Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
I think a lot of shops are still trying to make the old model of business (pre-internet) continue to work.
I can understand their frustration when message boards start up and suddenly all this information is available and much of the "mystique" and voodoo is dubunked by people in-the-know, including people who have been doing their own service for years and also shop technicians with loose lips and who are willing to share information. A entire DIY culture has sprung up because of the internet and the sharing of information.
There is good and bad in it just like anything else, but at least the info is out there and that's a start, instead of trying to approach this stuff blind. I see more good than bad.
We can post a question about "Hey, how do you get this apart and what do you do here?" Somebody will respond with the appropriate answer and mystery solved. In the old days this could have been weeks or months to find the answer trying to get info on the street, so to speak.
I doubt that 90% of us would know anything about reg servicing or where to get hard to find parts or parts in general asside from the retailer if it wasn't for the internet. If it ended up at the retailer, that's where it would have ended, period.
The shops need to realize that this isn't going away.
Maybe back in the old days they could control everything in this small industry by hoarding parts and info, and pretty much dictating that everything must go through them. It's kind of a heavy handed style of doing business, but the scuba industry is so small that I don't think it's enough of a blip on anybody's radar to do anything about it. Whether or not they are in violation of any anti-trust laws I don't know, but it does stink of unethical behavior to me.
There used to be a lot of smoke and miss information. Example: I was told that my brand new SP regs were only servicable by the LDS where I bought them because they were an authorized dealer, and only authorized dealers were able to get OEM parts and the technicians were specially factory trained experts. Anybody else touching them and you were taking your life in your hands. And,.. they needed to be serviced at least once a year whether they needed it or not or you could die,.. and of course to keep up the FPFL program.
Not knowing any better I went along with this for years, until I started reading on the internet that reg service was not rocket science, so I tore one of my regs apart one day and saw how simple they actually are.
And they don't think I supposed to harbor any resentment over it?
The scuba industry is in a state of great change right now. As this new free market develops it's going to get harder and harder for them to continue business as usual; both LDS's and companies with totalitarian policies. They are hoping to survive on clueless customers that will just let them do everything and not question anything. They better hope they never click on a DIY reg thread then!
There will always be those people. Many of them don't care either, they might be wealthy and have better things to do. But they are not the ones here on SB ripping the LDS's and companies a new "A" either.
Remember the saying about the vocal minority?
Every time I am out on a beach or on a boat diving, people ask me about my Hog reg set. I tell them where I got it, how much, and the fact that I can get parts for it, and boy do I talk!
They are truelly excited to know about this.
I will not support a company now that will not openly sell me parts. The only exception is AL because I have found a network that will provide me with the parts I need, but that support goes to the brave folks that are willing to put up their middle finger to strict company policy. The LDS where I used to get my stuff serviced hasn't seen one of my regs for over 7 years now. If they were to sell me parts then they would at least have seen me and had some sales from me buying parts for my SP stuff. I have moved on to other brands simply because I can obtain parts.
So what do all the LDS's and companies think of a guy like me blabbing my thoughts on the internet?
Too bad.
Change or die.
I can understand their frustration when message boards start up and suddenly all this information is available and much of the "mystique" and voodoo is dubunked by people in-the-know, including people who have been doing their own service for years and also shop technicians with loose lips and who are willing to share information. A entire DIY culture has sprung up because of the internet and the sharing of information.
There is good and bad in it just like anything else, but at least the info is out there and that's a start, instead of trying to approach this stuff blind. I see more good than bad.
We can post a question about "Hey, how do you get this apart and what do you do here?" Somebody will respond with the appropriate answer and mystery solved. In the old days this could have been weeks or months to find the answer trying to get info on the street, so to speak.
I doubt that 90% of us would know anything about reg servicing or where to get hard to find parts or parts in general asside from the retailer if it wasn't for the internet. If it ended up at the retailer, that's where it would have ended, period.
The shops need to realize that this isn't going away.
Maybe back in the old days they could control everything in this small industry by hoarding parts and info, and pretty much dictating that everything must go through them. It's kind of a heavy handed style of doing business, but the scuba industry is so small that I don't think it's enough of a blip on anybody's radar to do anything about it. Whether or not they are in violation of any anti-trust laws I don't know, but it does stink of unethical behavior to me.
There used to be a lot of smoke and miss information. Example: I was told that my brand new SP regs were only servicable by the LDS where I bought them because they were an authorized dealer, and only authorized dealers were able to get OEM parts and the technicians were specially factory trained experts. Anybody else touching them and you were taking your life in your hands. And,.. they needed to be serviced at least once a year whether they needed it or not or you could die,.. and of course to keep up the FPFL program.
Not knowing any better I went along with this for years, until I started reading on the internet that reg service was not rocket science, so I tore one of my regs apart one day and saw how simple they actually are.
And they don't think I supposed to harbor any resentment over it?
The scuba industry is in a state of great change right now. As this new free market develops it's going to get harder and harder for them to continue business as usual; both LDS's and companies with totalitarian policies. They are hoping to survive on clueless customers that will just let them do everything and not question anything. They better hope they never click on a DIY reg thread then!
There will always be those people. Many of them don't care either, they might be wealthy and have better things to do. But they are not the ones here on SB ripping the LDS's and companies a new "A" either.
Remember the saying about the vocal minority?
Every time I am out on a beach or on a boat diving, people ask me about my Hog reg set. I tell them where I got it, how much, and the fact that I can get parts for it, and boy do I talk!
They are truelly excited to know about this.
I will not support a company now that will not openly sell me parts. The only exception is AL because I have found a network that will provide me with the parts I need, but that support goes to the brave folks that are willing to put up their middle finger to strict company policy. The LDS where I used to get my stuff serviced hasn't seen one of my regs for over 7 years now. If they were to sell me parts then they would at least have seen me and had some sales from me buying parts for my SP stuff. I have moved on to other brands simply because I can obtain parts.
So what do all the LDS's and companies think of a guy like me blabbing my thoughts on the internet?
Too bad.
Change or die.
