What you dislike most....?

[DevonDiver]

The major scuba agencies should conduct QA assessments on all of their affiliated dive centres and instructors on a regular basis. Mystery customers should be used on courses to assess the real standard of scuba training and charters. Unannounced inspections should supplement and/or replace the reliance on voluntary customer feedback as the primary industry/agency QA self-regulation tool.

 

[DiveNav]

... ....and the $90 titanium knife ...

What is wrong with the Titanium knife?
I bought one several years ago and I think I washed it once ..... but it looks brand new to me.

 

[oldnotdead]

My dislike is also the dive shop that alienates you for stepping into a competitor somewhere else, anywhere else. This one also knows exactly what is right for you, or else.OND

 

[SoccerJeni]

I'd like to see more girls that look the ones in the magazines.

I'D like to see more men that look like the ones in the magazines!

Interesting thread here. I guess the thing I hate the most are the egos. People seem to delight in telling others how they suck.

I agree...egos would be the main thing that disappoints me from time to time, but truly not that often, thankfully.

 

[fisheater]

I'D like to see more men that look like the ones in the magazines!

I'd like to look more like the men in the magazines!

 

[vladimir]

I'D like to see more men that look like the ones in the magazines!

Touché!

It would be nice to see more women on the boat, of any variety, and it would be nice to see a younger demographic, both men and women. I started diving when I was 15, and when I dived locally in NY back then I was always the youngest on the boat, but there were a lot of people in their twenties. That seems to be the exception these days.

 

[Adobo]

Interesting thread here. I guess the thing I hate the most are the egos. People seem to delight in telling others how they suck.

You suck!!!! (I really enjoyed that.)

 

[k ellis]

well I have read through most of the comments and decided to put my 2 cents in though this is going to be lengthy. One thing that I wish would change though it probably will not ever change is the sense of jealousy through out the recreational level of diving. I mean so many people bash new divers for doing things that well new divers just have not learned yet. Things like buoyancy control and kicking up the silt. Diving is not a sport we popped out at birth with a given talent for. Its something we have to learn and work with though some just never quiet make it for their own reasons such as clostaphobic.

I think diving is relaxing and should be fun and enjoyable yet so many divers will bash new divers and even bash more experienced divers. I have yet to see why how good of a diver joe blow is it really carries nothing that involves me at all (Except if hes my buddy or I have to go rescue them) I just wish divers would embrace other divers attempting to learn and treat them with kindness. Most divers I have met do though embrace divers but we all know the macho divers are out there!

In buisness I know that dive shops have to compete but all to often I can come in and say I was at Shop A and they had a nice Zeagle Ranger in there for x dollars. Well Shop B does not sale Zeagle so all they wii not reply with a simple "how good Zeagles are and let me show you the Oceanic version we carry" They will instead say something to effect of "Zeagles are poorly made and I would never wear one." ((Just an FYI I like both brands and these are purely for example only)

I think shops should spend time working with people with the needs people specificly address too. Not try to sale them something they will never use. Case in point some divers know for a fact they will never go below 60 feet. They only vacation dive and always with a dive master so sticking an AOW in their face is not helpful. I can understand if the customer comes in and ask what they should take next or if they say they are interested in learning more but right off the get go is not a good one.

I think that the internet is in fact here to stay permanenty as it offers tremendous opportunity to save massive amounts of money and that will always be a lure for people not only of diving but anything in life. I know if I could get the same gear in a week and for say 2000 less Id be a fool not too. This does though poss a problem for an LDS whos entire strategy was pre internet to sale at well over 100 % profit in which case the LDS needs to restructure. Ive said this in other post but you know customer service goes a long way in that if people come in to a friendly store where they know they wont get tackled by some guy pushing gear down their throat and instead makes them feel wecome. Cleanliness is a major seller for me and Dive Shops. I dont like the walk in and see the store from hell I want to see a neat store with a clean floor and not heaps of gear laying all over the place. I also appreciate when the employees take pride in themselves and dont come to work looking like they are going to compete in a freak show after work. You know nice clothing and no offensive tshirts with vulgarity or sexual inuwindos. (Cant spell that sorry) and facial hair either neatly kept or clean shaven. Not the guy who just got rescued from being marooned on an island for 15 years look.

If I could change anything at all in the industry it would be to attempt to put pride in the sport back on the table and show the world diving is a fun loving sport and that you dont have to be an elite to be a diver!

 

[Searcaigh]

What annoys me most is going into a shop where the staff have no clue about the products they are selling.

Most of my gear is Mares, however the place where I have my reg serviced is the ScubaPro dealer not the Mares one. I also get my fills there, the staff are friendly and the head technical guy really knows what he is talking about having worked in the dive industry for some considerable time including commercial diving in the North Sea.

Matter of trust and respect both ways between the customer and staff.

The only item I ever bought online was a Suunto Vyper computer, half the price of what they ask for here in Dubai

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Moot? Really.

The thing is... that manufacturers have spent many years trying to take the scuba equipment sales and service out of the hands of instructors who sell stuff out of their trunks and garages, and keep equipment and repairs to reputable and expertly trained technicians.

Let's set the clock backwards instead of forwards... Lets put gear sales back in the hands of instructors who make back alley deals on scuba gear. That will definitely save the industry.

Oh come on, really? Back alley deals? Out of what, a 67 caddy or volkwagen micro bus? So we should not let competent instructors and individuals service their own gear? Better to trust to the shop that doesn't bother to even pull back hose protectors or rinse the silt out of a second stage. There are at least 10 people on this board and on a couple other boards I belong to I'd trust to service my regs before a shop I don't know but has "reputable and expertly trained technicians" because the sign says so.

No thanks. I'm like Bob. Going to HOG/Edge. There are other mfg that don't treat me like I'm stupid as well and I give them my business also. I'd trust my life to my skills before I would to some of the "reputable and expertly trained technicians" that have serrviced gear for members here that has failed the first time out. I've yet to have an issue with any of my regs that I've worked on.