http://www.adiversworld.com

[nlintgen]

Just figured I'd mention that I purchased my gloves at A Diver's World this spring and they were very helpful that day.  I bought the gloves, thought about a special order hooded vest, and had a few general equipment questions to scope the shop out.  I can't remember the employee that I dealt with but I do remember there were a bunch of people in the shop getting geared up for checkout dives and that the other employees were trying to load the van up with tanks and everything else needed... but they still took the time to help me when I needed them and loaded the truck and let me browse around freely when I didn't.

[H DAWG]

SCUBA Daddy's Dive & Travel is just north of there about 5 minutes. It is on the Northeast corner of Nicollet Ave and McAndrews in Burnsville. They have a very willing and help out any way they can.

[DiveCaptDean]

The initial post that i saw was reasonably well stated and i didnt see any verbal bashing..why should it be edited any further..I think we not only have a right to voice our opinion on issues like customer service, but we have an obligation.  I would not like to see a bash session as i feel it is a waste of time..but if a honest opinion is voiced..how can that be wrong...Dive centers are now forced to get out of the old age cellars that some of them used to be and get into the clean white retail world if they want to succeed..I have been in retail my entire life..I learned retail in the 80's when you were expected to provide excellent service..those were the old days..I would be embarrassed to have some of the people working for me that i see out there in the world today and most wouldnt last more than a week..i think customer service is very important as it is what makes a business..especially a small privately owned business..we should do everything we can as a consumer( constructively) to let places know if we appreciate the service they provide....i also feel that it is their obligation to keep up with what services they provide and how their customers feel about it..if that means logging onto a site like mnscuba..then so be it..they have the ability and right to do so

Keep in mind..i know nothing of the facility mentioned and am not speaking of mearly the dive community but customer service in general ....

[hcho3528]

I have had a different experience at a divers world. I have been to pretty much all of the dive shops and although most are really good, I thought that a divers world was great! My wife and I bought all of our Scubapro equipment there. One of the owners "Pat" has been awesome to deal with. The shop is clean, new , and professional. I would highly recommend this place to anyone.

-hcho3528-PADI Rescue Diver

[Kingpatzer]

I think it all depends on which lottory ticket you have . . .

I know a lot of people who love "Scuba Daddy's" for example. I'm not one of them. The one time I walked in the store, I had an experience that turned me off of them completely.

On the other hand, I have a neighbor who swears by the shop and insists I just was unlucky that day.

And the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

My point, besides the one on top of my head, is that bad experiences do happen. They can, and should, form the basis for an individual's decission to use a store or not. But rarely are anecdotal experiences a sound basis for deciding who to shop with. For no other reason than people are about 10 times more likely to complain than to praise!

[divingindaytona]

After reading these posts I feel compelled to say a few words.

First off I have only been living in this state for a little over 2 years.  In this time I have visited various dive shops in the south metro area.

Initially I walk into a store, case the place (to see what gear they carry) then I work my way up to whoever is behind the counter.  Then I ask a few general questons.  How long has the store been here, who are your instructores certified thought, any local diving, scheduled fun dives, etc..


Scubadaddy - there was a young kid manning the store, he had to be in highschool possibly college.  While I am checking out this place a teen age girl comes in the store.  I lurk in the back and listen to the advice that the sales person gives out.  The girl was looking for a mask, fin and snorkel, she was going to go snorkeling in the Caribbean.

The guy pointed at the wall with the masks and said "there are some masks."  I was the only customer in the store besides this girl.  She promply asks a few questons to which the sales guy says "I don't know, my boss just told me that I should push these masks"  Long story short.  I answered the girls gear questons, helped her out as much as I could.  I also mentioned that if she ever wanted to try scuba diving she has the basic gear that would be required.  You should have seen her eyes light up!  I did this because the guy behind the desk was clueless, and I was trying to help a nubie out.

After the girl was gone I talked with the guy, asked him about his certification level.  He was working on his AOW.  He was signed up with the Navy, and was going to be a Navy diver.

Dive shops please staff your shops with people that know something about diving.

Fantasea - After meeting with Aggie the store owner I dropped off a watch to get serviced.  (Aggie seemed to have very little local diving knowledge).  A week later I call them to get an update.  They said that they were still waiting for there tech to come in.  I call a week later.  They said, oh yeah I called you yesterday, and left you a message.  Its ready to be picked up.  (My cell phone never received a call and I had no voicemails).

So I get to the store.  It takes them 15 min to find where the watch is.  And then the battery was not changed out.  Instead I am told a story that they took the watch to a jeweler.  Then they called the manufacturer.  The manufacturer stated that the watch needed to be sent back to them to swap out the battery.

A month later I drop off my BCD at Fantasea - My BC is slowly inflating by itself.  2 WEEKS go by (still no call) so I call them.  She is ready to be picked up.  I find out the next time that I use the BCD that the problem was not fixed.  Each time I would call Fantasea it was a 15 min phone wait on the phone.  It appears that no one knows what is going on there. 

I wanted to try a fun dive with them the other night, but I could not get an answer about what time they would meet at the store 4pm 430pm 5pm 530pm.  Again it appears that no one knows what is going on there. 

A divers world - My reg needed an annual service, so I dropped it off there.  They said it would take a week.  They called in less than a week.  Reg works well. 

Both of the guys there were very knowledgeable and seemed to know there stuff.  Boths were obviously techs.  While I was there I asked a few questons about my slowly inflating BCD, the one that Fantasea "FIXED"  I also mentioned this to them.  They fixed the inflater, and didn't charge me for labor.

I know what local dealer I will turn to.  For me its a divers world.  The staff is friendly, professional, and knowledgeable, and they also have a good local dive knowledge.