Kicked out of Nitrox Class!!

Ok people here is my story. I went last night to my LDS in the DFW area of Texas for a PADI nitrox class. I wrote my check and went into the class room and filled out all the paperwork and then watched the nitrox video. When the video was over the owner of the shop started talking about the RDP and answering some questions I had.The conversation turned to computers I had already been there two hours.She Judy the owner of the shop asked me if I had a dive computer I said yes she then asked me what kind I replied I have a Suunuto Cobra and a Vytec. I told her I wanted to dive with two in case on a live aboard of or other expensive trip I wanted to cover my bases in case one or the other broke I would not loose any dive time.She understood and then asked do you mine telling me where you bought them and I responded that "you don't want to know." She said oh it's ok I said "on line" Well that was the wrong answer!!! She Judy said"I'll tell you what I am going to do I am going give your check back the class is over because you have no appriciation of a local dive shop and the services we provide and you care more about money than service". WOW my mouth hit the floor I have bought items from her shop and planned on taking other courses with them.Well she went off about black market no warranty or service and other things for about 3 or4 minutes. I was flabber gasted tried to talk to her but it was over. She gave me my check and I was booted out of my nitrox course.WOW!!!WOW!!! Well I do get good service from LP and that matters,and if she is not making enough money on classes raise your rate this is also something she threw at me. Well I did not see a sign posted any where in the shop that said " IF YOU DO NOT BUY ALL YOUR DIVE GEAR HERE YOU CANNOT TAKE CLASSES HERE" Hey she took my money. She will never see another penny!! I have taped my returned check to my monitor and when I am on the LP web page I will look at that check whilel I hit "ADD TO CART"

That is one of the most unprofessional stories of dive industry conduct I have heard.

Contact PADI - I'm sure they would be interested to hear this story. Doubt there's much they can do though other than recommend another PADI instructor in the area for you though. No doubt the dive shop has the legal right to do what they did, but their credibility just took a nosedive.

The scuba industry is like few if any others that I have seen... some in the industry have embraced the web... others vilify, fight it, curse it, you name it. And PADI is one organization TRYING to fit the web into diving, but apparently your LDS doesn't get it.

The reality is.. the web is here to stay.. and scuba diving can be the much better for it if the dive shops and manufacturers can get out of their own way.

Your experience saddens me... how a shop owner can be so short sighted ... literally to cut of their nose to spite their face...:boom:

My jaw dropped as I read that! I know that some LDS get peeved when they find out you buy something on the internet, but what is the difference to them from buying it online and buying it at another dive shop. The still aren't getting the money. It's like what you said, it seems like they are telling you that if you don't buy all your gear there, you can't take classes there.
Their loss though. I wouldn't go there for anything ever again.

domino22 once bubbled...
I have taped my returned check to my monitor and when I am on the LP web page I will look at that check whilel I hit "ADD TO CART"

Click to expand...

LOL that's great.

You should fill a shopping cart with expensive gear at leisurepro, then take a picture of the screen with the returned check, and stop by the LDS one day and hand it to her.

Absolutely amazing.

Too many LDS owners are divers who want to grab some money from the dive industry instead of businessmen.

There certainly aisn't any excuse for behavior like that but as a shop owner I understand her frustration and the fact that she let her emotions get in the way of her work. Many shops are hurting and there doesn't seem to be an answer. We raise the price of training in an ettempt to make training a profit center and we don't sell classes. We lower out prices at the risk of loosing our dealerships and we still just barely pay the rent. It's not your fault but she doesn't know what to do either. By now she is probably kicking her dog or something too.

Maybe LP will start offering classes. I know a lot of us are likely going to stop.

At least you found out there are a few "issues" with the dive shop in question before you got in the water. The whole Scuba industry needs a serious kick in the butt...none of it makes any sense from a monetary point of view either on the side of the manufacturers, the retailers or the agencies.

Time to find a new shop. I'm sure some people here can steer you in the right direction.

You could make her even mader by getting your nitrox c-card from an on line course as well! hehe that would be funny. You could call her and ask if she could recommend a good on line course.

Too obad you can't sue for discrimination.

Jeebus!! That is one scary story... Off the top of my head I can't think of too many other industries that would conduct themselves in a similar fashion. Every time I walk into an LDS I always wonder what kind of "out of this world" crap is gunna hit the fan to the point where I am scared to mention what club I belong to or where I bought my gear! And your example just proves stuff like that does indeed happen.
;-0

If I owned a business I would be grateful for the $$$ that walked IN the door rather than condemning divers for not spending ALL of their hard earned money at my store and my store only!. Of course, we would all want to max our profit lines but like techdiverKP said not to the point where you cut your nose off to spite your face.

I wish you much luck in finding a more suitable, mature and reputable LDS.

Maybe next time she goes to sears to buy something, the cashier will ask her, "Where did you buy those shoes?...Wal-mart?? Get out of our store right now!"