PADI E-Cards

[buddhasummer]

The Irony is when you send them a complaint and they respond with a letter that thanks you for enquiring about (Anything here) and then you write back asking to please answer the question. You then get the exact same email returned to you. So you come in here and copy and paste then several people say they got the exact same letter word for word. Thats enough to make it look like the email never even reaches its destination. It just has some mailbox that when it receives your email it just kicks it out and responds back with the robotic answer. Thats what makes me mad is that it makes it appear your concern was never even read.

and then at the end of their computer generated, generic response they thank you for your enquiry and then have the balls to ask for you to complete a survey about how well your concern was addressed, to which you get no response either. I of course hope that such letters may make a difference but I'm also realistic. I do however think that any such correspondence at least be acknowledged, especially when numerous letters have been sent clearly indicating a genuine concern, and I don'y mean "tokenism". It's obvious from replies that my letters were not even read and/or taken seriously I find this somewhat disrespectful. Anyway I'll vote with my feet, I'm done with Amazon and have cancelled my account. This did hurt a little as I did enjoy my Kindle. Stand for something and all that.

 

[randini]

But how hard is it to carry one card? Or maybe two.

Do I smell a new specialty? PADI card carrier

 

[jon_c]

Expecting my eCard to be delivered any day now in one of PADI's new delivery trucks shown:



Seriously though, I wish I'd read this thread before purchasing my eCard. I thought it was $40 for all your certifications on one eCard. Spending hundreds of $$$ on PADI's latest money making venture isn't cool.

 

[MrsBBC]

I'm still suprised that anyone would want an e-version of any of their cards,
When the alternatives are that:

Any dive centre with the internet can look up your qualification on the PADI website as long as you know the exact name on your card... which presumably is your name
It's easy enough to scan the back of your card and have this on a usb stick in case you lose your wallet.
Cards aren't that bulky, and unless a tech diver you are unlikely to need to carry more than 2 cards
Most divers travel with a logbook/and or computer which is often enough for dive centres after viewing you on a check out dive.

Nic

 

[Littlebuddha]

Why did I not read your thread before purchasing my first (and very last) eCard from Padi????

Heres the story: I did not find my card just before my Maldives trip I opted for a replacement card and saw the eCard offering.
Wow I thought, how easy. I like. I take.

Then made the Nitrox during the trip, looked forward getting a second line in my eCard saying "nitrox"....
Nop.
Then asked Padi Switzerland...
"sorry, buy another eCard" they said...
then (too late) googled....

I must say "I dislike". Money for the eCard, 250$ for the course and no automatic update of the eCard content?
Of course as customer I expect a one time fee, then getting all additional levels FOR FREE.



Don't get me wrong, the course was ok. But customer satisfaction after all: No.
Padi definitely just wants to make money out of eCards. They appearantly did not get the spirit of an app.

As suggested here:
Take a picture with your phone, store the picture.

cheers
LB

PS: Why people would want an eCard?
Cause it is kind of easy, especially for a guy like me who looses everything but not his phone....

 

[fisheater]

Why not just scan your real cards into a .pdf file and save on your phone?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Token]

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!

I just did my PADI Nitrox course, and I was a little surprised to learn I'd now have two cards to carry around. It seemed much more logical to me since PADI is issuing me a new card anyway, it would mention both my OW and Nitrox cert on a single card. No money in doing that, I guess.

I've shrugged off a lot of the complaints I've read here about PADI's high costs...I figured professional training and certification was worth it. However this issue simply seems like money-grubbing to me.

 

[gcarter]

I just placed a scan of my cards in my dive log, and on my phone. Now I have the info in three places. No extra fees paid

 

[DevonDiver]

It'd be nice to have all my credentials in electronic format..

Based on those costings, it'd cost me over $2500 to get all my diver and pro certifications as e-cards. ha ha ha ha ha

This really should be a free service for divers who already possess plastic cards/certifications.... I think (hope!) that PADI learn that charging for electronic cards/app is not going to be profitable due to lack of subscription.

 

[DukeAMO]

Use your smart phone's camera to photo your cards, or scan them.

Richard.

Duh, why didn't I think of that?

---------- Post added May 18th, 2012 at 02:24 PM ----------

Fun fact - if you let your iPhone sync the photo you just took, now it will be backed up on all of your devices with iOS or iTunes on them. Score.

It really doesn't have to be this way. Apple actually has a "be awesome" customer service policy. Basically, if you tell them what a loyal customer you are and ask nicely, they'll help you out. And if you want to send a serious complaint to Tim Cook, a real person will pay attention to it. A friend of mine made a few legitimate complaints to Tim's email account a couple of months ago, and they assigned him a personal case manager and presented his concerns at their next QA meeting. Another example - DH bought a red iPad cover (overpriced at $70), and DD drew all over it with a highlighter. Totally not their fault, but I went into the Apple store and asked if I could get a replacement, but a washable one instead. They said yes, took back the useless old one, gave me a brand new washable one, AND refunded the $35 dollar difference. And THAT, my friends, is why Apple can charge a premium price.