Future advances in regulator design?

[ams511]

"Inspected or serviced"

At one time most scuba manufacturers guaranteed their products for life. Period. The parts for life was a separate program where you received free parts each year. If you missed a year you had to pay for parts in the service but after that you were covered again. After SP and AL decided to allow online sales they changed their programs. What one has to do with the other, I have no idea. It is not like they lowered their prices at all.

 

[BoltSnap]

yeah, and that's inspected on one year, then serviced on the next. so if I can't get it in for a year because I'm deployed in the military to have my regulator inspected, then I lose my warranty. That is seriously uncool.

Nope, they have compassion and are reasonable in extenuating circumstances.

 

[lowviz]

Burhaneddin,

OK, now that post has to be something between bitter irony and outright sarcasm. Let's take the ScubaPro case:

I've lost ALL my "parts for life" from SP on every reg I either own or gave away. One reg was booted out by a month. My LDS intervened but to no avail.

I'll keep my prized collection until I can no longer get black market service kits. "Deep down you want the best." Yeah, we all do. But damn near anything is "the best" at recreational depths.

 

[ams511]

I am sure Scuba Pro would make an exception for a returning veteran, because if they didn't they would be raked over the coals on social media. It is not that they are "compassionate", they just want to avoid the negative publicity.

Scuba Pro is owned by private equity, they are not a charity. They found a way of making more money by cutting off free service kits.

 

[BoltSnap]

Burhaneddin,

OK, now that post has to be something between bitter irony and outright sarcasm. Let's take the ScubaPro case:

I've lost ALL my "parts for life" from SP on every reg I either own or gave away. One reg was booted out by a month. My LDS intervened but to no avail.

I'll keep my prized collection until I can no longer get black market service kits. "Deep down you want the best." Yeah, we all do. But damn near anything is "the best" at recreational depths.

I don't know what your story is, but my experience with SP, they were/are VERY lenient and understanding. There was never an issue with month delay in getting equipment serviced at all.

BTW, the free parts program only exists in the USA AFAIK.

I am sure Scuba Pro would make an exception for a returning veteran, because if they didn't they would be raked over the coals on social media. It is not that they are "compassionate", they just want to avoid the negative publicity.

I personally know that they were lenient and accommodating on several occasions when it was reasonable and benefited all parties. It is business after all but it is a business built on good relations with people.

I have dealt with SP for over a decade as a dealer and more as a dive center/school and they were nothing but super nice and accommodating when had issues with end users' special circumstances (as long as the requests were reasonable and not totally outrageous).

 

[tbone1004]

Nope, they have compassion and are reasonable in extenuating circumstances.

I'll stick with Poseidon that gives it to me for 2 years after every authorized service or Deep6/HOG/DiveRite who give it to me for life unconditionally thank you very much

 

[lowviz]

...//... I have dealt with SP for over a decade as a dealer and more as a dive center/school and they were nothing but super nice and accommodating when had issues with end users' special circumstances (as long as the requests were reasonable and not totally outrageous).

Yes, I completely understand the world from your viewpoint.

You realize that to SP the end user is scum. Nothing but a time suck money-losing annoyance. Their business model is all about the dive shop. I watched a previous mentor try to open a tech shop in Delaware. They beat him out of existence making him buy skins and 5 mil shorties. He had to make sales, couldn't. He now sets up Harley franchises and is quite happy. You want his private phone number to substantiate my rant? (We friends, you and I. Please remember that.)

 

[ams511]

BTW, the free parts program only exists in the USA AFAIK.

I don't see what this has to do with anything. The regulators were sold with "free parts for life" and a lifetime guarantee, is it too much to ask that they stand by their promise?

It is business after all but it is a business built on good relations with people.

I do not disagree with that statement. But how does getting rid of "parts for life" build good relationships?

 

[ams511]

Yes, I completely understand the world from your viewpoint.

You realize that to SP the end user is scum. Nothing but a time suck money-losing annoyance. Their business model is all about the dive shop. I watched a previous mentor try to open a tech shop in Delaware. They beat him out of existence making him buy skins and 5 mil shorties. He had to make sales, couldn't. He now sets up Harley franchises and is quite happy. You want his private phone number to substantiate my rant? (We friends, you and I. Please remember that.)

Actually I am sure that experience was not a typical. There was a discussion by the former owner of TDS and the Silent World (Key Largo) dive shop where he basically said the same thing. Being in Key Largo, most divers either bring their own gear or rent but yet the manufacturers have minimum yearly buys which are hard to maintain.

 

[BoltSnap]

Yes, I completely understand the world from your viewpoint.

You realize that to SP the end user is scum. Nothing but a time suck money-losing annoyance. Their business model is all about the dive shop. I watched a previous mentor try to open a tech shop in Delaware. They beat him out of existence making him buy skins and 5 mil shorties. He had to make sales, couldn't.

I certainly empathize with your friend and you are correct, SP's (and many other dive equipment mfg's) business model is mfg. to dealer to consumer. Most of these manufacturers, especially the bigger ones, don't have the capacity to deal with the end user directly except in the extreme rare occasions. As big as these "big" companies are in the dive business, they are very small and minuscule in the bigger world of international trade and companies. In real life outside diving, I work as a senior consultant for a telecom holding company and their annual profits are much bigger than the annual turn over for the entire worldwide dive industry with all of its categories; training, manufacturing, travel, etc. This is one company in a third world country

The annual business requirements for dive equipment manufacturers are different for different companies and different regions. Some of them, mostly North American companies, are merciless in their requirements and treat a dive shop in Libya where the diver population is less than 500 divers almost the same as a dive shop in New York City in their requirements and annual business turnover. I have had personal experience in this matter myself but I can't share the details except that one has to have options and shop around for vendors and try not to take a no for an answer few times (SP wasn't the merciless vendor I am talking about here, it was another company).

He now sets up Harley franchises and is quite happy.

What happened to him in the dive business and him ending up in a different business was perhaps for the better.

We friends, you and I. Please remember that.

Thank you!! Same here. Don't let the faceless disagreement here on SB go deeper than it is on SB