Aerosynth
Contributor
- Messages
- 114
- Reaction score
- 1
- # of dives
- 25 - 49
General question...
How loyal does a LDS expect its customers to be? Are LDS groups offended when a diver shows up to a dive, sporting a piece of gear not purchased from them? Or when they find out a diver is carrying around a new C-Card and didn't take the course from their shop?
And to the divers... do you use more than one LDS or source for your gear and training? And, does your primary/preferred LDS know... or do you just keep it to yourself? If they know, are they cool with it? Ever had confrontations/questions about it?
From the customer end, I can say this... there are LDS groups that I absolutely enjoy and love doing business with. I think they consider me a good customer. However, I can't always wait 3 months to take a certain class, or I can't get the brand/model of something I want at their shops, or the price difference is just too great and I have to buy something somewhere else.
The diving community in general seems extremely hung up on LDS loyalty... and I understand that... but for me, in this market, it just isn't reasonable (or possible) to use my preferred LDS for every single dive-related transaction.
I don't want to hurt feelings and stop getting invited out to dive. I suppose I'm looking for that right balance between loyalty to the businesses/groups that I like, pursuit of my individual diving goals, and satisfaction of my personal gear preferences.
Just wondering. I know that this topic goes beyond diving into the realm of small business in general. Just seems that divers are particularly loyal, and the topic might have special resonance in this community.
How loyal does a LDS expect its customers to be? Are LDS groups offended when a diver shows up to a dive, sporting a piece of gear not purchased from them? Or when they find out a diver is carrying around a new C-Card and didn't take the course from their shop?
And to the divers... do you use more than one LDS or source for your gear and training? And, does your primary/preferred LDS know... or do you just keep it to yourself? If they know, are they cool with it? Ever had confrontations/questions about it?
From the customer end, I can say this... there are LDS groups that I absolutely enjoy and love doing business with. I think they consider me a good customer. However, I can't always wait 3 months to take a certain class, or I can't get the brand/model of something I want at their shops, or the price difference is just too great and I have to buy something somewhere else.
The diving community in general seems extremely hung up on LDS loyalty... and I understand that... but for me, in this market, it just isn't reasonable (or possible) to use my preferred LDS for every single dive-related transaction.
I don't want to hurt feelings and stop getting invited out to dive. I suppose I'm looking for that right balance between loyalty to the businesses/groups that I like, pursuit of my individual diving goals, and satisfaction of my personal gear preferences.
Just wondering. I know that this topic goes beyond diving into the realm of small business in general. Just seems that divers are particularly loyal, and the topic might have special resonance in this community.