Tip for Phil Instructors

[partridge]

I agree on the lump sum, which is what I offer. Itemized but not broken down.

"The open water certification costs xxxxxx. This includes manual, 4 classroom sessions, 5 pool sessions, 6 open water dives, gear and tanks for these dives. Certification only requires 4 dives so if I feel you are done in 4, you get two free dives, so long as it is within 2 weeks of being certified. You will have to get yourself to the resort and feed yourself once there. Schedule is very flexible, can be combined or split up, so we should sit down and plan it. It could take 4 days or 3 weeks. Up to you"

 

[paolov]

You will have to get yourself to the resort and feed yourself once there.

1. getting to the resort
2. feeding self

clarifications, for the two items above, so they are not inclusive of the package cost?

 

[partridge]

No they are not. I meet them at the resort and they order and pay for their own food and drinks.

Everything else is included. I even throw in a free key chain. haha

I dont think the problem here is course fee versus all costs needed for certification. I think the issue is knowing beforehand.

An example I used recently is booking a dive trip and having to pay DM, boat and air when I got there. If thats how much it costs then thats how much it costs. But I would have appreciated knowing beforehand so I could decide if I could really afford it or find someplace cheaper.

 

[clgsamson]

Package A (Puerto Galera): You pay a flat fee of P2,500 (advertised internet rate) the resort gives you a sales invoice (not an official receipt) for P1,800. DM gets P700, no receipt. The resort just blew the cover on the hidden cost of the Instructor.

OT: DO you guys declare and pay taxes on your professional fees as Dive instructors? Do you issue receipts? (on tissue paper?)

 

[Xizang]

Package A (Puerto Galera): You pay a flat fee of P2,500 (advertised internet rate) the resort gives you a sales invoice (not an official receipt) for P1,800. DM gets P700, no receipt. The resort just blew the cover on the hidden cost of the Instructor.

OT: DO you guys declare and pay taxes on your professional fees as Dive instructors? Do you issue receipts? (on tissue paper?)

I will be issuing receipts as soon as I get through the bureaucracy maze at the BIR and City Hall.

 

[Halthron]

I dont think the problem here is course fee versus all costs needed for certification. I think the issue is knowing beforehand.

Exactly

 

[clgsamson]

I dont think the problem here is course fee versus all costs needed for certification. I think the issue is knowing beforehand.

then it would be "Tip for Phil Instructors/Divers (including wannabees)"

I always ask how much a course is going to cost me and what I can expect for my money. "You get what you pay for" honor agreement between me and the instructor is always made before anything else. I pay "half now and half later" sort of thing for the course.

 

[shugar]

HEY!!! why wasn't there a pretty half-naked assistant during the rescue course! REFUND!!!!

Jag

 

[Xizang]

HEY!!! why wasn't there a pretty half-naked assistant during the rescue course! REFUND!!!!

Jag

That was Package B you took!

 

[shugar]

on the other hand it could be this:

Filipinos in general get antsy when declaring large sums, especially for something up there in the basic survival list as scuba diving - in a 3rd world economy the difference between saying it's 15000 vs. it's 12000 + 3000 can mean the difference between a sale or not

this can work for or against an instructor - an instructor that packages OW for instance at 18k inclusive of accomods, dives, boat, book, pool, etc. may get a reaction of "that's expensive!"

on the other hand if he says the OW is 10k inclusive of pool and lessons but the student covers PIC, accomods, tanks and boats may give the impression that it's cheaper even if the extras (PIC, resort, etc.) add up to another 10k (w/c = 20k OW course)... the point here being that sometimes the "control" a student feels over his options may be an integral part of making the sale

conversely: if an instructor charges (let's say) 15k for an ALL IN course (incl of room, transpo, keychain, etc.) BUT the student wants an aircon room - this can screw up the instructor's costings. his package is a fan room but the client demands an aircon room w/ no additional cost "because you said room inclusive ergo i want the most expensive room in the resort"

Jag