Does Peggy work at your LDS?

[scubadiver888]

I guess the question is, Pete, what is your motivation? Do you want to resolve this with the LDS so they can benefit from an experienced diver, instructor and consumer and unlimately become a better shop? Or, do you want them to see that you are right? I know how both feel, so I am not judging, but if you just want to be right, then walk away and don't use up the emotional energy that comes with that desire.

As an example of how a shop of anykind ought to function, is when my LDS changed a computer battery for me. On my second dive in Coz a week later, it flooded. The dive op had no clue what to do (another story) and could not tell me where to go becuae they claimed no one on Coz could do that type of thing.

I called my LDS. They recommended a shop and said they would reimburse me when I got back home for the expense of a new battery and labor. I was back on the boat for the afternoon tank and never missed a dive. Now that's how you make right a mistake. Not once did they try to ask questions that would have made it seem as if it could have been my fault.

Another example, I bought some tanks from a shop. When I went to pick them up they wanted to charge me extra for air fill, visual inspection, O2 cleaning (they come from the factory O2 clean). Told them I wasn't paying for any of it. They made me pay for the air fill because they already filled them. I didn't want to argue. Most shops will not fill a tank without a Visual Inspection sticker,even if it is new. Brought the tanks to another shop. Explained the situation. They drained the tanks, inspected them, put a visual inspection sticker on them and gave me a nitrox fill. They now have all my business.

 

[Frosty]

OP in my view its pretty simple really. Do ya talking with your chequebook. I'd say its probably worth putting some of that time you wasted into finding a good LDS

 

[Rhone Man]

You think you know which shop this is. Maybe you do, maybe you don't. You'll never really know and I'm not saying.

Maybe I am slow, but I can't understand why you are not saying.

 

[The Chairman]

Maybe I am slow, but I can't understand why you are not saying.

If I did, I would have put this in the Whine and Cheese. Publicly humiliating people is not my style. If/when they read this, they will know immediately we are discussing them. No one else needs to know. They may be angry that I have posted it at all, but they can't accuse me of throwing them under the bus. Hopefully, they will work though that anger and learn that they have a real problem. However, the first rule of Scuba still applies: I won't be holding my breath.

The best part about this? I'll be at Ginnie all day diving with friends and won't be giving this another thought. It might come up in passing, but not by me. While I am having fun, other shop owners will be reading this and perhaps taking a look at how they do business. Smart people learn from their own mistakes. Geniuses learn from the mistakes of others. There have been some incredibly insightful posts in this thread so far, and I am sure others are following. While I may have the compassion to not expose who this is, others don't mind. We live and work in a fish bowl. What happens in a shop and on a dive can and will find itself on ScubaBoard. Savvy charter and dive shop owners like Wookie, use this to their benefit. Others ignore it to their peril. Its their choice.

 

[The Chairman]

Please... multiple people have asked me privately if it's X dive shop. The FUNNY thing is that it hasn't been the same dive shop! X is a variable in this equation and not a constant. BTW, you can be sure that I'm not saying one way or the other, so please stop asking. What's really sad is that MULTIPLE shops are being ID'd here. Wow. I have to shake my head on that one. Obviously, its time for a number of shops to stop shifting blame onto their customers and get their act together. You may not have been the one that failed me, but people are thinking its YOU.

 

[redacted]

I have yet to have found any dive shop that I look forward to doing business with. Some of the problem is just the nature of the scuba retail industry and not just a particular shop. NONE are really focused on satisfying customer needs for a reasonable, competitive profit.

The focus of the scuba industry is on stifling competition at the diver's expense. Take that to DEMA.

 

[captain]

Stories like this is why I divorced myself from needing dive shops 40 years ago. Anything I need I either have or can get without ever entering a dive shop.

 

[davetowz]

I have yet to have found any dive shop that I look forward to doing business with. Some of the problem is just the nature of the scuba retail industry and not just a particular shop. NONE are really focused on satisfying customer needs for a reasonable, competitive profit.

The focus of the scuba industry is on stifling competition at the diver's expense. Take that to DEMA.

I can't afford to go to DEMA! LOL Just kidding, someone had to stay at the shop. I have F'd up before and admit to a customer when I have. I have had F ups, like my hydro guy didn't pick up for a week, really hit me in the I will have it back by..did I blame the hydro guy? no I gave the customer a discount and apologized to LA and back and then reamed my hydro guy and asked him WTFO and this better be it. The real limit to a dive shop and pricing is more focused on the manufacturers not really wanting to assist the small shops. Buy large they will help you with alot, buy small because that is all you can afford... they ignore you instead of helping you to build. I get that ...to a point. The customer service angle is truly what the brick and mortar biz has to offer to the diver. I had a commercial diver who is working locally on a job bring in his bailouts for fills, all 3 had vis dates that go way beyond the annual, I was able to get his stuff vis'd and even replace a dip tube that had dropped out ( different post there...woo.) Still had him out the door in less than an hour. When I fill a tank, you better be patient because it will be a bit, I fill slow and to the marked service pressure, let her cool and top off. Prefer to have them overnight... if you are in a hurry, they will be a lil below service psi the next day, but not by much, and I tell you that. I wish I could sell gear at a lower price and can compete with some online prices, but the bills must be paid. I cannot compete with the large online retailers that order in and then deliver, I cannot hit that volume. Try getting air from them. I wish I could compete on prices, so instead I must give you the service and the feeling that you are a dive buddy when you come in, and I will dive with most of my customers... there are a few... I also understand that some are mostly self sufficient, we have a few customers like that and still invite them to come dive with us when we get the chance to play.
Are we perfect? hell no. Plenty of room to improve. Are we trying? Hell yes. and I learn from every one of these situations and attempt to apply the lessons learned in our shop.
Thanks Netdoc for this post.

 

[jm]

I can't afford to go to DEMA! LOL Just kidding, someone had to stay at the shop. I have F'd up before and admit to a customer when I have. I have had F ups, like my hydro guy didn't pick up for a week, really hit me in the I will have it back by..did I blame the hydro guy? no I gave the customer a discount and apologized to LA and back and then reamed my hydro guy and asked him WTFO and this better be it. The real limit to a dive shop and pricing is more focused on the manufacturers not really wanting to assist the small shops. Buy large they will help you with alot, buy small because that is all you can afford... they ignore you instead of helping you to build. I get that ...to a point. The customer service angle is truly what the brick and mortar biz has to offer to the diver. I had a commercial diver who is working locally on a job bring in his bailouts for fills, all 3 had vis dates that go way beyond the annual, I was able to get his stuff vis'd and even replace a dip tube that had dropped out ( different post there...woo.) Still had him out the door in less than an hour. When I fill a tank, you better be patient because it will be a bit, I fill slow and to the marked service pressure, let her cool and top off. Prefer to have them overnight... if you are in a hurry, they will be a lil below service psi the next day, but not by much, and I tell you that. I wish I could sell gear at a lower price and can compete with some online prices, but the bills must be paid. I cannot compete with the large online retailers that order in and then deliver, I cannot hit that volume. Try getting air from them. I wish I could compete on prices, so instead I must give you the service and the feeling that you are a dive buddy when you come in, and I will dive with most of my customers... there are a few... I also understand that some are mostly self sufficient, we have a few customers like that and still invite them to come dive with us when we get the chance to play.
Are we perfect? hell no. Plenty of room to improve. Are we trying? Hell yes. and I learn from every one of these situations and attempt to apply the lessons learned in our shop.
Thanks Netdoc for this post.

I spent several years in retail but not in the scuba industry. Your ATTITUDE MAY NOT GUARANTEE SUCCESS BUT IT WILL NOT CAUSE YOU FAILURE! The ability to say sorry to a customer and to be willing to admit something could be done better puts you in a much better position than the guy who blames everyone but himself for things that go wrong. This was what NetDoc was looking for when he encountered difficulties with the shop that started this post. If they had said the simple words, "I am sorry. I made a mistake. How can we make it up to you? " and meant it we would not have read about it here.

I think that all of us who have dealt with large companies empathize with your supplier difficulties. You would think that scuba manufacturers would rather deal with many independant retailers who represent them well rather than a few large retailers who will be telling them what they wish to purchase and what price they will pay. I guess good sales this quarter beat the hell out of great sales for many years.

Best wishes for your business venture!

JM

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Another example, I bought some tanks from a shop. When I went to pick them up they wanted to charge me extra for air fill, visual inspection, O2 cleaning (they come from the factory O2 clean). Told them I wasn't paying for any of it. They made me pay for the air fill because they already filled them. I didn't want to argue. Most shops will not fill a tank without a Visual Inspection sticker,even if it is new. Brought the tanks to another shop. Explained the situation. They drained the tanks, inspected them, put a visual inspection sticker on them and gave me a nitrox fill. They now have all my business.

Our largest local dive shop chain (Underwater Sports) did the exact same thing to one of my students after he purchased a pair of Worthington X100 cylinders there. They charged him for a VIP sticker ... which was for air only ... and told him if he wanted them nitrox prepared it would cost extra.

Huh? ... they come from the factory O2 clean and ready for nitrox.

When I told him that, and encouraged him to check it out for himself on Worthington's web site, he was pissed!

The dive shop has lost him permanently as a customer ... and for what ... $20 worth of VIP stickers?

Dumb ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)