Lookign for some feedback. We offer both SSI and PADI classes at this moment. The offers on the table are to be exclusive with one or the other. What agency do you offer and why?
Thanks
Thanks
SSI or PADI 5 Star
- Thread starter colo_diver
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PADI...from a business standpoint more recognized.Also easier for owner to hire instructors, more of a pool to chose from..may be better choice for customers if they travel alot and complete their ow training dives elsewhere,as you cannot throw a rock in the islands without hitting a PADI instructor.
I was a SSI instructor (1409) and have made more $$ with PADI than with SSI.
If the business owner wants to keep a very tight rein on the instructors ,then SSI.Reason is if he fires them they cannot turn around and offer private classes.SSI instructors MUST be affiliated with a facility.So when the owner fires them and if he is the only SSI facility in the area they are for the most part instructors in name only and cannot work as instructors.
I was a SSI instructor (1409) and have made more $$ with PADI than with SSI.
If the business owner wants to keep a very tight rein on the instructors ,then SSI.Reason is if he fires them they cannot turn around and offer private classes.SSI instructors MUST be affiliated with a facility.So when the owner fires them and if he is the only SSI facility in the area they are for the most part instructors in name only and cannot work as instructors.
My disclaimer, only you can make that decision on what model works best for your store. With that being said I purchased my shop almost 5 years ago, at that time it was both PADI and SSI. When I compared the cost to be affiliated with both I just couldn't justify the expense so we had to decide who we would use. To crossover the SSI intructors to PADI the cost (with travel) approached $5000 per instructor. To cross the PADI instructors to SSI cost was $500 per instructor. My annual dues for the shop where considerably less also. At that time Watson was my regional rep so I contacted him and scheduled a time he could come to our location and crossover the instructors.
I don't think I would still be here if not for the support and guidance of the SSI buisiness team. They have gone above and beyond helping me to transition my shop from the old school to be more current.
With your location so close to headquarters give Doug or Watson a call and find out for yourself if they work for you or not.
I am sure the are just as many PADI stores that feel the same as I do about my relationship with SSI. I am not trying to bash either just explain what worked for me.
If you want to visit pm me and I would be happy to chat over the phone.
I don't think I would still be here if not for the support and guidance of the SSI buisiness team. They have gone above and beyond helping me to transition my shop from the old school to be more current.
With your location so close to headquarters give Doug or Watson a call and find out for yourself if they work for you or not.
I am sure the are just as many PADI stores that feel the same as I do about my relationship with SSI. I am not trying to bash either just explain what worked for me.
If you want to visit pm me and I would be happy to chat over the phone.
I also own a PADI shop, primarily for the reasons cited by oly5050 above. I can't overemphasize the importance of PADI's name brand recognition. I cannot say anything negative about other agencies, as they all have the potential to provide great training. For me, the fact that PADI certifies about 80% of the divers around the world justifies my affiliation. my shop is in a small resort town that caters primarily to backpackers. I cannot tell you how many potential customers walk into my shop on a daily basis saying "I want to do my PADI." They don't say they want to "become dive certified." At least for my clentele PADI has become synonymous with diver certification. On the other hand, if your shop is located in the U.S. (I assume Colorado), I think that you certainly could justify affiliating with SSI because there is a much wider diversity of agencies supported in the U.S.
OP
At this moment we are leaning PADI. I will tell you that yes the "visa" stly marketing does have a pull, BUT one of the biggest reasons is that the rep for SSI is well like most scuba sales people just not good. The lack of follow through and support and well a promiose made at DEMA last year and he just ignored us. PADI is the most marketed in the world. Question, how do you feel about all the classes on line
We only get a dozen or so elearning students a year, as most of our students are walk-ins. When elearning first came out I was vehemently opposed to the idea. I just did not think that online learning could take the place of face-to-face instruction for scuba (this is coming from someone who taught several online college composition courses and someone well versed in learning theory).
What I have learned over the last couple of years is that elearning students are just as well prepared as students who do the academics with my instructors (in some cases more so). Of course there are always some exceptions, but we also occasionally have students who struggle with classroom instruction. It is important to remember that even if students give you their paperwork showing they have passed all the quizzes and exams online, that in some cases a little more prescriptive teaching might be in order. PADI provides a "Quick Review" (a 20 question quiz) to administer to students who have completed elearning and show up to your shop, but in my opinion the Quick Review is a starting point--theoretical knowledge should be constantly reinforced during confined and OW sessions (for example, during the debriefing for fin pivot, you might ask the students WHY deep inhalations affect their buoyancy--as it relates to what they learned online).
OP
Thanks to you all. We have decided to stay the way we are because we are trying to buy a building and build a pool and just do not have the time to devote to cross over training. BUT, I was just talking to one of our future dive con candiates about wet suits. She went to the Denver Show and saw something that excited her. When I told her the retail price she said "that is insane". I told her may not, depending on the QUALITY of the suit. It is in the price range of the higher quality 3m suits we sell.
AND this is what brings me to the topic. SSI is retail centric while PADI is certifaction centric. REGARDLESS OF THE AGENCY, it is the dive shop and the sales people and the QUALITY of their training and education.
What ever direction we go, we must keep in mind this. And we as diving professionals must learn to ask this question........ "tell me about the type of diving you do (or intend to do)" and recommend products to their needs
AND this is what brings me to the topic. SSI is retail centric while PADI is certifaction centric. REGARDLESS OF THE AGENCY, it is the dive shop and the sales people and the QUALITY of their training and education.
What ever direction we go, we must keep in mind this. And we as diving professionals must learn to ask this question........ "tell me about the type of diving you do (or intend to do)" and recommend products to their needs
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