Here we go again, our LDS is offering another Groupon

[ScubaSteve1962]

A 3 day class that does classroom & pool but no OW dives? Are they "extra" or just given referral or what? i know class & pool can be done in that amount of time - just depends on the person whether it's effective or not.

None of the classes here include O/W dives in 3 days or 6 weeks, you can either go on a dive trip to a not so local quarry, or spring in Fla, depending on the time of year, or you can do a referral, I chose to do the referral, with (wait for it) a Living Social coupon that gave the OW class and dives for less than the referral would have cost.

 

[koozemani]

I remember the OPs original thread on her ordeal. A link to it might be helpful

---------- Post added December 18th, 2012 at 06:18 PM ----------

I remember the OPs original thread on her ordeal. A link to it might be helpful

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/new-divers-those-considering-diving/397814-disappointed.html

 

[CindyMac]

I believe I know the shop and its owner very well. I am a customer/friend of the shop. I will say I did not certify there, but at another LDS closer to my home. I purchased my initial equipment (snorkel -wanna know how much I use that?-, fins, masks and weights) as required by that shop at their shop. I don't use the mask or fins that I originally purchased. This is not a "fly by night" or struggling shop. He is a very accomodating instructor and takes his time and does not rush through anything. For those who catch on quickly, I know that can be frustrating.

IMHO, he is a great instructor. I was able to "sit" back and watch as he put his students through the skills (as I was busy practicing buoyancy with the help of some other dive buddies). He does not just give out cert cards - you work for that certification. I also observed that all navigational/compass work was introduced and practiced on land. I "sort of" learned in the water. I am signed up for a navigation class (he wouldn't let me do that in Bonaire - said it was cheating).

I knew at the outset that I would be doing OW in the local quarry when I took my class last June. Many shops do offer (at additional cost) OW completion during trips to warmer water during winter months. It's still cold in June, but as a woman of a "certain age," staying warm was not too hard. I just worried that my "power surges" would harm aquatic life. I was still diving in the quarry til the first weekend in November, but by then I was hopelessly addicted.

JMHO.

I am terrible - I am not a Grouponer. With something like scuba, I think I'd pass on that anyway.

 

[vladimir]

I hate to say it Vladimir but this is exactly as it goes.A hotel group will set its payroll against its revenue( around 20-27% 3-5 star.That is the lowest amount of money it can get away with. A Hotel working at 100% occupancy is not as efficient as a hotel running at 75% occupancy. They do not set the payroll against 100% occupancy the payroll is set some 18months in advance against forecasted figures. Groupon, travel zoo lastminute etc are all a last minute resort to use a crazy month to offset a poor quarter. It usually creates a full house in a low season. The pressures on the hotel to meet its target will outweigh the need for extra staff because bringing in extra staff will then see the payroll % increase against poor revenue created by cheap deals. So the hotel runs peak period business with low season staff percentages and poor gross profit margins. You may not see this in the room. But waiting for concierge( to many cars), rooms not ready when you arrive( stretched housekeeping), slight delays at breakfast or even worse a buffet( usually not enough seats to turn customers around) and long queues at checkout( not enough reception staff or space to accomodate the volume) are the kinds of result, of a hotel running at 100%(usually at the end of the second quarter)occupancy. No matter the rating but usually more dependant on its size. this gives them enough time to save quarter 2 and provide a reservoir of revenue to ensure quarter 3 is met. Then if things are still looking bleak you can expect to pick up the same deal around February.

Working for a group with multiple properties we only need to look at our feedback during these times to see the results of my analogy. Its a matter of damage limitation during these periods in the more negatives are expected and its generally down to little things that would usually be picked up.

Same for airlines the more packed they are the slower it takes to get your food, more drinks, Newspaper etc Take off and landing is the same thats about it.

I guess I stay in better hotels, because I travel quite a bit and have never noticed a significant diminution of service during busy times. And perhaps there's a lesson there; perhaps a quality shop with a reputation it cares about will accommodate a Groupon promotion better than other shops.

 

[Reck Diver]

Groupon is frequently used as a last resort by businesses that are in trouble and can't get customers at the regular price with their normal marketing.

To the contrary. Groupon is frequently used by new businesses trying to establish a customer base, and existing successful, businesses looking to expand their customer base in to previously untried areas. Either way, the plan is to promote future growth and profitability.

Failing businesses usually hold back on price breaks until the "Going Out of Business Sale"

PADI has offered 2 for 1 deals on Open Water Certification, so clearly, they don't think it's a bad idea. Keep in mind that certification marks the beginning of a lifetime of spending on dive gear.

 

[boulderjohn]

PADI has offered 2 for 1 deals on Open Water Certification, so clearly, they don't think it's a bad idea. Keep in mind that certification marks the beginning of a lifetime of spending on dive gear.

I am not sure what you mean by this. PADI does not teach open water certification. It is an agency taht sets standards for local instructors. Are you referring to a local shop that offers a deal for PADI certification?

 

[Reck Diver]

It was a PADI initiative offered at several independent dive shops in South Florida a few years ago.... before I heard of Groupon

 

[live_2_dive]

I am not sure what you mean by this. PADI does not teach open water certification. It is an agency taht sets standards for local instructors. Are you referring to a local shop that offers a deal for PADI certification?

Actually they DO teach open water...aka their online course (obviously not the full certification but they still get paid for it). Not to say this groupon was for online courses, but if they did this course then take the AOW online with PADI, there's their $$. Just sayin'


-------------------------------------------
PADI Rescue/DM 09100Z7445
Dr Dive/Wet Dream/Sea Cobra/Y-Knot/H2OBelow

Diving is my passion...I live to dive!

 

[freewillie]

I know I'm a little late to this dance.

My nephew is a college student and is as most kids his age financially challenged. He has always wanted to try scuba but has found that it is expensive. He took advantage of a Groupon offer with a local LDS. He borrowed my spare mask and snorkel but wound up purchasing gloves, booties and fins through the store. I did take him over to my LDS but he was appalled at the cost of Atomic split fins even at a discounted price. Since the LDS offering the Groupon was giving him a student discount he found it cheaper to purchase gear from them.

He received excellent teaching and instruction. I have only what he has told me about his experiences during class, but he had good basic instruction both in his confined pool dives and then in his open water dives. He recently did his first OW dive post class with me. Aside from the newbie bad air consumption and buoyancy controlled his basic scuba skills are just fine. Full disclosure, his training is SSI and not PADI.

Don't blame Groupon, it is up to the individual LDS to provide the service. We all know there are good and bad shops out there. You can't make a blanket statement about all of them based on a single store.