Questions for Dive Shop Owners

[EmeraldSeaDiving]

Not sure if this area is the correct place, if not I apologize. My question is fairly simple, does any dive shop owner or managers use any sort of manual or code of ethics for your independent dive instructors before you bring them on?

 

[scubamarketing]

I've been told by several dive centers that they have them, but I've honestly never been allowed to see one. It seems like it would be something that would be highly beneficial, maybe we should put something together

 

[Krazytomdiver]

As a dive guide,(not instructor or ever will be) I've worked & hung around many dive shops. My experience, dive shop owners consider three characteristics: (1) female (2) young (3) height & weight proportionate...(flame retardent applied)

"living life without a hard bottom"
KT

 

[Shcubasteve]

I've been told by several dive centers that they have them, but I've honestly never been allowed to see one. It seems like it would be something that would be highly beneficial, maybe we should put something together

yeah you would know because your company cleans up all the shops that go out of business.

 

[cbrich]

As a dive guide,(not instructor or ever will be) I've worked & hung around many dive shops. My experience, dive shop owners consider three characteristics: (1) female (2) young (3) height & weight proportionate...(flame retardent applied)

KT

I can't believe you forgot #4, ASSests

 

[sagibson]

As a dive guide,(not instructor or ever will be) I've worked & hung around many dive shops. My experience, dive shop owners consider three characteristics: (1) female (2) young (3) height & weight proportionate...(flame retardent applied)

I need to find this dive shop.

 

[Thalassamania]

If a shop has such a document (aside from ethical stuff) then the instructors are, by legal definition, not independents.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Just what kind of code of ethics are you looking for? One that restricts the instructors ability to teach outside the shop? Recommend gear that may not be in the divers best interests but will add to the shop's bottom line? Or allow the shop to poach students the instructor brings in? Many of us teach independently because of a LACK OF ETHICS on the part of the shops. We want to set our own schedule and teach according to our ethics, morals, and core beliefs in addition to the agency standards we must follow.
You don't "bring on" an independent instructor.
They are not your employee. You work with them.
They are more like a customer that you should treat very well.
A good independent will bring you students you other wise never see.
They will sell gear by example and not by hard sell techniques.
They will not allow you to push top of the line stuff to people who do not need a $500 reg when a $300 one will do.
They will train divers to very high standards that will continue to dive and likely come back for more training and more gear.
Treat us well and we will bring you business you never thought you'd see.
Be overbearing and pushy and our silence when asked to recommend a shop will say more than any negative we could think of.
Don't ask us to add to your cert numbers by certing thru the shop. You're not teaching them - we are.
Don't ask us to change agencies or teach to your agency's standards if ours are higher. When I say ours I mean the instructors standards as well as our agencies. Many of us have our own standards above and beyond what the agency requires; That's why we are independents or teach for agencies that allow us that freedom.

 

[scubamarketing]

yeah you would know because your company cleans up all the shops that go out of business.

If your statement were accurate, what would it have to do with this topic?