The changing Scuba Industry

[SeaHorse81]

I do.

I trust the garage that I have been going to for over 20 years...

A dive shop that does this has nothing to lose.

Me too, I'm happy to say. Businesses run this way are rare treasures, which is why they'll be the last ones standing as long as there's work to be done. You tell all your friends about them. You keep driving to them after you've moved further away. You call them when you have a question and they know who you are, and give you a good answer over the phone when they could have charged you to come in for an appointment.

Thank goodness for the people who still do business this way.

 

[Schwob]

A dive shop that does this has nothing to lose.

Agreed - as long as it is that way indeed and not just pretentiously so.
Experienced it both ways the short time I am diving. Like it when it's true...

I envy you in terms of the garage you frequent. Definitely never felt that way about a car repair shop... my experiences always have been along the lines of knowing that I "have been had" or likely am about to be...

 

[Marie13]

Perfect example from last night and today...

I'm perpetually searching for a mask that doesn't leak. I've been through at least 10. Deep smile lines and mask leaks from bottom when I equalize. Sometimes leak is a flood. Anyway, a particular mask was recommended to me by someone with the same problem. Today was my last pool dive before local quarry opens in two weeks. Called DRIS on the way down from work last night. They were out of that particular mask, but the guy on the phone (Auggie) said they had similar ones. He and Joe the reg guy spent probably 45 minutes with me pulling multiple masks out. I ended up going home with two. One worked. I took the leaking one back today, as well as a no-go from two weeks ago.

Got full store credit (since they had been used, even in the pool, I know their policy and knew I'd get the store credit). No argument. The one mask was still wet from today's pool session. Walked out with a few small things and got my pony topped off.

I find it's very rare these days for any sort of retail shop to spend that much time on one customer. One of the many reasons I love DRIS and keep going back, as well as recommending them to everyone I know who dives.

 

[diver0008]

Got full store credit (since they had been used, even in the pool, I know their policy and knew I'd get the store credit). No argument. The one mask was still wet from today's pool session.

I wonder what they will do with the used mask.

 

[Wookie]

I wonder what they will do with the used mask.

Typically put it in rental or sell it used for cost +10%. But I'd bet that they got full retail for the one that is right and reaffirmed their relationship with the customer.

 

[The Chairman]

I started working on cars in 1969, the same year I took up Scuba. The last fifteen years, I worked for Goodyear Tire & Rubber co. Started out as a technician and became a service manager within two years. I was fairly competent as a manger without any training, and seemed to improve with each passing year. I developed a philosophy that every customer was a friend. No, not my best friend, but I owed my livlihood to everyone who walked through my door. At one point, I was asked to take over the number 2 Goodyear in Orlando... 601 N Bumby Ave. I was lucky and the timing for me there was perfect. We had 20% increases year after year, to the point where Akron was asking me what program I was running. I never oversold. I demanded that my techs FIXED the car the first time, with a part or two (not a shotgun approach), that they kept vehicles clean and so forth. In about 4 years, we were the biggest Goodyear in the world. I've tried to bring the same kind of thinking to ScubaBoard. Unfortunately, some of my users want to bully others, so I have to play the ahole from time to time. But still, I like my customers, those who only read and those who pay the bills. Oh snap... we're the biggest forum for Scuba in the world. It's not rocket science. Try not to piss your clients off.

 

[Marie13]

Typically put it in rental or sell it used for cost +10%. But I'd bet that they got full retail for the one that is right and reaffirmed their relationship with the customer.

Actually the one I kept was on sale.

ETA: and the at least 10 masks I've tried? Nearly all have been from DRIS except for a $30 Cressi from Amazon (a friend had recommended that particular mask). And DRIS doesn't even carry that brand. Then there was the DGX mask I tried, but it turned out to be a style that my face doesn't like the style.

 

[redacted]

Rinse it off and let it dry. It is still "new".

 

[Aqua-Andy]

I have been reading this thread from the beginning and find it very interesting. As I was reading through this thread it got me thinking about how I started in diving. I was brought up around the water my whole life "parents have a lake house" and always loved to snorkel and always wanted to learn SCUBA. So one weekend when we were up at the lake a friend of ours brought up his gear and a set for me to try out. I know I will probably get crap for this but he gave me a crash course "no he is not an instructor or even an avid diver" and off we went. I was hooked! I sucked down three tanks that weekend in the lake in front of the camp and could not get enough! The following spring I went down to the local dive shop and signed up for a class it was around $500 all said and done. This was 10 years ago and at that time with a wife, two kids, one on the way and a mortgage this was a stretch to spend on an activity that was solely for me. I did the course and then I pieced together a set of gear almost all used or deeply discounted new products, and started diving. As time went on I was able to afford advanced open water and other classes and was able to afford to purchase gear at my LDS. Now if that shop did not use the training model of the loss leader for classes I'm not sure I would be diving right now. There is no way I would have spent 800 to 1000 dollars on open water classes, I just could not have afforded it. Some would say that I took advantage of that shop because I took the class that they were losing on and then purchased my gear elsewhere, well I did what I had to to start diving within my budget. How many other divers are there like me that would not be diving if shops charged what they should be so that they could actually make a profit off classes? Is it possible that in the future training will be provided at a club level with volunteers? I don't see this working either as from what I have seen in the volunteer organizations that I am part of it is usually a core group of 10 or so people that do everything. I just don't see clubs being able to take on this responsibility. So answers I have none, just a story where the current model worked for me and got me out diving and eventually giving back to the local shop. So I do see a need for local dive shops as if they go away I believe so will the sport of diving.

 

[RayfromTX]

Yesterday we went to the LDS to buy some gloves. They didn't have what we wanted in the right size as is almost always the case. They offered to sell us a scubapro everflex 3mm in the right size from their rental gear for 25%, ok 30%, ok I can go 35% off the new retail price. The gloves had small holes in them and were quite worn. We said no. They offered to order them for us for 10% off retail and we would get them in a week and have to drive across town again to pick them up or pay 12$ extra for them to ship them across town. They can't drop ship directly to our house.

We left their store and looked online and we could have them shipped to our house from LP for less than their used price. Both LDS in our major city are similar. They will misorder your gear, sometimes delay placing the order and you will pay substantially more for the opportunity to get this poor, albeit friendly service. I like the people but the reality of paying more and having to travel twice just to find out they ordered the wrong thing is annoying.

More often than not, I did my shopping online and then bought from the LDS when I could have had it delivered cheaper and faster. If I don't do my own research and rely on their advice, I will have gear for sale as they either don't know enough to give good advice or are limited by what they sell. Nice people, terrible system.

At this point I've bought my own compressor and fill station because, knowing what I know about their attention to detail on the retail side, I'm not comfortable with my tanks (or regulators) disappearing into the back of the store and coming back "ready to go". I'm not saying that they don't do excellent reg service or tank fills. I'm saying I'm more comfortable with knowing what I'm getting. Nice people though.