader, is certainly questioning the shop's ethics.

Do we really think that a dive shop is going to turn out a much diferent product if they simply charge an extra $100 or something?

Why wouldn't they be teaching to the same standard, regardless of what they charge?

I have to agree.

Let's be clear about some things that have been said in this thread.

We started with an OP who said he was going to be taking a course from a dive shop in Hillsboro, a shop that has been in business for a very long time. He was immediately told that he should not do that because another shop in another town with another instructor did a really bad job with a class once. We saw a video of that other shop in that other town with that other instructor as evidence of why the OP should not use the shop he was planning to use.

The purpose of using a loss leader, if it turns out to be such, is to attract permanent customers. You don't attract permanent customers by bringing them into your shop and giving them a really bad product.

BTW, it might not be a loss leader. Part of the Groupon theory is that enough people will purchase the coupons and then not use them to make up for the discounted price. I don't know how often that happens in reality, but that is part of the theory.

If people have evidence that the shop in question intends to provide crappy instruction, they should do so now.

 

[danvolker]

I have to agree.

Let's be clear about some things that have been said in this thread.

We started with an OP who said he was going to be taking a course from a dive shop in Hillsboro, a shop that has been in business for a very long time. He was immediately told that he should not do that because another shop in another town with another instructor did a really bad job with a class once. We saw a video of that other shop in that other town with that other instructor as evidence of why the OP should not use the shop he was planning to use.

The purpose of using a loss leader, if it turns out to be such, is to attract permanent customers. You don't attract permanent customers by bringing them into your shop and giving them a really bad product.

BTW, it might not be a loss leader. Part of the Groupon theory is that enough people will purchase the coupons and then not use them to make up for the discounted price. I don't know how often that happens in reality, but that is part of the theory.

If people have evidence that the shop in question intends to provide crappy instruction, they should do so now.

I think we provided way more information than could have been expected, to let the OP make an informed choice.
What we need to find out now, is how well the class is run, and what kind of divers they turn out with the Groupon.

If there is a "better mousetrap", we need to know about it....if it is just a plain old mousetrap, then the OP will be in a great position to report on it.

 

[Reck Diver]

If you plan on going to the Marine Flea Market this weekend in Dania, Dixie Divers usually has a large display. If it's like last year, expect great deals on equipment. You can also meet face to face and ask them about their operation including instructors, dive boat, etc.... This might be a better path to a decision than what has been said on this thread.

 

[deepstops]

I think we provided way more information than could have been expected, to let the OP make an informed choice.
What we need to find out now, is how well the class is run, and what kind of divers they turn out with the Groupon.

If there is a "better mousetrap", we need to know about it....if it is just a plain old mousetrap, then the OP will be in a great position to report on it.

I don't think we have done anything except most likely leave the OP thinking there's a bunch of bullies here on Scubaboard. Since the class hasn't even happened yet, it's all speculation that he will get sub-standard instruction.

How about instead we tell the OP what questions to ask of the instructor and what the makings of a solid class are comprised of. (thank you Elena!!!) And then tell the OP >>>> lets go do some dives when you've earned your "license to continue learning". Then we an see firsthand what kind of divers come out of a Groupon purchased course.

 

[phillies1224]

After reading through this whole thread... I see the dilemma groupon poses but who cares as to why the shop is offering the groupon. I may not be as even remotely as experienced as some of you commenting on this thread but I was just recently certified by this shop OW so I can certainly speak about the instruction i receiver. There was no groupon when I purchased mine 2 months ago, but I did purchase the AOW groupon. I can assure the OP that you will receive quality instruction and these guys care about their students. I have seen them offer extra time to practice skills if needed and they are more than willing to help you learn everything needed throughout the whole course. Not to mention their dive boat is always packed with various experienced divers!

Although I am new to diving I base my judgements off the experiences i just had in Grand Cayman. The divemasters and instructors in GC had known I was new to the game but each had no complaints in regards to my skill sets. Sure there are things to work on which they pointed out but remember not every person is perfect from the gates. Just like everything else in life, experience is what will mold you!

GOOD LUCK OP! maybe ill see ya on the Lady Go Diver

 

[Reck Diver]

I can certainly speak about the instruction i receiver. There was no groupon when I purchased mine 2 months ago, but I did purchase the AOW groupon. I can assure the OP that you will receive quality instruction and these guys care about their students. I have seen them offer extra time to practice skills if needed and they are more than willing to help you learn everything needed throughout the whole course. Not to mention their dive boat is always packed with various experienced divers!


GOOD LUCK OP! maybe ill see ya on the Lady Go Diver

Dixie Divers is a quality outfit. The Lady Go is one of the more popular boats in the area, and takes divers to quality spots. Great reef and wreck dives that rival any in the area. Yes it us usually full, but still comfortable and efficient. We frequent the same area, the boat is always in close proximity to the divers, and they are picked up quickly when they surface. Anytime I have been to Dixie Divers the always found them very knowledgeable and helpful, and they have a pretty big inventory. They have a great web site:

Dixie Divers

If I didn't have my own boat, I be on the Lady Go tomorrow morning. I don't know if they still offer it, but you used to get every 4th trip free. It would be worth a trip by or a phone call.

Dixie divers will have to hire the worst instructor they can find...

100 % misinformation to be dismissed, nothing more, nothing less. I'm sure if author had any first hand knowledge of the operation, he would have never posted the remark.

 

[danvolker]

Dixie Divers is a quality outfit. The Lady Go is one of the more popular boats in the area, and takes divers to quality spots. Great reef and wreck dives that rival any in the area. Yes it us usually full, but still comfortable and efficient. We frequent the same area, the boat is always in close proximity to the divers, and they are picked up quickly when they surface. Anytime I have been to Dixie Divers the always found them very knowledgeable and helpful, and they have a pretty big inventory. They have a great web site:

Dixie Divers

If I didn't have my own boat, I be on the Lady Go tomorrow morning. I don't know if they still offer it, but you used to get every 4th trip free. It would be worth a trip by or a phone call.



100 % misinformation to be dismissed, nothing more, nothing less. I'm sure if author had any first hand knowledge of the operation, he would have never posted the remark.

I thought we were all done with this thread.....If a shop pays the instructors full price, and does not allow any aspect of normal training to change, then Groupon wont hurt the diver's training. There have been shops or solo instructors that have NOT used it this was-and the instructors got half of halfp price....this is not good for anyone. I have heard many people hear like Dixie Divers, so the "assumption" must be that they "ARE" paying their instructors full price. If so, awesome job, and my apologies......it is NOT the norm for Groupon, and they should let people know this...
If everyone finds this out, they they do in fact pay their instructors full price, then this thread will actually have a large advertising value to them, as it will get their name out to alot of people, with the facts that they have great prices sometimes( with specials like this) but don't cut back on quality....Someone "should" find this out, since it IS the real issue. If thier instructors are working for peanuts, then I dont think we could say enough bad about them here ...

 

[Sabanist]

I don't see how a method of business development is indicative of quality of instruction.

 

[danvolker]

I don't see how a method of business development is indicative of quality of instruction.

Maybe you have not heard the hundreds of examples of how the end product turned out, when the business or dive instructor was on a shoe string, and had to do huge volume of this groupon result, with almost no payment....

For a drowning man, this is like a life-ring with an anchor line pulling it and the drowning man under...For a "good dive shop", without money problems ( = able to pay instructors full price), Groupon will be irrelevant.
In the last few years in Florida, Groupon has been mis-used by those in trouble, and it has made them worse.
In this thread, it was a "Buyer Beware" issue, because of the potential for mis-use....so many people have contacted me directly, telling me that Dixie is not like this..that they would never compromise training quality, that maybe this is very misplaced in their involvement here....however, I still have not heard of any direct knowledge that Dixie is paying their instructors full price for this....so I do not owe them an apology yet

 

[bilsant]

I've always found that the quality of my training experience has more to do with the professionalism of the instructor and what effort I put into learning what's in front of me, than what I paid the shop. I don't see a business owner regretting getting into Groupon as proof positive that their instructors will do a poor job.

There are good shops and not so good shops. There are good instructors and not so good instructors....and the same applies to the students.

I've never trained at Dixie Divers so I don't have a dog in this fight. I also have heard nothing historically negative about their instructors or program, which would be more to the point in answering the op's question.

As far as Groupon overall, I've had some great experiences (the Groupon got me to try something or somewhere new and I enjoyed myself) and some crappy ones (exactly the scenario you've been describing). But the positive have far outweighed the negative.

And DanV...if you had to take a temporary pay cut in your profession so your employer could generate volume and attract new customers, does that mean you'd deliberately lower the quality of your work? Just asking.