Have you had a GREAT EXPERIENCE with your LDS?

[ScubaFeenD]

There is a thread for negative experiences with an LAD, and someone had asked "why so negative." I would love to hear stories about LDSs that have gone above and beyond what is considered normal business conduct to help you with learning, training, or acquiring equipment. Feel free to use names if you feel so inclined--this should be a fun positive thread! I look forward to hear some great stories!

-ddd

 

[dpwrkK5]

Force E, Boca. Doesn't seem to matter what I want, they find a way to get it for me. Even if it means scavenging other gear on the rack.

Fill Express. These guys have everything and will take the time to show you the best way to assemble/use it. Awesome prices too.

 

[diver 85]

Answer to the question(that's all I read) is Yes---both (truely) LDS's I've ever been associated with----even the new ones(the 1-800 ones) have been great, most anyway.....

 

[DennisS]

Coastal Diving in Dania, I brought my Cobra computer in for a battery change, he told me what the kit would cost. Then he told me another dive shop would install a battery for less than half the cost of the kit.

 

[tight rope walker]

I don't think you could call my dive shop local, as it is a four hour round trip for me. This is why I frequent and support them.

To be kind, my dive gear is experienced, meaning it is old and seen a few dives ( sb mk 5, balanced adjustable from 1979, sb pilot ).

I have come to learn that, people in general, will say just about anything, sometimes just to make a sale.

To say you can rebuild a regulator, and actually doing it are two different things I have come to learn the hard way.
The shop I have now, Bobs' Sea and Ski, in New Bedford Massachusetts, rebuilds my gear right in front of me as I wait, and I have to tell you I like that a lot.
Bob the owner has a wealth of information and experience, that comes from going around the block a few times. He also has a large inventory and knows how to promote it.

In as much as in my case, because if you add in the price of travel, it would probably be cheaper to buy off the internet, I refuse to as I like to hold people accountable. The way I have been taught to do business is to look a person right in the face. Kind of hard to do that on the internet.

To me his prices are very competitive, and that helps also.

But, to be honest, the single most important factor, for me is, Bob and I have a mutual respect for each other that surpasses a customer/vendor relationship. Bob has put his time in the water as I have. To me that kind of respect means a lot, and that is where I want to do business. If you haven't been there, then you don't know. Remember, this is life support equipment. Do you want to be second guessing that rebuild at depth.

I don't know, maybe I'm getting old, but I do not like being talked down to by somebody who the ink isn't even dry on their c card yet, and that's if they even have one. Maybe they were selling shoes the day before. That ain't gonna work for me.

 

[Scott L]

Jupiter Dive Center, Scuba Works (Jupiter) and Force E in Riviera Beach are all superb LDS bending over backwards to provide the best posiable customer service. Force E's filling station with their refrigerated wet filling station is the best I have ever seen. I have never received a short fill...

 

[MDJ1016]

I am one of those who truly like and appreciate the local dive shops. The nice part is that I am between two (well 40/60…) but they both carry different ‘brands’ so the ability to choose what best works for me and the cost factor if necessary is great. In addition the owners and staff at both are there to go above and beyond rather you are buying a new regulator set or picking up a $4-5 part. Aside of their great service, recommendations on equipment, is the time they take to discuss local dive sites, and offer pointers based on their hundreds (or more) of logged dives. I started out as an internet junkie but have found that the small cost to go local does pay off in the long run. I can’t count how many times the one shop has ‘tweaked’ this or that for me and not charged for it. I am not condoning the internet sales business sometimes that is the way to go. However can you walk into that business that is 300 miles away and ask for that quick double check of your regulator or tuning before you head out on the vacation?

 

[djtimmy77]

I have to echo Valhalla, Scuba Works, JDC, and Force-E Riviera are all fantastic. So much so...it is hard to decide which one to spend my $$ at!

 

[Divor]

Told my LDS (Perth Scuba in Western Australia) that I want a good computer, but that what I want is not on the market yet (full colour, rechargeable, air-integrated wrist computer with lotsa functions - something like an air-integrated Mares ICON HD). He said OK, no worries, borrow one of mine until what you want is on the market. That's four months ago and I've been diving with it since.

 

[TSandM]

Several years ago, we had a big group event in Seattle, with divers coming from Monterey and Southern California to join us for four days of non-stop diving. The only problem was that we dove into the evening on Saturday, and the dive shop didn't open until noon on Sunday for us to get fills.

But the owner of my LDS, Northwest Sports Divers, came in at 7:30 a.m. on his day off, Sunday, and filled 21 tanks with 32% for me so that our guests wouldn't miss any dives.

THAT, to me, is extraordinary customer service, and Matthew earned himself a loyal customer on that day.