How long should I wait to hear a response from a dive operator?

[steinbil]

I believe I speak the King's English well enough to understand when someone is being elusive. The conversation I had with the previous two dive operators has lead me to look elsewhere. I'm now in contact with a third operator.

If I remember correctly, you were looking for operators in Cyprus. Last time I checked, the King's English is not an official language there, so there may well be a language or cultural barrier there.

Also, I know from experience that Americans expect a different level of service, a customer-centric relationship with businesses, and quick replies, that is very different from a Southern European authentic relaxed culture where there is no pretend-niceness, something that some Americans can find rude.

And to be honest, considering the amount of questions you have posed here on Scubaboard on every topic under the sun even though you're not even certified, I could imagine that it's possible that an operator would write you off if you bombarded them with questions about things that may or may not be relevant to the service you're asking about. Since you won't share the correspondence here, I guess we won't know. Just putting it out there as a possibility to consider...

 

[rick00001967]

i think your original question is too vague to provide a proper response. if you have specific questions about specific services pls let us know.

are you trying to get certified? are you trying to organize some local diving? are you trying to plan a vacation trip or just some vacation dives?

i prefer emails rather than phone calls so everything is in writing. i learned that the hard way. even my own local shop that i worked for would very often tell me one thing and then when it came time to do whatever it was, they would tell me something different.

perhaps you might even get info from one staff member at a shop, and then show up and be told something completely different by another staff member.

if it is in writing there is no argument.

example....i was at my own local shop where i worked at the time. all three of the main people were there. we discussed pricing on a new piece of gear my wife was going to buy me for christmas. i left and brought that info back to my wife and she decided she would go ahead and order it. so we both went down to the shop a few days later to order it. at that time we were given completely different pricing for the same gear from the same person who was there the first time. and when i questioned why the pricing was different, do you know what he said to me? "did you get it in writing"? and that was from my boss. lol

in general, if i was searching for a shop to use for whatever reason and they do not respond in a reasonable time frame with details and answers to my specific concerns/questions, i would move on.

i cannot tell you how many times i have reached out to various companies over the years to try and spend my hard earned money with them, only to be completely ignored or given such poor responses that you just knew it would turn into a nightmare if you were to use them.

my opinion on electronic communication is very simple. if any business offers this service (whether it is email, FB, a contact form on their web site, or even texting) then they should be prepared to respond to those inquiries promptly and professionally. if for whatever reason they simply cannot do that, then dont offer that service. just put up a phone number on the web site and only deal with people who call. pretty simple.

 

[Still Kicking]

Aah. OK, so your question was useless. You’ve already made up your mind, and didn’t really want any opinions.

It's funny how often people join SB with little to no experience, strong opinions, seeking information and disagreeing with the responses. Ah, the Internet!

 

[Learner Diver]

i think your original question is too vague to provide a proper response. if you have specific questions about specific services pls let us know.

are you trying to get certified? are you trying to organize some local diving? are you trying to plan a vacation trip or just some vacation dives?

i prefer emails rather than phone calls so everything is in writing. i learned that the hard way. even my own local shop that i worked for would very often tell me one thing and then when it came time to do whatever it was, they would tell me something different.

perhaps you might even get info from one staff member at a shop, and then show up and be told something completely different by another staff member.

if it is in writing there is no argument.

example....i was at my own local shop where i worked at the time. all three of the main people were there. we discussed pricing on a new piece of gear my wife was going to buy me for christmas. i left and brought that info back to my wife and she decided she would go ahead and order it. so we both went down to the shop a few days later to order it. at that time we were given completely different pricing for the same gear from the same person who was there the first time. and when i questioned why the pricing was different, do you know what he said to me? "did you get it in writing"? and that was from my boss. lol

in general, if i was searching for a shop to use for whatever reason and they do not respond in a reasonable time frame with details and answers to my specific concerns/questions, i would move on.

i cannot tell you how many times i have reached out to various companies over the years to try and spend my hard earned money with them, only to be completely ignored or given such poor responses that you just knew it would turn into a nightmare if you were to use them.

my opinion on electronic communication is very simple. if any business offers this service (whether it is email, FB, a contact form on their web site, or even texting) then they should be prepared to respond to those inquiries promptly and professionally. if for whatever reason they simply cannot do that, then dont offer that service. just put up a phone number on the web site and only deal with people who call. pretty simple.

Great response. I have moved on and have been contacted by another dive operator who is more understanding. From what you're telling me, I can envisage you run an efficient service, and have an understanding on what people want and expect. Yes, I agree my original questions were vague, but coming from a non diving background that would be obvious. The void should have been filled by those who are more experienced when dealing with novices.

 

[cfberry]

• What information should be asked and received?
• What amount of deposit is adequate to secure your place?
• Must the information be easy to comprehend and to the point?

always call! ive worked for multiple shops and it gets busy, customer care is usually the top priority, but dont be afraid to call back if no one picks up

 

[Still Kicking]

I think it's best to email, which allows the business to respond when they have time and so both parties have a written record. Keep it simple, be specific.

I want to dive these days....
My experience level is....
What can you offer me?....
What else do you need from me? .....

I send an email to as many operators in the destination as I can find. You get a feel for the shop in how they respond (or don't).

 

[fred32176]

If they are elusive in their replies, is this a good reason to avoid using them and look elsewhere?

I would use an operator that you feel comfortable with and communicate the best with. If one shop answers your questions better - whatever that means to you, you will probably feel most comfortable using them.

Another alternative is to go on a dive trip with your LDS or a group. Doing a group trip has advantages - you will get to dive with the same folks and the group takes the hassle out of arranging the dive trip.

 

[Rob9876]

i prefer emails rather than phone calls so everything is in writing. i learned that the hard way. even my own local shop that i worked for would very often tell me one thing and then when it came time to do whatever it was, they would tell me something different.

* * *

in general, if i was searching for a shop to use for whatever reason and they do not respond in a reasonable time frame with details and answers to my specific concerns/questions, i would move on.

* * *

my opinion on electronic communication is very simple. if any business offers this service (whether it is email, FB, a contact form on their web site, or even texting) then they should be prepared to respond to those inquiries promptly and professionally. if for whatever reason they simply cannot do that, then dont offer that service. just put up a phone number on the web site and only deal with people who call. pretty simple.

I am the same way. Plus I often don't have a lot of time away from work to call while the dive op is open and run through questions. If a business cannot email back to me with basic information about there services within a few days, then I generally move on to one who will. Two related pet peeves:

1. Many of the questions I have should already be on their web site: cost for common dives & courses, what is included (tanks, weights, snacks, etc.), where to meet the boat and what time (so I can see how far from my hotel), approximate return time (to meet with non-diver family) etc. Why not use the website wisely displaying these basic facts and save us both some time? And if you're shy about posting your prices, maybe you should lower them.

2. I absolutely hate taking the time to send a message **in the manner offered by the dive op (website, email, Facebook, etc.)** and then getting a non-responsive "Call us at the shop" reply in return -- I'd rather be cussed out, and will avoid that dive op if there are any alternatives. As mentioned, if you're not going to actually communicate through those methods, don't list them on your website.

 

[Edward3c]

• What information should be asked and received?
• What amount of deposit is adequate to secure your place?
• Must the information be easy to comprehend and to the point?

All depends on what you’re after. You need to be specific with your questions. And if targeting multiple operators, use the same questions so you can do a comparison.

As for speed of response, it varies depending on time differences and religious holidays.

Whether you understand their response is down to how concise you were with your questions.

I prefer not to pre-book dives, this gives me the ability to change operator if the checkout dive highlights any weaknesses in their operation. But then I no longer take courses, just fun dives. Although I have run courses for operator staff.