PADI E-Cards

[UnderH2OView]

E-Card is useless to me even if I was interested as PADI has not updated the Android app to be Ice Cream Sandwich, Android 4.0 compatible. Its been about 3 months since ICS came out....

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[scubamarketing]

E-Card is useless to me even if I was interested as PADI has not updated the Android app to be Ice Cream Sandwich, Android 4.0 compatible. Its been about 3 months since ICS came out....

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

With a 1.6% adoption rate for Ice Cream Sandwich amongst active Android users, it's no wonder it's not a top priority for them.

 

[Oldbear]

Got a reply from them...form letter.

Dear Butch,

I appreciate your taking the time to communicate with PADI Americas regarding the PADI eCard^™. It is unfortunate that this new product did not meet your expectations.

Please know that purchasing and using the PADI eCard is completely optional. Your traditional plastic certification card is (and will remain) valid proof of your PADI certification worldwide.

If you ever need to replace your PADI certification card, either due to loss or simply a desire to update an older card, you have two options for replacement:

1.reorder a traditional (plastic) version of the card
2.reorder an eCard.

You may reorder either version of your card through any PADI Dive Center or Resort or by visiting padi.com. The replacement card fee is the same for both versions.

You may, however, enjoy some of the specific benefits of the PADI eCard. These include the convenience of carrying and accessing all of your cards digitally, as well as a special embedded QR code that dive centers, resorts and instructors can use to verify the certification card against the PADI database. This feature helps prevent anyone from obtaining and altering your digital card for their use.

I sincerely hope that this new product does not diminish your overall enjoyment of diving. After all, that’s what it’s truly about — the opportunity to escape, explore and experience the underwater world, then share it with others. Thank you for choosing PADI as your dive training organization and I hope that this new product does not deter you from continuing training with the more than 6000 PADI Dive Centers and Resort and 135,000 PADI Professionals around the globe.

Sincerely,


Bob Coleman
Vice President of Sales and Field Services
PADI Americas

I received the same "Can Reply" to my inquire; while it is warm and fussy, it did not even remotely come close to answering my questions on "What their thought process was into the pricing selection and its justification." I suppose to get that type of response is a bridge to far for PADI.

Very disapointed in PADI; not only did they not research their customer base very well; they are brushing their concerns off...this is basic Business 101 failure...to bad, overall I really do like most of what PADI does.

~ME~

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Well considering that I carry three instructor cards in my wallet, I never am without a card. I also don't go diving without my logbook. And I just followed the link to the FAQ,s regarding these cards. It clearly states at the bottom:

"What if I download my eCard, but switch operating systems?

You can download eCards to multiple devices within the same OS family (for example,Apple’s iOS 3.x, 4.x, etc) or re-download cards when upgrading devices within the sameOS family. You will be required to repurchase eCards if you switch operating systems(from Android to iPhone, for example)"

Now how is this not a taker of income from the individual instructor You have some wide eyed newer diver that goes and buys say all 4 of the cards he has. Nearly $150.00. That is another course he could have taken from you BTW. He decides to replace his blackberry and decides to switch as I did to a droid. He cannot transfer the cards to the new system because he does not have them. All he had was link to them that will now not work on his new device.

On the first screen in the Q&A from the PADI member site the link goes to it states this:

"The eCard is available as a replacement card only for now.
For at least the remainder of 2012, the student's initial certification card must be plastic. That said, the student can order eCard in 1-3 business days of the certification being submitted."

So unless something has changed you cannot offer either initially for the rest of this year. They must have both. So the cost for the cert now is $74.00. Per card! If I were an instructor for an agency offering something like this I would strongly discourage any student from doing this.

And someone on another forum mentioned what Live Nation or Ticketmaster does as justification for this scam. Number one I would never use either. Those that do are big enough fools that these guys get away with what they do. Some people are gullible enough to fall for anything. I don't go to see 3 -D movies. Not worth it. I don't do IMAX, again not worth it.

I would never try to take advantage of my students with excessive card fees that get them nothing. I would rather they take the money they save not doing it and go diving, or take a non cert buoyancy and trim or dive planning workshop from me. Or do an underwater photography class with a real underwater photographer where no card is issued but they get great training. Or a Fish ID class from a marine biologist where again they don't get a card but do get an education from someone who knows the subject. Not just how to sell the class.

And I'm willing to bet that there is or will be a seminar on how to talk students into getting this. Perhaps instead of taking a con-ed course that would be of more benefit and more benefit economically to the instructor teaching it.

 

[Jxh2297]

Nothing against padi but my naui certs you can just look them up on your mobile browser and show the dive shop, most will not question it. Might be able to do it with padi, not sure.

 

[Simon-]

Now how is this not a taker of income from the individual instructor You have some wide eyed newer diver that goes and buys say all 4 of the cards he has. Nearly $150.00. That is another course he could have taken from you BTW. He decides to replace his blackberry and decides to switch as I did to a droid. He cannot transfer the cards to the new system because he does not have them. All he had was link to them that will now not work on his new device.

It is not a link. It is physically stored on the device. I have it on both my iPhone and Blackberry

So unless something has changed you cannot offer either initially for the rest of this year. They must have both. So the cost for the cert now is $74.00. Per card! If I were an instructor for an agency offering something like this I would strongly discourage any student from doing this.

There is no requirement for a student to have both. Certs I issued at the weekend are still the traditional C Card, so you are wrong in this case Jim. Incidently, the cost for the certification is included within the cost of the course, so ne reason to try and show it as an additional cost

I would never try to take advantage of my students with excessive card fees that get them nothing.

Are you saying that is what PADI instructors are doing? If you are then you are severely mistaken

And I'm willing to bet that there is or will be a seminar on how to talk students into getting this. Perhaps instead of taking a con-ed course that would be of more benefit and more benefit economically to the instructor teaching it.

It is a copy of a card, nothing more nothing less. Don't make it out to be something more. Nothing at all to be gained by an instructor.

I hope that noboby has a business card scanner either in the office or on their smartphone. Why on earth would anyone even consider having an electronic copy of a physical card.


Ultimately, no-one is being told they have to have an e-card. If somebody wants to get it, fine, if they don't want to get one, fine

 

[RTee]

I hope that noboby has a business card scanner either in the office or on their smartphone. Why on earth would anyone even consider having an electronic copy of a physical card.


Ultimately, no-one is being told they have to have an e-card. If somebody wants to get it, fine, if they don't want to get one, fine

Simon, +1. The only reason I have my DM e-card is because it came with my renewal but I did not pay extra just to get it. The easiest thing one can do is to just take digital pictures of your various cards and strore them as images on your portables/mobiles. it will provide you with all the back-up you will require

 

[Whatevva]

Simon, +1. The only reason I have my DM e-card is because it came with my renewal but I did not pay extra just to get it. The easiest thing one can do is to just take digital pictures of your various cards and strore them as images on your portables/mobiles. it will provide you with all the back-up you will require

While I'm totally against paying for E-cards, I also don't see the point of scanning cards and putting the pics on your phone. PADI personal info is on one side of the cards, and the cert on the other, so there's no way to prove any of it's real.

 

[Max Speed]

Maybe after the E-Card fails they could do something a little more useful like issue a Master Diver card that lists ALL your certifications on one card. That might be worth $50!

 

[PSVADivers]

I received the exact same form letter, of course it didnt come from Bob, looks like it was sent by someone named Mal Fousek for what that is worth. And in no way answered the question I had asked.

Heard back from PADI - they're going to update the site/ordering process to make it clearer what you're buying, that's good news. What they have today isn't what I wanted, so they refunded my charges. Nothing wrong with plastic, I'll carry that for now like most other folks I guess. When they get to where I can use the e-card on all my devices at a reasonable cost I'll probably buy them again. In the end, not the answer I wanted from PADI, but worked out fair enough all in all.