Aldora Divers Review: Two Tank Solo New Diver Experience Coming off a Cruise Ship

[Altamira]

@The Chairman. I also think you missed the part about the Op signing up his friend for a Discover Scuba activity, and it was not as an additional new diver on the same boat. The addition of a Discover Scuba training event is not relevant to the issue that the Op did not get what was reserved and expected. Four years ago, my wife/dive buddy and I took two of our grandchildren to Roatan, and booked a two tank dive for us with a private DM, and a Discover Scuba class for the grandkids. We got our DM for our dives, and our grandchildren got the instructors that came with the Discover Scuba course. All was as it should have been at Barefoot Divers.

 

[ggunn]

I can sum up this thread with a 10 second video:

 

[deepsea21]

Good Lord! 11 pages worth now. I guess this is what we all do when we can't be diving.

Personally, if I owned dive op I wouldn't be caught dead posting/semi-marketing on Scubaboard for this very reason. I enjoy reading Christi's and Dave's posts on general issues that may affect the island and industry but playing in the same social media sandbox as their customers on a regular basis is asking for trouble (as Dave just learned). Does the reward more than offset the risk? I don't know, only they do.

A few things I do know is if Aldora's employees had addressed this customer's issue when it immediately presented and concluded it to this customer's satisfaction on island it never would have made it here and if it did it would be a review of what happened and how Aldora remedied it during their time on-island. Since it did make it here and as Dave maintains a presence here he felt it necessary to respond and his response pretty much sucked. This thread would have been over and done with a long, long time ago if Dave had drawn a line long ago and chosen to stay out of the dive community's social media sandbox. There are thousands and thousand of quality dive ops worldwide and the vast majority of their owners steer clear of general posting on Scubaboard and other forums for this very reason.

Years ago in the restaurant industry I was told "Manage what's inside your 4 walls and everything else will take care of itself". No statement is more true then or today. Those who focus on managing their businesses and immediate customers have no need to venture out into social media as your customers will take care of all that social media marketing for you.

 

[The Chairman]

I wouldn't be caught dead posting/semi-marketing on Scubaboard

Some of the worst advice I've ever read here or anywhere.

I don't know, only they do.

That's the only thing you've said that I agree with.

A few things I do know is if Aldora's employees had addressed this customer's issue when it immediately presented and concluded it to this customer's satisfaction on island

Yet, that's not always possible. But then, you wouldn't know as you've never run a dive shop.

There are thousands and thousand of quality dive ops worldwide and the vast majority of their owners steer clear of general posting on Scubaboard and other forums for this very reason.

Sticking your head in the sand because you don't understand how to use a resource is not a great strategy. That's what got the industry in the state it's currently in. Maybe, just maybe if they learned how to market themselves, they would be uber booked. I offer free consulting for the dive industry on how to use social media. Unfortunately, most of them approach this resource without a clue how to make it work for them. Why? They seem to think like you.

 

[deepsea21]

WOW! and OUCH! Chairman. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I personally know of one Coz dive op (my Coz dive op) that was founded a few years ago and has become one of the most highly regarded dive ops on this forum. That dive op managed to build a great reputation and customer base without its owner's ongoing involvement in social media. He and his staff are "Managing their 4 walls" and have achieved a standing here among the best that took others far longer if not decades to realize. Their happy customers/divers have done all the social media marketing for them.

 

[tomfcrist]

Some of the worst advice I've ever read here or anywhere.

I would say the same thing if I owned this site.

 

[Joneill]

As a loyal customer, I'm with Dave on this one. The OP loves to complain as is evident from all the lengthy replies. I'm glad he wasn't on my boat.
Dive Aldora-but no crybabies.

Seriously? Op had some valid points and Dave came across as a complete jerk in his response (in my opinion). Your bias as a customer is clear in defending poor customer service and the terrible response from a business owner on a public forum. The correct response from Aldora would have been to acknowledge their mistakes and apologize for the mix-ups. Basic communication from Aldora would have avoided these issues.

 

[The Chairman]

WOW! and OUCH! Chairman. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

Nothing wrong with disagreeing with each other, as long as we keep it civil. So many people have built their businesses on ScubaBoard and many, many more could do a lot here except for their ignorance and fear. However, they need to learn how to do it right, just as you need to learn how to dive. I can't help those who don't want to learn.

I would say the same thing if I owned this site.

Why impugn my integrity? I said it because it's true. But please, that's never stopped anyone from throwing a cheap shot, just because they can. This an ad hominem, where you attack the man and not the idea. It's lazy, banal and an appeal to baser emotions. It's the verbal equivalent of a silt out and provides nothing to further the discussion. Attack the idea: not the man. Disagree all you want, but focus on the ideas and concepts and avoid the ad hominems.

 

[tomfcrist]

Why impugn my integrity? I said it because it's true. But please, that's never stopped anyone from throwing a cheap shot, just because they can. This an ad hominem, where you attack the man and not the idea. It's lazy, banal and an appeal to baser emotions. It's the verbal equivalent of a silt out and provides nothing to further the discussion. Attack the idea: not the man. Disagree all you want, but focus on the ideas and concepts and avoid the ad hominems.

Not attacking you at all. Just pointing out the bias in your opinion. Be honest, it’s just as easy if not easier for a dive op to hang themselves on your site as it is for them to promote their business positively...and sometimes, the hanging isn’t their fault. It’s the “oh my god, get your purse and let’s get out of here” outrage mentality that makes social media of any type dangerous for businessmen. You just have to be accused...it doesn’t have to be true if it’s outrageous enough.

But go ahead and think I’m just taking a shot at you...that’s your business big guy.

 

[tridacna]

This is now way better than Anita.