If you cost the time of a technician, the cost of his on-going training, his tools and accommodation, you'll see that many "quick" jobs will incur a heavy charge. No more "quickly swapping out a hose" for no cost other than for the hose itself - how does $30 labour sound?
If I stock a particular model, then I also carry spares and special tools for that model, and I or a technician go on a technician course for that model. These costs need to be covered, before a single customer has purchased the product. I then need to keep lots of sizes/variants in stock so the customer can take away what he wants. This stock is not loaned to me but I have to buy it. Then if a new model comes out that supersedes the models I have in stock then I have to discount them to sell them. The manufacturer doesn't help me in any way.
Without question, the current trend will continue and ALL small dive shops will vanish. The ones that remain will be in large centers of population where there is enough business for them. They will stock far fewer different items. And of course, only at one of these few remaining LDSs or a resort will you be able to buy anything at all, including air. That'll be the only place to rent tanks. If this is how you want it to be then fine, but it'll be this way regardless.
I'm not wingeing, nor do I give my clients "vitriol". I'm trying to contribute to an impartial discussion on what is happening and where it's going. There is a reason why LDS's have been going out of business all over the place at a rate of knots. Maybe this doesn't matter to you, but it's still definitely happening. Many of these businesses were excellent, run by enthusiasts who just wanted to make enough to get by because they loved the sport. I can think of several like that in the Seattle area. I'm sure the same's true for many more of the failed businesses.
It used to be the case that if you wanted to dive in a superb inland dive site in north Wales you had a choice of fairly local dive shops to get air/essential spares/support & information. Now they've all gone. The only air is three hours' drive away. Oh, and they don't rent tanks, so you have to buy your own. But hey, this is progress, this is how things have to be.
Other types of business are equally affected. When I was younger there were several superb hifi shops near home, whose staff knew a lot about the business and the equipment and could give really good advice. One by one they vanished, and now all you can do is buy on-line or go to a "hifi supermarket", whose staff know no more than it says on the box. You must do all your research elsewhere because they won't be able to answer a single question. Often you'll be unable to glean enough from whatever's on the web and you'll end up guessing. This is progress? In England the only places with stores with staff who have any idea what they're doing are in the major cities, such as London, and they'll be so busy they won't be able to help you anyway unless you go in when everybody else is at work (and probably you should be as well). Getting to London can be a major and very costly business in itself.
As to the structuring of a business model, there are several other businesses that bias their profit to the front. The motor industry is a case in point. They have to invest a hell of a lot of money in special tools and model-specific training, and they have to ensure that these costs are covered.
Look, think what you want, believe what you want. The trend is very clear and it's nothing to do with quality or poor business models. It's simply hard economics. But there'll be a price to pay.
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