Forget "time in a bottle." Instead, think about time in a bucket. Any sturdy bucket will do. You're going to dump a bunch of rocks into it. Since that won't fill it, you'll dump some pebbles in, too. Then, maybe…
Greg LasloDecember 9, 2009
You're taking your divers to the Caymans, Bonaire, Cozumel and Palau. You're filling live-aboard dive boats in exotic dive locations around the world. How are you doing it? Do you take care of all the details of booking the trips…
Donna AskewFebruary 28, 2009
One of the 21st century's new professions is the so-called trend-spotter. They're sort of an amalgam of futurist and marketing guru. Using a variety of research methods, statistical analysis and interviews of everyone from historians to sociologists to economists, they…
Alex BrylskeFebruary 17, 2009
Back in my former life, when I drove a fire truck in addition to a dive store van, my crew fought a ripping fire at an artsy home-décor store. We were cleaning up, and helping haul out the owner's undamaged…
Greg LasloFebruary 11, 2009
Let's slow down a bit. Even good customers have issues and complaints that they need help to correct. And they're good customers, so you obviously want to keep them around. Conveniently enough, the skills you use to diffuse an upset…
Greg LasloFebruary 3, 2009
If you've ever taught scuba with a store that conducted confined-water training at the local YMCA or community center, you can appreciate the value of a swimming pool on-site at the dive center. For one, you don't have to worry…
Linda Lee WaldenFebruary 3, 2009
One of the goals of dive retailing is to get divers to purchase their own equipment. It's not just a matter of making a sale. Divers who purchase their gear become more committed to the sport than habitual renters. Even…
Melanie PaulFebruary 3, 2009
Customers seek convenience, which includes being able to have their equipment maintained and fixed where they purchased it. It is a reason why a quality equipment repair service is a must-have for most scuba retailers. A good repair bench builds…
Linda Lee WaldenFebruary 2, 2009
According to their relatively low numbers in the current dive retail community, storeowners who expand into second and third locations appear to be unique. In the United States there are about 70 individuals or entities that own more than one…
Jay GoldsteinFebruary 2, 2009
