Spending too much time and money on diving?

[ClevelandDiver]

I just got a phone call from Summit Racing Equipment asking me why I had not ordered anything for so long. I had to explain to the girl that most of my spare time and money was going to scuba diving and I haven't really had the time to work on my car. She thanked for my time and said she was sending me a $20 gift certificate.

Before diving I was a regular customer of theirs who drove to the store instead of using the mail order service. They have free shipping and something like an eight dollar handling fee per transaction. The also have an unadvertised rewards program for people who buy everything at their retail shop. I shopped there so much that they would send me $50 gift certificates once or twice a year.

The call made me think about what an impressive operation they run. Summit Racing is prehaps the worlds largest automotive performance parts retailer, yet they are concerned enough about their customers to review purchasing habits and check up on a customer who spent around $2,000 a year. It also made me think about how much money I have been spending on diving (well over $2K/year) and the level of service I have been receiving from dive shops.

And the $20 gift certificate...... I know I will end up using it on something that costs at least $150. Something tells me that their people reviewing my account know that too.

 

[Damselfish]

yeah, I won a $25 certificate at my LDS - you can guess how much that saved me (not!)

 

[BabyDuck]

lessons to be learned here by other shops in other specialty fields!!

 

[gangrel441]

one of many lessons to be learned by the retail diving industry....

OT...what do you drive?

 

[SStrecker]

Scuba certainly is an expensive hobby; both in terms of capital investment and ongoing operational expense. What surprises me most is having to pay for access to private & public fresh water sites (here in Texas). When, I lived and dived in Washington state (admittedly years ago), I never once paid an access fee (for either fresh or salt water sites). Such is life..........

 

[ClevelandDiver]

Scuba certainly is an expensive hobby; both in terms of capital investment and ongoing operational expense. What surprises me most is having to pay for access to private & public fresh water sites (here in Texas). When, I lived and dived in Washington state (admittedly years ago), I never once paid an access fee (for either fresh or salt water sites). Such is life..........

I don't mind the $10 fee the "local" quarry charges me. It is the $35 in gas and tolls I rack up on the 180 mile roundtrip. The worst part of it is that I live 1 mile down the street from one of largest bodies of fresh water on the planet and there is no decent shore diving that is readily accessible. I have to spend $85 to go out on a charter, and I need to find 3 other divers to go before they will take me out. At least if I carpool with a buddy to the quary it only costs me around $35 to dive. $7 in air, $15 in gas, $2.5 in tolls and $10 dive fee. Compared to a $100+ boat trip: $85 dive fee, $7 in air, $10 tip, $5 in gas. And my neighbor complains about how much golf is costing him.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

....(here in Texas). When, I lived and dived in Washington state (admittedly years ago), I never once paid an access fee (for either fresh or salt water sites). Such is life..........

I got stuck with the same deal leaving Seattle, shelling out $25 a day to dive in a quarry is painful when you're used to driving to the Sound after work and getting two in before dinner.

The worst part of it is that I live 1 mile down the street from one of largest bodies of fresh water on the planet and there is no decent shore diving that is readily accessible.....

Ditto that, shore diving in Lake MI is virtually impossible from this side.

I'm really impressed with the customer service from Summit too

 

[Ten9T6]

I just got a phone call from Summit Racing Equipment asking me why I had not ordered anything for so long. I had to explain to the girl that most of my spare time and money was going to scuba diving and I haven't really had the time to work on my car. She thanked for my time and said she was sending me a $20 gift certificate.

Before diving I was a regular customer of theirs who drove to the store instead of using the mail order service. They have free shipping and something like an eight dollar handling fee per transaction. The also have an unadvertised rewards program for people who buy everything at their retail shop. I shopped there so much that they would send me $50 gift certificates once or twice a year.

The call made me think about what an impressive operation they run. Summit Racing is prehaps the worlds largest automotive performance parts retailer, yet they are concerned enough about their customers to review purchasing habits and check up on a customer who spent around $2,000 a year. It also made me think about how much money I have been spending on diving (well over $2K/year) and the level of service I have been receiving from dive shops.

And the $20 gift certificate...... I know I will end up using it on something that costs at least $150. Something tells me that their people reviewing my account know that too.

I know what your saying.....My scuba addiction has taken away from my other hobbies this past year. I used to skydive all the time......Like you I also work on my car ('96 LT4 Vette)....of course more specialty courses in Scuba....Shooting...(just bought an M4)...and what makes it worse is lately, I have had the urge to get back into the air more. .. I think I am going to need a better job.

Kenny

 

[ClevelandDiver]

I know what your saying.....My scuba addiction has taken away from my other hobbies this past year. I used to skydive all the time......Like you I also work on my car ('96 LT4 Vette)....of course more specialty courses in Scuba....Shooting...(just bought an M4)...and what makes it worse is lately, I have had the urge to get back into the air more. .. I think I am going to need a better job.

Kenny

If your Vette is stick, Summit sells a plug in that disables that skip shift BS from the factory.

 

[Ten9T6]

Yup...it's in there w/ the ripper shifter...aluminum flywheel...and 4.11s.....that was the last go around....Oh ya....a black and silver flame ball shifter on the ripper. :05:

Kenny