I Need your input about a dive shop

[Fishkiller]

Here are the facts, as I understand them:

I have a $250+ credit so I decided to spend my money this way. I told the owner of my LDS my intentions.

At shop X, I sign up for a PADI Nitrox Class, the first week of October, the class is scheduled for the 16th and 17th. The shop has no Crew pack material in stock, but will order it. The next week I go to check if my Nitrox material has shown up nope “don’t understand where the order could be”. The night of the 16th with the class beginning at 6pm I get my hands on a used Crew pack at 5:30pm. I consider myself intelligent and a quick study, so fumble through class having problems with the tables; I learned on the wheel so the tables are difficult for me. I get home go to sleep watching the video I awake in the morning watch rest of video, finish the Knowledge review,(questions were copied from the instructors manual). Get to class and to my amazement only miss 5 questions, 3 of which were table questions. There are two of us in class the other student is a DM. The instructor/Owner of shop needs to schedule a boat for the two lake dives. “Would like to go deep”
I still have money on the credit so spend the rest on a dive skin. Which to no surprise they have to order.
I called on Wednesday and during the conversation get asked if Friday or Saturday is good for me? Of course I say yes,” we’ll get back to you”

It is now November 2nd I stop by shop X, on my way to my LDS. Still no Nitrox manual or dive skin, but have order confirmation on the dive skin. I at my LDS tell them this and while wondering why I do business there say “Hey just let the Owner/Instructor know that they can use our boat and I’ll take him anywhere he wants to go”

I would like your input on what I should do?

Choice A: patiently wait for Shop X to get Nitrox manual and Dive skin and wait for dive.

Choice B: On Tuesday go to shop get refunds for Manuals, Dive-skin, and referral for dives.

At shop X I have some good friends but feel like I need to be a consumer instead. I feel like I have been patient enough and need to pretty much severe my ties. My LDS is and has been a well-stocked shop sell items for much less, to add something both shops are at Cozumel this weekend at the same hotel everything. Shop X charged $250 more than my LDS.

So I ask for support and direction.

(Moral of this story, look around before you commit)

 

[TAM Dive]

as a shop owner......................
I would hope it would send a message, choice "B", get your money back for the manual, skin. It sounds like your are in the market for good service, you have the choice it would seem. Shop X has let you down repeatedly, in the course and product.
As for the Nitrox OW's, you may have some options here, you are not learning to dive, so do you really require that an instructor be there for your dive. You maybe able to record the dive, mixture used, max depth, monitor your depths and then calculate your total oxygen clock for the dive. This may satisfy the requirements. Then again getting a referral and doing it under a good instructors guidance goes a long way. My personal experiece with some of the "4 hour Nitrox classes", "now go forth and dive", is that some of the students don't quit get it in the class, and really could use that extra hands on out in the field to help them "get it" while participating in a real dive.

Send the message...............

mho

john

 

[TAM Dive]

Do yourself a favour..............get a Nitrox dive computor. Or at the very least an Air equalivant table.........with this table you can use different mixes on repetitive dive profiles, and use the best mix for the max depth, instead of being stuck with the standard, 32% & 36%.

mho

john

 

[rstone]

TAM he still requires a instructor since he cant send in the PIC card himself to PADI for his cert card and cant sign himself off.. and TAM since you are a PADI shop it appears.. it shocks me you would even suggest that someone dives NITROX uncertified.

As for what to do.. if you like the shop and the instructor.. go ahead and do your o/w dives with them and get a refund on the materials purchased and get them somewhere else.. if you could care less.. get a refferal and a refund.

 

[Butch103]

for sure......why frustrate yourself even more.......

Tam...please clarify...dive with Nitrox uncertified.....?? curious to this statement.


Butch eace:

 

[Zagnut]

It sounds to me like, from the the way you described the situation, like your LDS would be the way to go. I'm guessing you've gotten good service from your LDS in the past and that is why they are your LDS. Good service and their prices are lower, the answer seems obvious to me. Get your refund and go back to your LDS. It's good to check around at other dive shops on equipment and pricing. It gives you a chance to see what's out there and you can "keep your LDS honest" on their pricing, so to speak. Whether it be in the dive industry or any other industry for that matter, if you can't take care of your customer, do you really deserve to be in business? You have to give them a chance because mistakes happen, but if you start to see a pattern, move on to someone who will take good care of you as a customer. Be tactful and polite going about getting your money back from place X and if they really are your friends they should understand that it's nothing personal, you just want the instruction/materials/equipment that you have already payed for and you feel you should get it in a reasonable amount of time or get a refund. It would kind of suck having to take the nitrox class over, but look at it like this. The next time you take the classroom portion, it will be easy because you are already familiar with the material. Going over the material twice will make you more familiar with it and make it second nature... really plant it in your brain. Sure it's a little more trouble, but it will just reinforce your knowledge and skills as a diver, making you a better and safer diver. That's a good thing. There's nothing wrong with reviewing information you've already covered.

 

[Wisconsin]

The service you've received from shop X has been very poor. They've had ample opportunity to make things right for you. Take your money to your LDS where it sounds like you are a valued customer.

 

[Fishkiller]

Originally posted by TAM Dive
Do yourself a favour..............get a Nitrox dive computor. Or at the very least an Air equalivant table.........with this table you can use different mixes on repetitive dive profiles, and use the best mix for the max depth, instead of being stuck with the standard, 32% & 36%.

mho

john

I own an AERIS 500AI Nitrox compatiable DC. The Air equalivant tables are what gave me the problems the Ean 32 and Ean 36 tables were as much a problem as the PADI table...I like the Wheel.

thank you all for those comments please keep them comming

 

[wetman]

Doesn't the presence (as a buddy) of an instructor on the open water dive for a nitrox course depend on the certifying agency? I think NAUI requires it but does PADI and others as well?

steve

 

[Dee]

PADI requires that you do two dives with the instructor who taught the class. If that is a problem, they will give you a referral to another instructor who is willing to take the responsibility of signing off on your C-card.

Just being on a dive with any instructor while breathing Nitrox is not the same thing.

In your poll, I voted to get your money back. But I would definately explain why I want it back...and be specific. It doesn't have to be a complaint as much as an honest explaination.