The LDS of the future

[Wookie]

Having an LDS is a good thing, in any case. But I prefer to be treated with respect, not guilt trips or hostility.

And those who treat you with guilt trips (I'm a victim myself) and hostility will be so down the road when they are no longer propped up by their dealer agreements.

 

[offthewall1]

Since you mention that, Ken, I'll run with it for a moment if I may.

I am a PADI and SDI instructor. I don't really care which one I teach, they are all just alphabet soup and each is as crappy as the other. I tried to teach a DM crossover the other day. It was important to cross the DM to SDI so that they could go on to be a TDI DM for tech liability insurance. I have dived with the DM candidate, he is a PADI DM in good standing, he meets the requirements to be a SDI DM with some tests and skills tests. Imagine my surprise when I couldn't set the price to do a crossover for him. The only way to do the DM course was to sign up for the online course. I, of course, weasled my way around the online course rules, bought him the books and test and required falderol, and completed his crossover.

Where do the training agencies get off telling me how much to charge for a course? I'm considering not renewing, but that doesn't really gain me anything. The training agencies are going the way of the manufacturers in price setting. I'm not happy.

Capt,

I too am a PADI and SDI Instructor as well as a PSAI Instructor and formerly an SSI Instructor. I dropped SSI a long time ago... a total joke IMHO. This year I'll be dropping SDI... because as you quite aptly put it... it's all just alphabet soup. Since I decided to close my shop at the end of 2010 I really haven't taught very many people - and the ones I have taught have all been done PADI or PSAI. Regardless, all of the agencies have begun controlling things more than is reasonable. They put an inordinate amount of money from the online course into their own pockets. I was just talking with an LDS owner last week who is so fed up with PADI - he's ready to close after many many years in business.

I was in business for three years as a dive shop owner. I was modestly successful I opened in 2007 at the beginning of the worst economy since the great depression.. and I held my own and didn't lose my shirt... but the entire time it was a battle against big brother. Over-reaching, over-priced and over-controlling manufacturers who were using antiquated business practices. It is directly their refusal to change policies that lead to the demise of the LDS. Outright lies and deception - selling to the internet retailers at stepp discounts all the while enforcing map and marp pricing on the little guys. It was a recipe for disaster. The funny thing is - they're still doing it. They still haven't learned. Now the biggest players sell their wares online and have increased pricing on their goods in local shops. At a time when everything else in the world is a better bargain - new scuba gear has gotten more expensive than ever.

DEMA continues to shrink. LDS's continue to disappear and everyone wants to lay blame on the economy. Of course the economy has played a small role... but the bigger problem is an industry which has failed to adapt to the changes and still refuses to do so... even in the face of long term economic trouble. In the famous words of Mr. T - I pity the fool who opens a local dive shop from this day forward - unless they have the millions to make it a regional megastore with online sales. If they can do that - they have half a chance.

 

[mathauck0814]

I find that interesting because, not yet having a compressor, gas would be my primary concern. But I know it would not stop my diving. In fact, gas would be my only concern. So, if not concerned with gas, then what if anything?

If anything (and it's a minor concern) I'd worry more about where the constant flow of new divers will come from. A compressor is a problem I can solve with money. But who will provide the constant stream of demand necessary for my favorite boats to keep operating (or boats in places where I might like to vacation)? I do see dive clubs replacing this aspect of the LDS entirely as online and social solutions like meetup.com make coordinating large numbers of strangers with common goals become even more popular.

Maybe I could revise my statement and say that I'm not concerned at all if I woke up tomorrow and every dive shop south of Santa Barbara had gone belly up... diving would still happen... people would buy compressors... instructors would find new ways to attract students... yeah... I guess that about sums up how I feel.

 

[jaycanwk]

If anything (and it's a minor concern) I'd worry more about where the constant flow of new divers will come from. A compressor is a problem I can solve with money. But who will provide the constant stream of demand necessary for my favorite boats to keep operating (or boats in places where I might like to vacation)? I do see dive clubs replacing this aspect of the LDS entirely as online and social solutions like meetup.com make coordinating large numbers of strangers with common goals become even more popular.

Maybe I could revise my statement and say that I'm not concerned at all if I woke up tomorrow and every dive shop south of Santa Barbara had gone belly up... diving would still happen... people would buy compressors... instructors would find new ways to attract students... yeah... I guess that about sums up how I feel.

As long as there is a demand for diving, somebody somewhere will supply gear, air, instruction and charter boat, etc., they just might not be the same people under one roof.

 

[Brendon]

For those of you who are unhappy with your current controlling/micro-management alphabet soup dive certification agency, make the change... Switch to NAUI where you can be a real teacher/instructor, break the chains of cd/rom robotic instruction, come up with your own style and set your own prices!

- take the dive biz away from the LDS, put it in the hands of the instructors and go mobile with the products!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

As long as there is a demand for diving, somebody somewhere will supply gear, air, instruction and charter boat, etc., they just might not be the same people under one roof.

... and then again, they might. One of my associates is a tech instructor. He has a fill station in his garage that would make most dive shops envious. He's a dealer for some of the smalller equipment brands ... the ones that don't play the MAP game. He has a half-dozen or so independent instructors who are loosely associated with his company ... myself among them. Between us we can supply all the equipment needed for classes, sell or help our students acquire any gear they want, provide fills ... essentially any service or product you need for scuba diving. Between an operation like this one and Internet sales you can get all the training and equipment you need without ever entering an LDS.

This just might be the dive shop of the future ... much as it once was in the past ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Jill from Phoenix]

True dat.

 

[molina67]

When I was looking for a LDS to get certified I saw tremendous price differences. Most of them hid the cost for certification. This shop charged for the books, separate charge for pool session, separate charge for open water. You must have your own equipment because this shop did not rent equipment, but will sell you equipment at a discounted price. You were responsible for your travel to the certification price as well as food and hotel. After all was said and done... we were looking at over 2 grand to get certified. We found a shop that would certify us for $400 each, and this included everything minus travel. When I say everything I mean everything. He had all the equipment for us to borrow for certification. He did not sell equipment he was just an instructor not a store. I thought that would be a better deal... If he did sell equipment I would have been more likely to buy it from him than from someone I didn't know. I put my life in his hands for certification, why wouldn't I trust his recommendations on equipment.

 

[Jill from Phoenix]

I see everything being very cyclical in nature, going back to a quality, grassroots experience. It's not what you pay, it's what you get for your money.

The SSI stores are insulted that someone can teach out of their hotel room or back yard, but a commercial facility doesn't always designate professionalism.

To me, a lot of dive centers look like a messy teenagers room. Boys! They never learn to pick up after themselves!

I love dive centers that look like something that should be featured on HGTV. (And with indoor heated pools with mosaic tile!) You can obviously tell it has a women's touch, but mosaic tile and fancy merchandising will only get you so far. Still, I think more female dive center owners are the way of the future Better organized books. Boys - step aside.

The new generation will outline what is important and what they expect from the experience. The whole cheaper, easier, faster, give it to me now expectations of Gen X will die out along with grunge music....well, Nirvana still sounds good, but give me Led Zeppelin.

 

[Jill from Phoenix]

Something stirred me up, I have to add to Wookie: Walk away from the alphabet soup. That stuff is for children. Maybe try Progesso. Those commercials also say you can fit into your old jeans.

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