Eco Dive Center customer (don't) care????

[jk47]

I'm not sure I understand why everyone is feeling the need to jump up and down and trash eco. People have misunderstandings and negative experiences with retailers all the time without creating a huge melodrama around the whole thing.

I'm curious to hear if there has been any additional outcome from the original poster's complaint - refund? store credit? I really find it hard to believe the shop was not able to come up with some sort of compromise... and I'm sure the people who posted here for the first time posted because they saw a need to speak up, not because there is some strange conspiracy going on.

I said it earlier in this thread, and I'll say it again - I have had nothing but positive experiences with this dive shop, and I've been to others, but that's the one I plan to keep going back to. I hope the complaining going on here won't discourage anyone from going there and forming their own opinion.

 

[Empty V]

Okay, its my turn. I' had been going into Eco since it opened a year ago February. At first, I was really excited to have a well stocked dive shop close to home. At that time I was OW certified with my own BC and snorkel gear. I took many boat trips with them, got my AOW cert. with them, spent over $2000 there on a computer, 2 wetsuits, a regulator, gloves, a hooded vest, booties, 2 snorkels, and many tank fills, plus other miscellaneous small items. At first everything seemed great, they let me post my pictures and videos on their website, they gave me good deals on gear and rentals and all seemed rosy. Then about a year or so later things changed. Following a tank rental for a boat trip I was accused of dropping a tank and bending a valve. I discussed it briefly with Ron, but I swore to him I had not done it, yet he insisted on me paying for it. Nothing happened at the time but a few days later, there was a $47.00 charge on my credit card which I was not informed of previously. My wife couldn't identify the charge, so she reversed it. I eventually paid the charge, even though I didn't feel good about, just to try to keep from ruining a previously good thing. That's when it all started going downhill. Shortly after that I noticed my pictures and videos were missing from the website. I was told that it was because I didn't post often enough. Huh?...
I sent him the pictures at least 3 times and even hand delivered a CD but apparently the honeymoon was over. On one incident, I went in after work to check out computers and was quoted a really good price on a computer. About $50 more than leisure pro. Being the quick thinker I am, I put $100 down to hold it for later. I came in the next day to pick it up and Ron was there, but the employee wasn't. I told Ron I came in to pick up the computer and he was shocked that his employee had quoted me such a low price. He said, "Why did _________ quote you such a low price?" I replied, "I don't know, he's your employee". When I even mentioned the price on Leisure pro, this made him really angry. After some haggling, I finally ended up paying $30 more than I was quoted, because I wanted it so bad. I bought a brand new PST HP100 tank on the internet and brought it in to Eco for a fill. Ron said "Why don't you take it to where you bought it for a fill?" I replied that "Florida was too far away." I don't want to be dissed just because I'm only spending $5 on a fill. Ron seems to have forgotten the first rule of business. Do something good for someone, and they may tell one or two people. Treat someone badly and they will tell everyone. Can we say ________ Chalet?:shakehead

Just to add to complaining about LDS experiences, I feel your pain: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=148200 Please post your experience.

I've also heard from a very reliable source that Eco has a rep for stealing beer from captains and completely flaking on full charters. They've lost my business.

Billy

 

[Humongous]

I'm not sure I understand why everyone is feeling the need to jump up and down and trash eco. People have misunderstandings and negative experiences with retailers all the time without creating a huge melodrama around the whole thing.

I'm don't know if you are referring to my original post however I agree that "People have misunderstandings and negative experiences with retailers all the time" and I too have had good & bad experiences with a lot of different shops. That said, none of my experiences have been as bad as this one. I also have worked in the customer service industry for over ten years and for two different dive shops for the last 6 years. I have never been treated this badly with any company, including services outside the dive industry. The way I see it what they did was illegal, "bait & switch" and then told me they didn't want me as a customer after they have my money. Not cool!!

I'm curious to hear if there has been any additional outcome from the original poster's complaint - refund? store credit? I really find it hard to believe the shop was not able to come up with some sort of compromise... and I'm sure the people who posted here for the first time posted because they saw a need to speak up, not because there is some strange conspiracy going on.

I was so put off by the way I was treated on the phone I have disputed the charges with my credit card company. I have no desire to speak to anyone there. I'm not sure what you mean by "Compromise"? All I wanted was to be charged the advertised price, a $10 refund to my credit card.

I said it earlier in this thread, and I'll say it again - I have had nothing but positive experiences with this dive shop, and I've been to others, but that's the one I plan to keep going back to. I hope the complaining going on here won't discourage anyone from going there and forming their own opinion.

If you are happy with your experiences with this shop than you should continue to use them. They will not see anymore of mine or my friends business however. As nzdiver said, "It's sad that a small place like this would do that to a customer.. don't they realize
that word will get around".

 

[Ken Kurtis]

...attempting to sound as if you are independant...unattached...are you the owner of Eco...if so just come out and say it...or are you a dear friend? If so, again, just come out and say it.

Well, since DivevetsDan mentioned me by name I guess I feel entitled to comment . . .

My assumption is that the post was done by Dan Rood, who's the head/founder of Dive Vets (hence, the screen name), a group that dives Veteran's Park with regularity. As far as I know, Dan doesn't have a fiduciary interest in Eco Dive Center (or in Reef Seekers, for that matter) but simply wanted to share his thoughts and experiences with Eco.

But the fact that he aroused suspicion (along with the other first-time poster praising Eco) does underscore why I personally abhore any anonymous or "cutesy-name" posts. Regardless of what screen name you use, put your name and any relevant affiliations in your post so there's some accountibility, as well as to give people some perspective on your prejudices &/or loyalties which may be framing your thoughts.

- Ken

 

[ItsBruce]

Now I've got to add my 2 cents. I've been around for a while and many of you know me...my name really is Bruce and I answer the phone "Its Bruce." So here goes: What Ken says is pure gold.

 

[Empty V]

Sock puppets are weak. I agree 100% Bruce and Ken.

Billy

 

[Codyjp]

bummer, this bit them in the #$*. research says that the average person tell 100 people about a bad experience. oops for them.

btw, most shops book the Mr. C. for $65.

i have booked the sundiver with eco dive center and have been in their shop once. overall a nice group of guys and helped us find a shore dive site even though i didn't but anything.

 

[CompuDude]

SeekNCritters is also a first time post defending Eco Dive & Mr C makes you think.

Happy Diving
John

I will personally vouch for both SeekNCritters and Randog, so let's put aside any doubts regarding their post count.

They might not have a lot of posts on this board, but they are both friends of mine, good, active, local divers, and I respect both of their opinions. They happen to be more active on another dive message board, rather than ScubaBoard. I suspect they heard about this thread and came to check things out.

As an aside, I will note that in my earlier post, when I said I had heard "good things" about Eco, they came from Randog. I was not aware that he had changed his opinion of the shop, however.

As a second aside, I have been told by another friend that the owners of Eco have been told about this thread (sometime last week). I find it interesting that they have chosen not to respond, thus far.

I am not trying to trash Eco, as I have never personally set foot in the place (and I always try to give the benefit of the doubt to our valued LDSs), but I do find their actions, as described in this thread, to be pretty reprehensible. If you advertise a special and sell it as such, if you screw up the ad and sell it lower than intended, you do NOT change the price (and the charge) AFTER the dive. That's called fraud. I doubt this little $10 dispute was intended to be as big of a deal as it has become, but I suppose they should consider this a valuable customer service lesson in the internet era.

 

[JMD123]

I still dont understand why people pay for airfills when you can get them for free at reefseekers. Also they have the greatest return policy on earth. If you dont like something for anyreason bring it back and they will take care of you. I have only brought one thing back to them. It was a low pressure steal 80. i did not like it because it would not fill my spare air (save the comments) all the way. They took it back for a full refund and I applied it to my high pressure tank.

J

PS I am just a customer of Reefseekers.

 

[ChrisM]

I still dont understand why people pay for airfills when you can get them for free at reefseekers. Also they have the greatest return policy on earth. .

hmmmm, 1/2 hour drive each way Torrance to BH to save $4. I love ken's shop, but BH is just too far away.

Anyway, I'll also vouch for DivevetsDan assuming Ken is right (isn't he always??), Dan's got no financial interest in Eco. Just a good customer there. While i understand the reaction to such a first post, here it's not borne out........

ChrisM

Oh, and someone that simply posts under a pseudonym is not a sockpuppet, a la wrinkles, mo2vation, hbdivegirl.... etc. Many things, maybe, but sockpuppets, no.