Finding the cheapest certification???

[CuriousMe]

Originally posted by neil
Roxy,
Been there, done that.
As a dive shop employee you have to decide whether you want this customer or not. If not, tell them the cost and let them hang up. If you want their business, you have to turn on some salemanship. I'm no great saleman myself, but here's what you might consider. Consider that they don't know what they are asking about. Yet.
"Hello. How much is your scuba course?"
"Thanks for calling. Let me tell you what our course includes. Yadda yadda yadda. And all that for the all-inclusive price of $$$." If they say, "that's expensive", ask "compared to what?", and listen. Be prepared with a really good answer to the agency question without mud-slinging.
Hopefully you've done your homework and your course actually IS a better value than your competitor. Mention how much experience your people have. Invite them to look over the facility. Make an appointment and meet them yourself. In other words, put some effort into it.
Is it a pain? Yes, if you hate selling like I did, but it more often than not works. If you love selling, sell. We complain that potential students don't know what's up, so you have to tell them.
Good luck.
Neil

The only caution I would put with this is that this could turn into what's wrong with everyone else. When I was first calling around to dive shops to enquire about OW Certification, I was asking about price. I was also asking about agency, instructors, class schedule, what equiptment was required, etc....

I had one guy whose entire conversation foccused on what everyone else was doing wrong (or wasn't doing that they should be).....according to him, he was the only one in the state who could safely teach me to dive.

By the end of the conversation, my strongest opinion was that this guy was so slick he wouldn't even get wet in the water...the water would just slide right off of him. His class was more money....but that's not why I decided to never come close to his shop again.

 

[DenverCoJeff]

Cathie - I think you are right on!

Perhaps the question needs to be what the potential diver is looking for. Are they just looking to become an Open Water Wonder so that they can take the vacation and then maybe dive whenever they are at a location that offers diving again?

People are more likely to check you out if you take some time to help educate them. No, not everyone wants a discourse on the inner mysteries of diving and certification. But most people are at least curious about it. If you feed them some information and do it genuinely, they just might come by to check your store out.

Nobody likes negativity, especially when it comes from a slick-willy. So let people know there are a lot of options out there. Let them know about your program and maybe your instructors or your favorite instructor. Bring them in for a "Discover Scuba" class. I've turned on many of my friends by bringing them to my LDS' version of this.

I know I would rather buy something (vote with my dollars) from someone I like and get a good feeling from (even if I pay more) than from some matter-of-fact sales drudge at the counter.

Peace and Bubbles,

Jeff

 

[The Chairman]

of the last class... anything, but getting them into your place will give YOU the edge in retaining them as a client. Re-read what I wrote about the phone call... I really think that will work!

 

[roxy271]

Originally posted by DenverCoJeff
Cathie - I think you are right on!

Perhaps the question needs to be what the potential diver is looking for. Are they just looking to become an Open Water Wonder so that they can take the vacation and then maybe dive whenever they are at a location that offers diving again?

People are more likely to check you out if you take some time to help educate them. No, not everyone wants a discourse on the inner mysteries of diving and certification. But most people are at least curious about it. If you feed them some information and do it genuinely, they just might come by to check your store out.

Nobody likes negativity, especially when it comes from a slick-willy. So let people know there are a lot of options out there. Let them know about your program and maybe your instructors or your favorite instructor. Bring them in for a "Discover Scuba" class. I've turned on many of my friends by bringing them to my LDS' version of this.

I have no problem making the sale most people realize finally there is a lot more to diving than strapping on a tank and going under water.
But the thing that bothers me is not that people ask about the cost it is that it is the only question they ask.
Cost seams to be the deciding factor than they come back and complain about there lack of training or watching someone else get certified and find they are missing a lot in training.
All of the sudden that bargain wasen't such a bargain.
That is my problem no one asked what they get for there money they just want to know it is going to cost them next to nothing.

:deal:

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

well first most people do not know what they getting into , second we live in a world that is constantly looking for a bargin , with that said yes i agree not all shops are the same in trainf, equipment ect but til they get into it how would they now this

 

[roxy271]

medic13 once bubbled...
well first most people do not know what they getting into , second we live in a world that is constantly looking for a bargin , with that said yes i agree not all shops are the same in trainf, equipment ect but til they get into it how would they now this

They wouldn't know that's why i think people should ask questions what do i get for my money.
What will be thought.
But questions like that never come up it is all about who does it the cheapest.
:mean:

 

[redacted]

If customers are shopping for inexpensive training, and you want them to be your customers, maybe you need to offer inexpensive training. Make the extras add on options. Forcing more than customers want or need will send many elsewhere.

 

[MikeFerrara]

We have a couple shops in our area that charge more than we do for OW (that will change). However, when they quote the cost on the phone they leave out the cost of books, instructor fees for OW dives and equipment rental for OW dives making them $100 cheaper than me. We explain that our price includes everything and the other guy's doesn't but people hear what they want and I have people go there because they think it's is less expensive.

We provide more pool time than anyone around. We do extra OW dives at no additional fee ( you get me for 2 days in OW not for a specified number of dives). When your class is really different, how do you explain that to a potential student? Any shop can get you a card but my staff has skill and experience that other shops and instructors in the area will never touch. These differences do make a difference in the quality of training. How do you quantify that (to someone who doesn't yet know anything about diving) in such a way that a shopper can decide what dollar value to place on it? How do you explain that you have former students who come into the shop after each dive outing just to shake your hand and thank you again for not letting then end up like the other divers they see? Most often they are comparing the cost of a card as apposed to bang for the buck based on ability and comfort at the end of the course. The assumption being made is that all cards are equal and so are all divers when they recieve them.

I invite people to watch a class but they usually don't and they most likely won't understand what they see anyway.

Marketing techniques for entry level classes usually center on cost, convenience and the pretty places one can see afterwards. Marketin based on quality is very difficult to do effectively.

 

[MikeFerrara]

awap,
You bring up a verry good point. I find myself becomming choosier about where I put my signiture. I don't want my name on a card if the diver holding that card is a poor reflection on me and my staff. I guess the answer is that there are some we really don't want as customers. I can provide a cheap class the same as the next guy but will I want my name on the card that results? Will I be happy with the results of my time and effort? Money just isn't enough. To do a good job one must have some pride in what they do. There is much about dive training these days that I could never be proud of.

 

[redacted]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
When your class is really different, how do you explain that to a potential student? Any shop can get you a card but my staff has skill and experience that other shops and instructors in the area will never touch. These differences do make a difference in the quality of training. How do you quantify that (to someone who doesn't yet know anything about diving) in such a way that a shopper can decide what dollar value to place on it? How do you explain that you have former students who come into the shop after each dive outing just to shake your hand and thank you again for not letting then end up like the other divers they see?

Mike

In your case word of mouth from satisfied customers is the advertising asset you should capitalize on. Perhaps an award program for referals from past customers. A T-shirt would probably suffice as well as provide more advertising. Go all out with writing on the back "ASK ME ABOUT SCUBA"