B.L. Justice
Registered
I initially learned through a So Cal dive shop that many would know but I won't name. The Open Water class was a nightmare and I left the class with little or no confidence in my abilities. Many years later I went into a Sport Chalet where I was not happy with the service. The sales person did me a real favor by mentioning that their summer tent sale was that weekend, they did much more scuba business at the Huntington Beach store so would have more gear on sale. I went there that weekend and have gone there ever since even though it is a LONG, LONG drive.
It really isn't about the store. It is about who the instructor is. I don't really think that it is about the agency, it is about the instructor (here come the flames). I have worked with the same core of instructors for two years and have earned a number of certifications because they took the time and understood my needs. They were role models.
Every place you go, you will have good and bad experiences. You will mesh well with people or you won't. My experience has been that a large organization like Sport Chalet or any of the others would rather help you and keep a customer rather than chase you away and keep a buck. They understand that the nickels and dimes saved through poor customer service mean that the big bucks go someplace else. That said, sometimes customers ask the unreasonable or even the impossible. The truth is that the customer isn't always right BUT they are always the customer.
Checking the instructor out is always a good idea. Referrals and word of mouth are the best way to find a good fit. I like it when I see a potential student asking a newly certified student who is returning their rental gear, questions about their experience. If the instructor did their job well the reviews will show it. If they don't, the retailer will suffer.
It really isn't about the store. It is about who the instructor is. I don't really think that it is about the agency, it is about the instructor (here come the flames). I have worked with the same core of instructors for two years and have earned a number of certifications because they took the time and understood my needs. They were role models.
Every place you go, you will have good and bad experiences. You will mesh well with people or you won't. My experience has been that a large organization like Sport Chalet or any of the others would rather help you and keep a customer rather than chase you away and keep a buck. They understand that the nickels and dimes saved through poor customer service mean that the big bucks go someplace else. That said, sometimes customers ask the unreasonable or even the impossible. The truth is that the customer isn't always right BUT they are always the customer.
Checking the instructor out is always a good idea. Referrals and word of mouth are the best way to find a good fit. I like it when I see a potential student asking a newly certified student who is returning their rental gear, questions about their experience. If the instructor did their job well the reviews will show it. If they don't, the retailer will suffer.