LDS - They have a bad attitude.

[waynne fowler]

@Waynne - I do understand the frustration and try not to waste anyone's time but at the same time this is how it works for all retailers these days. People will tire kick in your shop then purchase online if they can save money.

These days... It is the cost of doing business sometimes

I will accept paying 10% maybe 15% more for something if the shop goes out of their way to take care of me. If I get the same lame service at the LDS as I would from some guy online then there is no incentive to pay more.

And why pay more for the "SAME LAME SERVICE"... I'm with ya

The biggest problem IMHO is that the spread in price between online and LDS is massive. In some cases you can save almost as much as you spend and the only thing the LDS can say is you won't get warranty. I have been screwed so many times by so called "warranties" that it really is not something I take into consideration.

I know what you mean... in my experience though... in the world of scuba the warrenties are very valueable and worth having... the biggest problem I've encountered is when folks have never had the warrenties explained to them so they don't know their part in the process... I can't tell you how many times folks bring reg's in for annual service only to find that they had no idea that they could get free parts for as long as they own it..... dig a bit deeper and I find they've never been registered. It's such an easy thing to do this stuff for people but often times too many simply don't....

Perhaps LDSs should take the frustration out on the manufacturers for price locking them rather than the customer? Not that you do this. I am making a general statement.

WORD! many of us wish we could... Truth be told... people are keep too busy trying to put food on our tables (both you and I) to go making big waves and make it even more difficult to retain the basic needs of our families... So we pluunk along being the best we can be, and the big corp's drive the wedge deeper between us, they'll still make thier money on those internet sales and scream to us that "it's just not right and we're trying to fix that for you.. we got lawyers working on it" YAWNNNN!!!! that BS story's been old for years now. The internet really is not the problem, the problem is that the big gun's have learned how to make money off both sides and it behooves them to have it so. Mean while more and more brick and mortors close up everyday.
If it keeps up we will all loose but they'll retool and do something else.

You and I movieflick are, I believe, on the same exact page n paragraph.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I think many dive shops tend to be their own worst enemy.

Yabbut the flip side of that coin is that they tend to be each other's best salesmen ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Wow. What a shame. Seems the guy missed an opportunity to make a new friend and occasional customer. I do understand the frustration one feels about spending hours with someone explaining all the features and function of a piece of equipment only to have them take that information and spend thier money on the internet. But at the same time, these days it's one of the cost's of doing business. I've had people come in and spend hours trying on drysuits and bc's and talk about equipment only to see them the following week at a divesite in all the stuff I sized them for that they bought on the internet or from some other dealer cuz they could save some $.
I sure can't blame someone for savin a buck, but it's really frustrating that they feel my time isn't worth anything.
The flip side of that is... who else are they gonna ask? It's a 2 edged sword for both sides.... The sad thing is when neither side takes the time to try and see things from the other persons perspective.

I look at things a bit different. While it's frustrating to see that happen, I have to keep in mind that if they took their business elsewhere then I somehow did not do my job correctly. Most people don't understand that for the average recreational diver 'where' you get your stuff can be equally or in some case's even more important than 'what' you get.

The experienced and/or gear minded diver can do most anything and make things work out fine, though they may spend more money than they need to . The average Rec. diver really doesn't understand equipment all that well, and really can get lost in the setup, configuration, cleaning and maint of new product. For those individules having a trustworthy, attitude free shop is a wonderful asset.

Perhaps this dive shop person has had too many people spend hours of his time explaining things only to take their money down the road and doesn't really know what to do about it so he just shuts down when he percieves that it is happening again.

Sad in either case and the real sad part is on many levels everyone loses.

... on the other hand, Waynne, you're one of only a few shops in the greater PS area that I'd send folks to ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[seaducer]

I have been really lucky. The only problems I really have had with dive shops have been getting out of them. Some of those people love to talk!

 

[movieflick]

I have been really lucky. The only problems I really have had with dive shops have been getting out of them. Some of those people love to talk!

That would be a welcome change for me.

 

[seaducer]

That would be a welcome change for me.

Your wife might not agree...mine doesn't.

 

[RJP]

I have had similar experiences at other shops. Is it me? Maybe I am coming across in a rude way? Anyone else have this issue?

I know a guy who has been married 4-5 times, who always says "I don't know what's wrong with all these women!"

 

[chuck34gboro]

Well I've only been in 6 dive shops but i've been treated fairly well in all but 1 of them.

My main LDS i'm a club member, do most of my classes there, get fills, and Equip service and VIPs. I've bought a few things from there but they are always offering me help and encouraging me to buy more than what I need. Still great service.

The other good shops are part of charters i've used and the original LDS where I got my OW cert.

The only bad is local but on the other side of town. I went in one time and the kid behind the counter was having a "personal" conversation about diving in general to a friend in front of the counter. I walked around for 5 minutes browsing and they never stopped talking. I sorta stood behind him in line for a minute and he never acknowledged me. I then spend another minute playing in my blackberry figuring he would get the picture. I looked up at him untill he looked at me, then continued his conversation. I walked out and never went back.

Granted, I've had similar experiences in other types of businesses so its not Scuba specific.

Whats worse is when I'm working (delivering packages) and I go into a business, with a package in hand, wearing a UPS uniform, and employees continue personal activities and I have to ask them if they can sign. Bank tellers seem to be the worst. I've walked out of BB&T's several times and sheeted their packages as refused.

 

[theduckguru]

I don't know what you expect. Are you one of our students? A groupie our dive trips? Do you buy air or equipment?

No comrade you are not one of us. You comrade are a commie spy from a dive agency, a manufacturer or another LDS.

Take your Manifesto some where else as we will keep our ever watchful eye on you comrade.

I have been in many dive shops because I like to look around and from time to time I find something to pick up. So anytime we come by one in our travels I always stop in.

With few exceptions it seems LDS operators are jerks; like it is a chore for them to talk to you and god forbid you ask for something they don't have.

For example I just went to my LDS, and was actually looking to buy a reg and computer for my wife as an anniversary present. I buy all my gear off the Internet but she doesn't want anything that does not come from a dive shop so off I go to spend 20% more for face to face.

I look around the shop while I wait for the customer before me to finish their purchase. He finishes up and I wait for him to say can I help you or something of some sort to let me know he is ready for me , but no, he just stares at me. So I ask,

Me: "Do you cary the Luna"
LDS: "No"... more staring....
Me: "Do you carry atomic regs"
LDS "What"
Me: "Do you carry atomic aquatics re..."
LDS "No" my mid sentence.
Me: "Does anyone in town carry them"
LDS "No I am not an atomic dealer"
Me: "Right but is there anywhere in town that might carry either"
LDS: "No we are the only dive shop on this side of the state"
Me: "oh ok"

and then he just starts to walk towards the back of the shop.

I have had similar experiences at other shops. Is it me? Maybe I am coming across in a rude way? Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Belce]

All I can say is that Movieflick epically failed that customer encounter.