Okay, so after a couple years, I returned to a LDS with high hopes (okay, really just basic hopes, everyone knows my opinion on LDSs). I was there on Saturday to get an air fill. Guy working says $10. Cool. Then says the tank needs a Vis. No problem (my bad, afterall). I ask, "How much?" His reply, vis plus fill is $20. Cool, no problem. So I ask, "How much for a tank boot?" His response, $5. Cool, again no problem. For those keeping up my total is now approx $25. He then says it will be a few hours. Cool, no problem. He then says he is closing early. Well, okay, I'll just pick it up Monday. All is good.
Monday I arrive to pick up my tank and boot. Different person working. "I am here to pick up my tank and grab an additional tank boot." The tank boot is $10. The vis is $18, and the air fill is another $10. "I was told the vis + fill was $20 and the boot was $5." Nope, total charge $40 plus some change.
Won't be back. And people wonder why I hate most LDSs. As the acronym states, "Loves Divers Spending"
boulderjohn
July 2nd, 2012, 04:30 PM
If I were in your shoes, I would have talked to the manager. It may have been a simple communication problem that could have been solved with a 3 minute chat and the manager's followup.
Tropicalwolf
July 2nd, 2012, 04:42 PM
The guy on Sat was co-owner, the person on Monday was the other half of that co-ownership (I guess I should have said that). It does not get any higher up than that.
tracydr
July 2nd, 2012, 04:49 PM
The guy on Sat was co-owner, the person on Monday was the other half of that co-ownership (I guess I should have said that). It does not get any higher up than that.
Recently checked out an LDS which advertises drysuits for sale and rentals. I asked to see the drysuit undergarments because I'm looking for one and this is why I went there. The guy gave me a blank look, showed me the wet suit skins and said these will work.
Gave me great confidence in his abilities, NOT!
boulderjohn
July 2nd, 2012, 05:08 PM
The guy on Sat was co-owner, the person on Monday was the other half of that co-ownership (I guess I should have said that). It does not get any higher up than that.
I stand corrected.
beaverdivers
July 2nd, 2012, 06:33 PM
I think most shops would have honored their original quote, I know we would.
We have our clients sign an estimated cost of repairs. This procedure clears up these kind of problems.
Then we have them sign a statement when they pick up their gear " Have tested and examined this equipment and agree that it has been repaired and serviced to my satisfaction. "
This procedure drasticly minimizes our clients having post repaired gear problems!
freewillie
July 2nd, 2012, 08:52 PM
I'm going to assume by the quote "after a couple years return to LDS..." that this is a shop you don't frequent very much. You probably have reasons why as outlined by your post.
I'd hate to have people lump all LDS's into the same 'bad' category of hate and online vendors are automatically all "good" and full of love. If we did the same to people we would be accused of stereotyping and racism.
I have a few places I like to get my scuba gear from, both online and from brick and mortar LDS. I really like my LDS because it has become as much a social venue as a business venue. The LDS often charters dive boats and has group dives for its customers. I know both owners by name, and often get discounts on gear and rentals. I was diving with a friend once and had rented two tanks. We decided to do another afternoon dive that same day and when we went back to switch out tanks they gave us the afternoon tanks for free. I know that if I had told one of the owners that I was quoted a different price I would have received the previously quoted price.
It's more about customer service. Make your customers happy and they will keep coming back. Upset them and you lose a customer forever. And, you will hear more from one unhappy customer than 100 happy ones.
evad
July 2nd, 2012, 08:55 PM
everyone knows my opinion on LDSs).
?.............
Tropicalwolf
July 2nd, 2012, 09:50 PM
I am now down to two (even remotely in my area) that I "trust." The only one I really liked closed back in 1994. I'll stick to buying most everything online.
Colliam7
July 3rd, 2012, 08:30 AM
For those keeping up my total is now approx $25. . . . The tank boot is $10. The vis is $18, and the air fill is another $10. "I was told the vis + fill was $20 and the boot was $5." Nope, total charge $40 plus some change. Won't be back. And people wonder why I hate most LDSs. So, if you have now dealt with the two (co-)owners, why didn't you simply ask / go back to speak with the owner you originally dealt with? If he was the one who quoted the price you agreed to, why not simply ask him to make the situation right? This situation seems a bit odd.
Edward3c
July 3rd, 2012, 09:15 AM
It's more about customer service. Make your customers happy and they will keep coming back. Upset them and you lose a customer forever. And, you will hear more from one unhappy customer than 100 happy ones.
In my experience the retailer rarely hears from a customer they upset, but loads of former potential customers do. Its even rarer for a satisfied customer to tell someone else they had good service.
A LDS offered free fills during their open day. I took in three cylinders and the guy (brought in for the event) said its only one that's in the T&Cs. But I explained there were no T&Cs in their Facebook promotion, but he insisted. Fine, I went else were for my fills and also spend £200 on other things.
Interestingly, later that day the shop manager phoned me and apologised as the T&Cs had not been posted on FB. He offered me 15 fills in compensation.
NWGratefulDiver
July 3rd, 2012, 09:23 AM
In my experience the retailer rarely hears from a customer they upset, but loads of former potential customers do. Its even rarer for a satisfied customer to tell someone else they had good service.
The shop I use most frequently (Tacoma Scuba) gets complimented regularly on our local board ... deservedly so. They've built a reputation on good customer service, and have been constantly growing while other shops in our area are either cutting back or closing their doors.
I think when a shop employee or owner does something to make a customer feel appreciated, they do tend to tell their friends about it.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Tropicalwolf
July 3rd, 2012, 10:30 AM
So, if you have now dealt with the two (co-)owners, why didn't you simply ask / go back to speak with the owner you originally dealt with? If he was the one who quoted the price you agreed to, why not simply ask him to make the situation right? This situation seems a bit odd.
Okay, so I (the customer) am supposed to wait even longer (remember, the only reason I had to wait until Monday was because the first guy wanted to "go home early"- he could have completed the entire vip and fill within his POSTED store hours) and then "parent shop" after the fact, until I got the answer I wanted? Waste even more of my time? Spoken like a true LDS apologist.
Anyway, I am actually the first person to compliment good service. I routinely write physical letters (remember when people used to do that?) to store and restaurant managers/owners to compliment their staff (by name) on a job well done. I agree too many people are quick to complain but slow to compliment. I make sure I express a balance of both in my life. I trust karma.
jewelofnile69
July 3rd, 2012, 11:23 AM
Okay, so I (the customer) am supposed to wait even longer (remember, the only reason I had to wait until Monday was because the first guy wanted to "go home early"- he could have completed the entire vip and fill within his POSTED store hours) and then "parent shop" after the fact, until I got the answer I wanted? Waste even more of my time? Spoken like a true LDS apologist.
Anyway, I am actually the first person to compliment good service. I routinely write physical letters (remember when people used to do that?) to store and restaurant managers/owners to compliment their staff (by name) on a job well done. I agree too many people are quick to complain but slow to compliment. I make sure I express a balance of both in my life. I trust karma.
I wasn't going to comment on this thread at all but am in the same situation here. The LDS's here are slowly closing and the service each time at the few dive shops that are left are spotty at best. One day we feel welcomed and the next we feel like 2nd class citizens. From now on we'll be requesting a statement of work prior to with estimated costs (hey, we get this from the auto shops so why not from a dive shop?) but I'm also the first to compliment. I will always tell about a job well done as well as a poor job.
The thing that is driving me bonkers about a LDS that I actually like is that he is so completely vehement on his high prices. I understand that with much of the gear he can charge a regular price because if a client goes online and finds the same gear the client will likely pay a shipping fee that equals out what he thinks he is charging. My issue is that he doesn't realize that so many of the places are now offering free shipping so you are getting a pretty good deal. This LDS has the BCD that I want. I can purchase it on line for quite a bit cheaper and get free shipping...I'll be saving $40 in total. I think I'll be buying online.
Finally, we were often going to our LDS for the "experience" because, like someone said above, it becomes a social experiment. But this is hit or miss as well with the owner sometimes welcoming us with open arms and other times acting like we have the plague. I've dropped $300 there over the last month so it's not like we aren't giving him business! Just pisses me off a little.
EDIT: I meant to add that we have 2 local dive shops left in our area and so we now split our business between the two and we've found a good dive master separate from a LDS that teaches classes that we use (our best buddy no longer teaches) and we also use 2 or 3 dive shops in other cities that my husband often visits when he's traveling for work. Regardless, we feel we get the same treatment at all the dive shops. One day they love you...the next day they don't want you there. If I treated my personal training clients and exercise clients like this and my customers at my full-time job, I wouldn't HAVE a job.
Tropicalwolf
July 3rd, 2012, 03:31 PM
I think Jewel hit a lot of my feelings right on the head.
Seaduced
July 3rd, 2012, 04:04 PM
Okay, my LDS horror story, we dropped two 60cf tanks off for fill and said we would be back the next day to pick them up. The next day, the tanks aren't filled, so we said we would pick them up the day after. When we went to pick them up, one tank wasn't filled and the other was missing. I took the one tank to another LDS and strongly asked would they please find out what happened to my other tank. A week later, the shop owner confessed to giving the tank to a friend of his!!!! Okay, I could see how that might happen, except my tank had a name and address on it, not the shop markings. I was torqued and demanded another tank in return. Nearly a year later we got the tank, a 53cf. Close enough I figured. I have never taken a tank back to them, I found another shop that will usually fill while you wait and if I leave them, they are always ready when I return.
When I talked with the owner, I got a 'who cares' attitude. It is the shop that certified me and I went a long way with that shop, but for some reason the tank episode, put me over the top.
I always endorse my good shop and refrain from mentioning the bad one.
tridacna
July 3rd, 2012, 04:12 PM
I routinely write physical letters (remember when people used to do that?) to store and restaurant managers/owners to compliment their staff (by name) on a job well done.
Snailmail sounds so cool. It isn't. Your complaint on the board reaches exponentially many more folks than your piece of paper ever could. (What does the recipeint do? That letter "may" get nailed up on a wall. Big whoop). If you have something good to say, do it here too.
DivemasterDennis
July 3rd, 2012, 04:29 PM
Clearly the OP was treated shabbily, and the shop involved is not playing fair. But that does not make all LDS's bad. I, with others who have already posted, an a big fan of my local shop and have been a loyal customer there for over 13 years. ( even before I began working there in training sessions part time) I notice commentary about local shops closing- that is happening in no small part because of on line purchases cutting deeply into their revenue. Buy on line if you want, but how will you get an air fill on line? What was the down time last time yo0u sent a piece of equipment in to the manufacturer for maintenance or repair? I like dealing locally, because I get good service: Air fill while I wait, on sight servicing and repair in a day or two if I need it done that fast, sponsored trips, and affiliated dive club that is very active, and on site pool they are very generous in sharing. I would be lost without a quality local shop. If you have a bad experience with a shop, find another. Or blow them all off. That's your choice. I am just saying, I could not live like that.
DivemasterDennis
nimoh
July 3rd, 2012, 04:40 PM
Snailmail sounds so cool. It isn't. Your complaint on the board reaches exponentially many more folks than your piece of paper ever could. (What does the recipeint do? That letter "may" get nailed up on a wall. Big whoop). If you have something good to say, do it here too.
oh the irony of a guy that looks like Newman knocking the USPS :)
Edward3c
July 3rd, 2012, 05:22 PM
LDS aren't the only places to get fills. A local garage has installed a compressor that will do 300Bar, O2 clean fills. Now I can get my car worked on and cylinders filled at the same time. We also have in the West Coast around Oban a self service filling station for cylinders.
tridacna
July 3rd, 2012, 06:26 PM
oh the irony of a guy that looks like Newman knocking the USPS :)
Hellllooooooo Jerry...
jewelofnile69
July 3rd, 2012, 08:37 PM
I think Jewel hit a lot of my feelings right on the head.
I finally feel loved. LOL! Thanks!
But seriously, a lot of it is about experience.
SEADUCED, that sounds like one crappy experience...but I see that happening with any business (not just dive shops).
Regardless, I feel as if we should be able to mention both the good and the bad. REASON: I've been a regular contributer to a physique type board for over 5 years. We all mention good trainers/coaches and good suit designers because it SUCKS to get screwed over. In physique, you often drop close to $1000 for 12 weeks of training and maybe around $500 (up towards $1000) for a custom-made suit. If someone screws you over, you have every right to voice your opinion and "pissed-off-ed-ness" (as I like to call it) on a public forum to warn other competitors of your issues so that they don't walk into the same trap. The only thing we ask there is that you state the "facts" and not your "opinions." So I guess that's all I ask here.
Skal!!
NEWMAN! (My favorite saying for about 5 years!)
Colliam7
July 3rd, 2012, 10:54 PM
Okay, so I (the customer) am supposed to wait even longerNot at all. I wasn't suggesting you wait. The presumption from your post is that you paid the money, and took your tank. Frankly, what I would have done is tell them, 'You quoted a price, that is what I agreed to. You can either honor the quote, or empty the tank and take the VIP sticker off, and give me the tank back.' And, by the way, I have actually done that, and walked out with a full, VIP'd tank after paying the original, agreed upon, price.
(remember, the only reason I had to wait until Monday was because the first guy wanted to "go home early"- he could have completed the entire vip and fill within his POSTED store hours)No, actually the reason that you had to wait until Monday is that you agreed to do that, instead of saying, 'Thanks, but I don't want to wait until Monday, I will go elsewhere.' He said he was closing early, you didn't have to leave your tank.
Waste even more of my time? Probably, no more time than you have spent complaining on SB about LDS service. But, seriously, are you saying that it wasn't worth even a telephone call to the original co-owner, after the fact, to say, 'You quoted me a price, your partner didn't seem to understand that, I expect you to honor your commitment, and provide a refund.'?
Spoken like a true LDS apologist.I am not trying to be an advocate for the LDS community. Rather, it is useful to point out that if you don't call the hand of business people in situations like this, they are unlikely to change. So, what is more important - getting the money back that you shouldn't have been charged, and holding the business accountable, or complaining?
