Finding the cheapest certification???

[roxy271]

There have been a lot of discussion about which agency is better and i don't think there truly is a clear cut answer to that.
But there is one thing that buggs me ever since i started working in the Dive Shop i noticed something.
People will call me up and ask the price of certification they don't ask about the agency the instructors or anything else.
Than when i tell them the price they tell me well the shop down the road will do it cheaper.
I have yet to have to get a call where someone worries about getting the right training it all seams to be about the price.
I guess people only put a price on there life when they get to sue someone.

 

[AquaGuy]

I think most people feel that all agencies are all the same and it really does not matter who you get certified through, so just tell me the cheapest one. For me, I choose PADI since that was who by friend became and instructor through. You are correct, I believe people should research the agency before deciding who to put their life in the hands of.

 

[The Chairman]

When I worked for Goodyear, selling quality was essential. You can't buy a Goodyear blem... no, not one! So they demand more than any other tire manufacturer, and they usually get it too. Lowest failure rate in the industry to boot. It is time we started to preach quality a bit more...

When a customer complained about the mileage rating of a tire, I pointed out that the safest tires in the world don't even get 500 miles on them. Soft rubber = low mileage = safe tire = great handling. We need to figure out the precise angle to take for these types of questions about dive instruction, so we can concentrate on providing quality... not quantity to the masses.

 

[MikeFerrara]

That is a sad fact that I have mentioned in many of my postings. Many don't want to learn to dive. They want a card so they can go on vacation (fast and cheap). I tell them that I don't want to be the cheapest I want to be the best. I also tell them I want to be paid the best for it. If someone wants cheap I can give them names. I have mentioned some of the lousy and dangerous instructors I see but the fact is there is a portion of the market who keeps these bumbs in business and deserves them. Just remember my new favorite saying "I'll come back for your equipment"

 

[kelpmermaid]

I think at the beginning, though, people have no idea how much they really don't know. They don't even know what to ask. Of course, if they all did their homework and read the Scubaboard...but they don't even know to look for it!

 

[roxy271]

Originally posted by AquaGuy
I think most people feel that all agencies are all the same and it really does not matter who you get certified through, so just tell me the cheapest one. For me, I choose PADI since that was who by friend became and instructor through. You are correct, I believe people should research the agency before deciding who to put their life in the hands of.

I agree they should but no one seems to look at it that way.
I am PADI certified but i work in a store that is NAUI one of the things i have noticed is that he spends a lot more time teaching divers hoe to save another than my instructor did.
I am not sure there is a right or wrong way just a lot of gray area but i do belive people need to spend a little more time looking at the instructors and what is being tought than what they have to spend. :doctor:

 

[roxy271]

Originally posted by NetDoc
When I worked for Goodyear, selling quality was essential. You can't buy a Goodyear blem... no, not one! So they demand more than any other tire manufacturer, and they usually get it too. Lowest failure rate in the industry to boot. It is time we started to preach quality a bit more...

When a customer complained about the mileage rating of a tire, I pointed out that the safest tires in the world don't even get 500 miles on them. Soft rubber = low mileage = safe tire = great handling. We need to figure out the precise angle to take for these types of questions about dive instruction, so we can concentrate on providing quality... not quantity to the masses.

Thank you someone with common sense.

 

[MikeFerrara]

That's true they don't know what they don't know but they do know they are going under water. It doesn't take a high IQ to realize that there are a few tricks to hanging out under water. Any one who wants to dive and is only concerned with cost should not be diving anyway. For what they want to spend on certification I suggest they rent a jet ski for an hour.

 

[The Chairman]

Thats one of the big reasons I crossed from PADI to NAUI... though the invite form the CD (on the NAUI BoD) was even a great er factor.

Rescue is taught in EVERY NAUI class... and they are rightfully proud of it. You aren't a very good buddy if you can't get my butt out of the juice! PADI was fine too, and hey, they required breathing from a free flowing reg... something that NAUI misses.

I have said it before and I will reiterate it again. The agency can only be as good as it's instructors. When MY students go out, I want them to be glowing resumes of how well I teach diving. Word of mouth is the most compelling commercial.

 

[Walter]

When people mention there's a cheaper class, I tell them most classes are cheaper than mine. I use a comprehensive approach that will require more of their time and mine. It costs more, but they will be better divers as a result. Decide if you want quick and cheap or would you rather learn how to cope with the possibilities.