USFpsychDiver
Contributor
Shop: Planet Scuba, Tucson AZ
Facts (reported as accurately as an individual's perspective allows):
I enrolled and paid for PADI rescue from Planet Scuba in June of this year (one other student was enrolled). As is usual, there was a disclaimer on their web site course description that the course fees did not include additional fees associated with the open water portion, like trip, boat, or site fees. I took the classroom sessions on June 18 & 20 and the pool session on June 23rd, then waited for the OW sessions to be scheduled. After a couple of weeks of hearing nothing I wrote to the instructor asking what was up with scheduling and provided my open weekends for the next two months (I was available approximately every other weekend). The other student provided his availability. The instructor responded that he was coordinating with the shop but that he couldn't schedule on his own, the shop had to approve of the schedule. This process was repeated at least twice, with no one contacting me; I had to take the initiative and contact the instructor, who said he was waiting on the shop. After eight weeks of no action I sent a firmly worded, but polite and respectful, request for action to the shop, stating that this was an unreasonable delay between the classroom and pool sessions and the OW sessions. About a week after that I received an e-mail from the shop (copied below with student and instructor's names redacted):
"It is unfortunate that a lack of communication and our decision to break ties with [instructor] have caused confusion for [other student] and [USFPsychDiver]. Our goal is ALWAYS for divers to have good, reliable, safe and fun training! Congrats on taking your diving to the next level, Rescue diver is a great certification. We feel that it would be in [other student] and [USFPsychDiver's] best interest to complete the certification through [instructor], and you may make any arrangements through him directly. We as a shop in no way want to interfere or cause any confusion or delay for you as divers.
[Instructor] is a good instructor and you are in capable hands.
To address [instructor's] comments of not getting paid, we have a policy that any instructor should fill out forms upon completion of instruction, and they get paid at that time. His charge of $40 is exactly what we charge...it breaks down to $10 per dive. The shop does not up charge in any way any of the instructor fees...it all goes right to them.
Again, our sincerest apologies for any confusion caused in this. [Shop owner] did call [other student] last week and send him an email, to which there was no response. Furthermore, [Shop owner] has emailed and called [instructor] with no response.
There are no hard feelings, we only wish the best for all parties involved. The diving community is filled with many people and good instructors, and we know that you will be well taken care of on your rescue dives.
Warm regards"
I replied that while I agreed that for instruction continuity is was best to keep the same instructor, and that I would continue to try to schedule with the instructor, that I held Planet Scuba responsible for delivering the instruction that I had paid for. I provided them with a list of four weekends that I was available through October and November, and said that if they were unable to deliver the remainder of the course by the end of November, that I would take that as evidence that the, by then 5 month delay, would constitute evidence that they were unable to deliver the paid-for service. Their response was:
"Per a conversation [shop owner] had with [instructor] today, the three of us are all in agreement that it is best to schedule a trip with [instructor]. At this time, we do not have any rescue diving trips scheduled, nor would we be able to provide an instructor on the dates that [USFPsychDiver] specified.
Your folders will reflect completion of the obligation of both the pool and academic requirements.
We do not show any payment or deposits for any trips, and we have agreed that [instructor] is welcome to coordinate a trip at the time and fees he chooses.
At this point, Planet Scuba has fulfilled all obligations you both have paid for, and we are very grateful for your business and understanding. As we've stated before, you have received excellent training and education from [instructor]."
I read the above as 'we're done with you, tough nuts'. The fact that I never put down a deposit on a trip is entirely due to the fact that they never offered a single trip with OW rescue training, nor to they have a single one scheduled. I've taken enough dive classes to know that the course fee covers all training, i.e. everything except incidental fees, like charter costs or site costs, associated with the OW training. Planet Scuba has never offered the OW portion, the instructor is now gone and has not responded to my queries about scheduling the OW sessions. I consider Planet Scuba's conduct in this matter to be, at best, unprofessional.
Given that it has been 10 weeks since paying for the course, contesting the credit card charge is likely to be difficult to impossible. I have filed a complaint with PADI, but I do not expect any action from them (they have not acknowledged receipt of my complaint).. My only other recourse is to report my experiences in social media so that other potential customers may learn from my experience.
Facts (reported as accurately as an individual's perspective allows):
I enrolled and paid for PADI rescue from Planet Scuba in June of this year (one other student was enrolled). As is usual, there was a disclaimer on their web site course description that the course fees did not include additional fees associated with the open water portion, like trip, boat, or site fees. I took the classroom sessions on June 18 & 20 and the pool session on June 23rd, then waited for the OW sessions to be scheduled. After a couple of weeks of hearing nothing I wrote to the instructor asking what was up with scheduling and provided my open weekends for the next two months (I was available approximately every other weekend). The other student provided his availability. The instructor responded that he was coordinating with the shop but that he couldn't schedule on his own, the shop had to approve of the schedule. This process was repeated at least twice, with no one contacting me; I had to take the initiative and contact the instructor, who said he was waiting on the shop. After eight weeks of no action I sent a firmly worded, but polite and respectful, request for action to the shop, stating that this was an unreasonable delay between the classroom and pool sessions and the OW sessions. About a week after that I received an e-mail from the shop (copied below with student and instructor's names redacted):
"It is unfortunate that a lack of communication and our decision to break ties with [instructor] have caused confusion for [other student] and [USFPsychDiver]. Our goal is ALWAYS for divers to have good, reliable, safe and fun training! Congrats on taking your diving to the next level, Rescue diver is a great certification. We feel that it would be in [other student] and [USFPsychDiver's] best interest to complete the certification through [instructor], and you may make any arrangements through him directly. We as a shop in no way want to interfere or cause any confusion or delay for you as divers.
[Instructor] is a good instructor and you are in capable hands.
To address [instructor's] comments of not getting paid, we have a policy that any instructor should fill out forms upon completion of instruction, and they get paid at that time. His charge of $40 is exactly what we charge...it breaks down to $10 per dive. The shop does not up charge in any way any of the instructor fees...it all goes right to them.
Again, our sincerest apologies for any confusion caused in this. [Shop owner] did call [other student] last week and send him an email, to which there was no response. Furthermore, [Shop owner] has emailed and called [instructor] with no response.
There are no hard feelings, we only wish the best for all parties involved. The diving community is filled with many people and good instructors, and we know that you will be well taken care of on your rescue dives.
Warm regards"
I replied that while I agreed that for instruction continuity is was best to keep the same instructor, and that I would continue to try to schedule with the instructor, that I held Planet Scuba responsible for delivering the instruction that I had paid for. I provided them with a list of four weekends that I was available through October and November, and said that if they were unable to deliver the remainder of the course by the end of November, that I would take that as evidence that the, by then 5 month delay, would constitute evidence that they were unable to deliver the paid-for service. Their response was:
"Per a conversation [shop owner] had with [instructor] today, the three of us are all in agreement that it is best to schedule a trip with [instructor]. At this time, we do not have any rescue diving trips scheduled, nor would we be able to provide an instructor on the dates that [USFPsychDiver] specified.
Your folders will reflect completion of the obligation of both the pool and academic requirements.
We do not show any payment or deposits for any trips, and we have agreed that [instructor] is welcome to coordinate a trip at the time and fees he chooses.
At this point, Planet Scuba has fulfilled all obligations you both have paid for, and we are very grateful for your business and understanding. As we've stated before, you have received excellent training and education from [instructor]."
I read the above as 'we're done with you, tough nuts'. The fact that I never put down a deposit on a trip is entirely due to the fact that they never offered a single trip with OW rescue training, nor to they have a single one scheduled. I've taken enough dive classes to know that the course fee covers all training, i.e. everything except incidental fees, like charter costs or site costs, associated with the OW training. Planet Scuba has never offered the OW portion, the instructor is now gone and has not responded to my queries about scheduling the OW sessions. I consider Planet Scuba's conduct in this matter to be, at best, unprofessional.
Given that it has been 10 weeks since paying for the course, contesting the credit card charge is likely to be difficult to impossible. I have filed a complaint with PADI, but I do not expect any action from them (they have not acknowledged receipt of my complaint).. My only other recourse is to report my experiences in social media so that other potential customers may learn from my experience.
