Divers Supply Tampa Looking for staff

[SkimFisher]

Hi, I always like to let others in this community know how things are going so why not let the manager(s) of a dive shop(s) know.

In my opinion Diver Supply was one of the best dive shops in the area when Aaron ran the place. However, under unfortunate circumstances that is not the case anymore and these days there seems to be a whole knew staff in the shop. That staff however does not seem to be anything like the old staff. Now the reasons why, I don't know, for Diver's are usually friendly outgoing people with smiles and greetings in amass. However, on a recent return visit to my favorite dive shop, (after doing several dives further down south in Ft. L. and so forth and so on) I noticed something very perturbing - as follows:

1) Absolutely no greeting when coming through the door. No hello, no we'll be right with you, no how can we help you...nothing! It was like walking into a shop with no one in it, in fact I almost thought no one was in it. Then I saw a girl taking care of 2 customers in mask, and she saw me. Then she simple ignored me. No, hi I'll be right with you, nothing. It was like they didn't want me in the store. Come on I mean you go to Mac's and they say hello, Callipso, you get a greet, even Bill Jackson's (sometimes, mainly by cash register person) but my favorite dive store....this was a disappointment.

2) Accuracy of information - If you tell a diver your going to do something to their gear and they leave the gear with you and ask several times if it will be ready by a certain time with a promise from store assistant/manager that it will definately be ready on that date. DO NOT have said customer come back to store to find out that once again the gear is not ready and some excuse of we didn't get to it, busy, sorry it isn't ready, and then stand there and look at them as if it is their problem, that is just not acceptable. We are only as good as what we say we are going to do, if you can't do it, then don't say you will, if you have problems doing it, notify the customer- beforehand, and make amends. That is just good business, especially in a scuba world.

3) Treat every customer as if they are you best scuba buddy, we all live in the area, as noted above we all have choices of stores to go to. If you want everyone to come to your store, then treat everyone as if they are your best friend. Word of mouth sales works wonders. Look at Kevin and his Rhino guns. I mean is it so hard to simply treat divers with a friendly, respectful, attitude, as if they just went out on your boat with you, even if your having a bad day. I mean I realize it is business and sometimes sitting in a dive shop all day can be boring. But even if a customer walks through the door at the last five minutes of your day, treat them as the last customer walking through that door, ever, you don't know how many dive buddies he/she has, how far that person travels, and whom he/she may send or not send to your store for business next visit. I also realize that the employees of Diver Supply only work for Diver Supply, so the sales made don't go in your pocket except for a pay check, but take some pride in your work, it is always going to be work.

4) Atmospheric Aura - I have been into several dive shops all over Florida. I notice the items stated above as well as the whole atomosphere of a dive shop. The atmosphere at Diver supply has become more "diverish" lately, except for the employees. I did notice the 2 guys working the weekend, 2 younger guys were friendly, outgoing, and yes, said hello when I came back into the store, but that is something that should happen everyday. Atomosphere - a feeling of underwater narcosis - taking a trip down the keys, swimming off a beach, spearing a fish, getting the right camera shot of that allusive fish - diving! That is a feeling that should come from a dive shop when you enter it - a feeling of friends, dive buddies, Florida Divers!

I wrote this, not to be negative, not to put a blemish on Diver Supply or any other local stores mentioned. I wrote this simple to help those that should take note. We live in a beautiful state and are surrounded (well almost anyway) by water. We are divers that get to experience that enviroment, it would be great if the diver's stores could be just as inviting. Especially my favorite store of Diver Supply. However, if in writing this I simple offend those who read and they think - "screw him he is only one guy" then I will simple take myself and my "word of mouth" business - elsewhere.

Sincerely -

Diver Foxtail

I should preface this post with - "I am in no way employed or affiliated with DS."

:cue theme song from Cheers:

I would buy gear from Genghis Kahn if it was quality gear at a fair price.

Never had a problem with anyone at DS and I spend quite a bit of time there. If "the girl" you speak of is who I think it is - and it would have to be as there hasn't been a female on staff there since...like...last November/December - then quite a bit has changed since then. Divebandit has done a nice job in bringing in a lot of new inventory and dropping some dead weight.

Thought someone should say something nice...

Good luck on the hiring.

Signing off.

 

[Echoo]

I don't understand the negative post on this, in this thread.... First of all it is Hyjacking the thread, second of all staff is oviously being replaced, as that was the reason for this post.(including a service tech that was mentioned in above negative posts.)

I Am not saying that people should not be aware of bad situations or experiances, as I would not want to go to a store where such things had occurred. But there is No need to hold someones head underwater when they are trying to resolve such situations, and using their post in which they are trying to resolve said issues as a platform for doing so.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Hi, I always like to let others in this community know how things are going so why not let the manager(s) of a dive shop(s) know.

In my opinion Diver Supply was one of the best dive shops in the area when Aaron ran the place. However, under unfortunate circumstances that is not the case anymore and these days there seems to be a whole knew staff in the shop. That staff however does not seem to be anything like the old staff. Now the reasons why, I don't know, for Diver's are usually friendly outgoing people with smiles and greetings in amass. However, on a recent return visit to my favorite dive shop, (after doing several dives further down south in Ft. L. and so forth and so on) I noticed something very perturbing - as follows:

1) Absolutely no greeting when coming through the door. No hello, no we'll be right with you, no how can we help you...nothing! It was like walking into a shop with no one in it, in fact I almost thought no one was in it. Then I saw a girl taking care of 2 customers in mask, and she saw me. Then she simple ignored me. No, hi I'll be right with you, nothing. It was like they didn't want me in the store. Come on I mean you go to Mac's and they say hello, Callipso, you get a greet, even Bill Jackson's (sometimes, mainly by cash register person) but my favorite dive store....this was a disappointment.

2) Accuracy of information - If you tell a diver your going to do something to their gear and they leave the gear with you and ask several times if it will be ready by a certain time with a promise from store assistant/manager that it will definately be ready on that date. DO NOT have said customer come back to store to find out that once again the gear is not ready and some excuse of we didn't get to it, busy, sorry it isn't ready, and then stand there and look at them as if it is their problem, that is just not acceptable. We are only as good as what we say we are going to do, if you can't do it, then don't say you will, if you have problems doing it, notify the customer- beforehand, and make amends. That is just good business, especially in a scuba world.

3) Treat every customer as if they are you best scuba buddy, we all live in the area, as noted above we all have choices of stores to go to. If you want everyone to come to your store, then treat everyone as if they are your best friend. Word of mouth sales works wonders. Look at Kevin and his Rhino guns. I mean is it so hard to simply treat divers with a friendly, respectful, attitude, as if they just went out on your boat with you, even if your having a bad day. I mean I realize it is business and sometimes sitting in a dive shop all day can be boring. But even if a customer walks through the door at the last five minutes of your day, treat them as the last customer walking through that door, ever, you don't know how many dive buddies he/she has, how far that person travels, and whom he/she may send or not send to your store for business next visit. I also realize that the employees of Diver Supply only work for Diver Supply, so the sales made don't go in your pocket except for a pay check, but take some pride in your work, it is always going to be work.

4) Atmospheric Aura - I have been into several dive shops all over Florida. I notice the items stated above as well as the whole atomosphere of a dive shop. The atmosphere at Diver supply has become more "diverish" lately, except for the employees. I did notice the 2 guys working the weekend, 2 younger guys were friendly, outgoing, and yes, said hello when I came back into the store, but that is something that should happen everyday. Atomosphere - a feeling of underwater narcosis - taking a trip down the keys, swimming off a beach, spearing a fish, getting the right camera shot of that allusive fish - diving! That is a feeling that should come from a dive shop when you enter it - a feeling of friends, dive buddies, Florida Divers!

I wrote this, not to be negative, not to put a blemish on Diver Supply or any other local stores mentioned. I wrote this simple to help those that should take note. We live in a beautiful state and are surrounded (well almost anyway) by water. We are divers that get to experience that enviroment, it would be great if the diver's stores could be just as inviting. Especially my favorite store of Diver Supply. However, if in writing this I simple offend those who read and they think - "screw him he is only one guy" then I will simple take myself and my "word of mouth" business - elsewhere.

Sincerely -

Diver Foxtail

Based on the writing of the entire review... it "feels" like you haven't even been a customer. The writing is very generic and cold. If I ever visited this establishment, I could write a better review with some feeling involved...

 

[DiveBandit]

I'd like to address some of the concerns posted here even though this thread was about looking for new employees.

First, thank you to those with kind words for the store. The staff and I appreciate it.

Second, Thank you to those with not so kind words for the store. I appreciate the honest feedback.

The shop has gone through some tough times in the past. In an effort to improve things and make the shop a better place I took a poll of current customers to get an idea of what had driven customers away in the past. I asked for brutal honesty and I got it. As a result of that I can tell you that the training program has been completly updated and upgraded with new instructors and the latest PADI materials. The service department has also been overhauled with newer equipment and tools. The service staff are all new to the shop and have all been through the factory training programs for most major brands of regulators and BCD's. Until those folks are up to speed on all brands, we have the assistance and resources of the entire Divers Supply organization (5 stores in the SE USA) to assist us. All my staff are now certified PADI gas blenders (how many other shops can say that or similiar). We are ramping up the amount of trips we run and we'll be getting the dive team meetings running again soon. I'd also like to get a technical diving team going as well. We now have so much stock I'm running out of places to put it. I could go on but you get the point.

That said, we all make mistakes. The challenge is to not make the same mistakes that were made in the past, and to constantly be looking at and re-evaluating processes to see how we can do it better. I would encourage those who have had a bad experience in the past (recent or distant) to swing by and talk to me about it.

regards,
Dave.

BTW, "That girl's" name is Lyndsey.

 

[carriemak]

WTG Dave, thanks for the update.

 

[The Kraken]

Dang it!!! Too bad I live in Atlanta!!!

the K

 

[DiveBandit]

Dang it!!! Too bad I live in Atlanta!!!

the K

Divers Supply Marietta

 

[LordFoxtail]

Based on the writing of the entire review... it "feels" like you haven't even been a customer. The writing is very generic and cold. If I ever visited this establishment, I could write a better review with some feeling involved...

Cold....hmmm....well I am not sure how to respond. I never meant to seem cold-emotionless-subdued-unpleasant-irritable-or even obnoxious. How do you write a review on trying to relate an experience, that was not so great, without sounding cold "feeling". Just for note - I have been a long time customer of DS up till recent, and it was only on a return visit I had my comments of such. Furthermore, if you feel so strongly about reviewing reviews, pointing out content and making quotas of reviews involving feelings of sorrow, sadness, madness, happiness, love, joy, etc. etc. then you must be a phenomenal linguist. But your point was made, quote-unquote.

To Divebandit - Now manager of DS. My point was not to roust out your post. I believe in any event you mean well when simply trying to improve upon something I would of considered perfect, beforehand. I have great hopes for your store. However, to improve is to take note of faults as much as accomplishments. Furthermore, one bad experience can leave a sour taste for a lifetime. I (personally) feel that I don't like the sour taste of things. So what to do, I said, is to offer a review so those that need to know can take "note" of "1" customers experience. (Whether the first time or 10,000 time in the store) should make no difference. If you want someone to come back, then just listen...point of a review. Possible I did not give you a fair handshake, for I believe DS is a wonderful store, I have sent many new customers, new and old to scuba, in the direction of DS. But, I want them to have the same experience I had when I first came into the store. That is all I was trying to say.

I wish you much luck with your new staff and store.

Sincerely,

Diver Foxtail.

 

[SkimFisher]

 

[LordFoxtail]

LOL - ....... DS looking for new employees. Forget the rest of the post!

Read the original post, skip everything else!