scuba.com "BOO!" scubatoys "YIPPEE!!!"

[skdvr]

OK, I am going to try to tell this little story about scuba.com and why they SUCK and what scubatoys did that makes them ROCK!

My wife bought me a Mares Nemo for Christmas from scuba.com, I like the computer but noticed that the battery was already half gone, and later found out that the comptuer was made in 2003. She bought the computer for Christmas of 06'. Well I was frustrated about that but I talked with one of the Mares reps and they said that there was no software changes to the SS Nemo since then. Well anyway my batt was starting to get low so I checked with my LDS to see about a battery change and they said that they could do it so I was waiting the battery out to get the most for my money. Well the batt went dead so I took it in to my LDS and then they told me that they cannot change the battery in the nemo. When I talked to him a month or so before he thought it was a Mares console computer. He tell me that I have to send it to a authorized repair facility that will do a pressure test on it after the battery is replaced. So I am frustrated but not mad. We tried to find a number to contact Mares but there is not one listed on their website, so my wife calls scuba.com to find out if they can do the battery change or if they would have to send it to Mares. The guy that she talks to tells her that he is not sure and that he would go and check. He gets back on the phone and tells her that "Yes, we do the battery changes in house." This was on a Mon and we were leaving for vacation to my dads lake house in Table Rock, Mo the following Sun. So she asked if they could turn it around quickly and mail it to us there. They said "Yes". So we spent $32.00 to 2 day it to Scuba.com. Two days after they recieved it I called to make sure eveything was OK, and they told me that they cannot do the battery changes there and that they would have to send it to Mares. I told the guy what we were told and he basically said that whom ever told us that they did the batt change there was wrong and sorry... Well then I called back to talk to someone about how unhappy I was with what happened and got someone in Customer Service and I told her the story and asked what they could do to help out and she told me "Nothing" and in a snotty voice so I explained how much of my buisness that they have had in the last year and that I cannot believe that they would not do a little more than nothing, and she said "It is not our problem". At that point I got mad and hung up.

Well I posted all this same stuff on scubaboard and Joe read it and PM's me to tell me that scubatoys would send me one of their rental Nemo's at no charge. I could not believe it. I got it at my lake house on Mon, and got to use it all week. They had no reason to need to do it, but they did.

Then to continue the scuba.com stuff I called yesterday 7-18-07 to check on the status of my Nemo and after a very long conversation with the returns rep I found out that my computer did not even ship out to Mares until 7-17-07, and they recieved it from me on 7-5-07, and I paid $32.00 to get it to them that fast.

Sparks flew again, and this guy told me the same thing that there is nothign that he can do to help me out with the shipping cost or replacing the battery.

The only way I will ever talk about scuba.com again to anyone is with a negative tone....

Joe and Larry, you guys are GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Have a good one...
Phil

[jacewindu]

that's too bad, but i'm not surprised that ST was able to step in and save your trip.

all my experiences with ST have been extremely good and I strongly hesitate doing business anywhere else. sorry that you had to learn the hard way, but it sounds like you know where to go now

[ScubaToys Larry]

Hey skydvr,

How come I saw you had the computer we sent you posted up on ebay?!
Just kiddin'

Glad you had a good trip!

[skdvr]

Originally Posted by jacewindu

that's too bad, but i'm not surprised that ST was able to step in and save your trip.

all my experiences with ST have been extremely good and I strongly hesitate doing business anywhere else. sorry that you had to learn the hard way, but it sounds like you know where to go now

I will definately be sticking with scubatoys. I actually liked that otterbox that they sent the Nemo in so that may have to be my first purchase from them, with a lot more to follow (much to my wifes dismay)

Phil

[linalou]

I had a bad experience with leisurepro, that i would like to share with yall who are reading this thread. I wont get into all of the details, but in my search for booties that fit and dont give me foot cramps, i was excited to learn about what they tout as thier pressure free fit policy...if it doesnt fit, they dont charge for size exchanges. so i ordered some fancy booties based on their size recommendation, and when i got them, my feet were lost inside (WAY too big!!), so I called for the size exchange...which they flat out refused to honor since they were out of stock of the size i needed...so what, because they suck in two ways, I have to pay? needless to say, now I have spent too much money, and still dont have booties i like[img]smileys/smiley19.gif[/img] i just hope to help people in future for falling for the same scam... hey scubatoys! why dont you stock booties i like? hmm? (locked zipper, mid-support sole, fin notch[img]smileys/smiley2.gif[/img])?

[linalou]

oh yeah, and booties i like should have small enough soles to fit into my tusa liberator fins![img]smileys/smiley1.gif[/img]

[ScubaToys Larry]

Give me a make and model number and I'll see what I can come up with.

[cummings66]

See, this is like a dream, who in their right mind runs a business like this. Customers coming first and all, I mean it's insane. However, it is one reason I buy stuff from them.

I like how I get treated, and wish they were next door to me. Well, not really. I'd be broke forever if that was the case.

[linalou]

i am not sure if what i want even exists, maybe you know. i want something with a seasoft inside, o'neill firewall oustide, and a zipper flap. is there something that is close? thanks for the quick response, you guys are awesome!!

[torrey]

Originally Posted by cummings66

See, this is like a dream, who in their right mind runs a business like this. Customers coming first and all, I mean it's insane. However, it is one reason I buy stuff from them.
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>I like how I get treated, and wish they were next door to me. Well, not really. I'd be broke forever if that was the case.</DIV>

The company I work for recently started a book club for those who want to participate. There's only a handful of us that actually do it, but it has been really enlightening. We just finished our second book, called "Good To Great" which details what makes a good company break through past the competition into a great company. I highly recommend it to anybody in the business world.

Anyway, the primary focus is on a principle based on 3 interlocking concepts:

1. What can you be the best at
2. What are you deeply passionate about
3. What drives your economic engine

In a world of mediocre scuba stores which tend to go bust easily, somewhere along the way Larry and Joe managed to bring these 3 concepts together. I believe most scuba store owners are just trying to make a living and hopefully get to dive at the same time. Everybody knows this isn't a high profit business. I think they become satisfied with being "good". We've already more-or-less covered the 2nd concept...we're all passionate about scuba or we wouldn't be here.

I'm not sure if Larry or Joe realized they could be the best, but their customer focus brings people back every time. I'm willing to bet they didn't send you a computer to win your business...they saw somebody else passionate about scuba in a tight situation. If your focus is on your core values and not profit, then profit will naturally follow.

The customer-focus naturally brings in more customers, which in turn allows ScubaToys to cut down costs and prices, which in turn brings in more customers and the cycle continues until a happy medium is found.

These guys are the epitome of running a great company - pick something you are passionate about, can be the best at, and know what it takes to make sustained results.