Dive shop owners or Independent instructors... Question: Do you tell the prospective student...

[diverintheflesh]

Dive shop owners or Independent instructors... Question: Do you tell the prospective students the location of your pool prior to them paying and signing up if you don't have a pool at your brick and mortar location?

Has it ever been a surprise to students that your pool is not located at your business address?

thanks!



--c

 

[josephglenn61]

I have a contract with a local water park to use there pool. Heated and covered in the winter and not in the summer. Great location. So when I tell them they are actually pretty excited. Little expensive for me but worth it in the long run.

 

[TMHeimer]

To my recollection 12 years ago, I was not told the pool was elsewhere. Then DMing at the shop years later I never heard of a student being surprised by that. So I guess the shop does tell students ahead of time. But also, you have to remember that new students like me back then knew basically nothing about what a course entailed, since there was no e learning--we just showed up. Well, I did buy the manual months ahead, but most didn't.

 

[Bubblesong]

I was surprised that the dive shop DID have a pool in back! Being from the north I would never have assumed that any shop would have a pool.

 

[Damselfish]

Ditto, I don't recall thinking about it much but I wouldn't assume any shop around here had a pool. That may be a regional bias. I can only think of one that does and they also teach lots of swimming classes.

Going elsewhere was hardly a surprise in any event, since the dry part of our class was actually done in a conference room at the instructor's company, not the dive shop. But any class I've seen run around here since spells out all the details upfront of where you're going and when. The pools can be some distance away. The question is, why wouldn't you tell people?

 

[TMHeimer]

I know of 2 shops in the US that have on site pools (one is "salt" water, which would be really nice). All other shops I've visited did not.

 

[diverintheflesh]

Thanks for the feedback contributed so far. Of the almost 400 certifications, I finally had a student tell me that they thought my pool was in the same place listed as my business address. My address is my mailing address. I thought a post office box would be pretty clear. I even have a note on my Google listing stating such.

When they call to sign up, every single customer gets my same dialog...

"I am an independent instructor. I don't own a shop nor sell equipment. I just teach." When they ask where the pool is, I tell them, but I don't spell out every single detail of what they will encounter from beginning to end if they don't ask... there is just too much. Even with an outline or syllabus, like in school, 99.9% assumes somethings will happen without a word by word description of every second we are together.

I also have a very, very detailed website. Probably more than most. I also have a student agreement that spells out the boundaries of my program and expectations of the student, my policies, procedures, and guidelines. When the customer doesn't read the terms of what they are purchasing, it's really frustrating.

I get that there are some that are lazy when it comes to their own responsibilities, but trying to accuse me of manipulating them for economic gain is a joke. I'm a little guy doing what he loves and just want people to dive. I live student to student. I can't afford to lose even one!

The worst part of this is, even when they are totally wrong, I have to save face to avoid a negative review or subterfuge. Compared to the local dive shop and for the price they pay, they get much more because I don't have the overhead. As such, I consider time with the student the greatest commodity.

It looks like I'm going to have to get a confirmation of my agreement prior to students signing up...

Cheers.

 

[Got2Go]

Of the almost 400 certifications, I finally had a student tell me that they thought my pool was in the same place listed as my business address.

Do what you can...but don't sweat the small stuff.
1 out of 400? Good job!

 

[KeithG]

I found this poll a little confusing since I do not give a rats **S about your business location. I only want to know about where the classroom / pool is located.

Where do I show up to splash?

 

[RainPilot]

To me an important question is how far is the pool from where you are? If I got to an instructor then had a 2 hour drive to a pool I'd expect that to be made very clear upfront or I'd be livid.

15 min drive? No worries at all.