Why Dive Retailers Need a Refresher Course by Brooke Speedy

April 2026 Table of Contents
category: Retailing (8 min read)

Dive retail operators need to continually update operation procedures to acclimate to change and to the expectations in the market.

Why Dive Retailers Needa Refresher Course by Brooke Speedy

by Brooke Speedy, Manager, Tom Leaird’s Underwater Service, Muncie, IN

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WE ENCOURAGE ALL DIVERS to stay active by diving multiple times throughout the year, but the reality for most divers is that they will experience a season of life when this isn’t possible. For those that can’t always make time in their year to dive, it is our responsibility to encourage them to complete a Refresher Course so that they can regain their comfort and confidence in the water while becoming current with their skills.

As retailers in an ever-changing economy and social climate, we cannot afford to become inactive. Dive retail operators need to continually update operation procedures to acclimate to change and to the expectations in the market. Our staff must always be confident and current with everything that is involved with working in the dive industry and interacting with customers. As the busy season begins to kick off, let’s complete a crash dive retailer refresher course together.

Every Dive Center should have the following items:

1. A procedure in place to track who your customers are. This means that you have a database of clients that at a minimum includes their name, phone number, and email address. These are the most valuable data points to have on hand for all of your customers. They are a basis for communication. If you have the means to record other customer information, consider tracking their certification level, birthday, “scuba-versary”, and a list of courses and dive destinations that they are interested in. Keeping track of your customer information requires time and training to maintain, so make sure everything that you track is for a purpose that is worth your time.

2. A defined method to connect with your customers. For some businesses this would be through email campaigns. This is still proven to be one of the most successful communication methods in terms of return on investment. Other ways to connect with your customers is to use the many social media platforms. A combination of static posts and videos that you share daily on your homepage and in your stories covers all of your bases to achieve engagement with current and potential customers. Sharing your course and trip calendar as events across social media is another great way to increase customer engagement. An often-forgotten way to connect with our customers is by simply using your website. The ability to edit your website and direct your customers to it is like having a full-time personalized billboard. Be sure to keep your website up-to-date with current information for your customers to see. Whatever combination of methods you use, you must have a way to track your customers’ engagement so that you know what you are putting out there is being seen.

3. An intimate understanding of inventory management. Selling the inventory you have isn’t about selling a customer something they don’t need, it’s about finding the person that needs what you have. Before this can happen, you and those on your sales team must have a clear understanding of what gear you have available in your Dive Center, how long it’s been there, and what type of customer would benefit from it. With the way things are currently in the industry, you also need to know what products you need to keep in stock, and an up to date ordering and shipping timeline for items that you don’t carry in stock.

4. A plan for keeping your staff trained. This one is tough. Some dive retailers have 2-3 employees, while others have much larger teams. Some businesses are family-owned and operated with very little staff turnover, some have frequent seasonal turnover. Regardless of your employee count, it is a healthy business practice to dedicate time each quarter to training your staff and keeping them up-to-date on business practices. Begin by creating an Operations Guide that you keep current as your business evolves. Make sure this document is easily accessible for your staff to refer to. Monthly in-person in-service events can be costly, so whenever you gather everyone together in person, make sure the information you are going over together is important. Sending weekly staff emails or creating a memo system for your employees to review while they are in your facility is an easy and cost-effective way to keep everyone on the same page. Being organized in the way you communicate is the best way to avoid complications with staff.

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5. The willingness to recommend training, equipment, and travel based on your customers’ interest and needs. You are doing your customer and yourself a disservice if you routinely only take enough time to make the “easy sales.” It’s smart to have a class schedule template for the year but be sure to also pay attention to the interests and dive goals of your new customers. Adding courses based on your customers’ interests will keep them engaged with your business. The same goes for equipment. If someone is interested in gear that you don’t normally sell, make sure you are educated on it and consider introducing new items or brands into your inventory. Teaching new classes, selling new equipment, and traveling to different destinations won’t just help you retain your current customers, it will help you gain new ones.

6. A system in place to receive feedback from your customers AND your staff. As industry professionals we are the experts of our field. Our expertise often comes from years of experience and training. Don’t let your experiences keep you from being open-minded to change. The key to separate your business from the others out there is to not only be open to feedback from your customers AND your less experienced staff, but to actively seek it out. For customers it can be as simple as having your students complete end of course surveys and asking your customers to complete online reviews. This can be done by sending out emails to customers, reminding your customers to fill out a review after a trip, and posting signs around your facility with a barcode to leave some feedback in a survey. For your staff you might need to get a little more creative. Some industries do quarterly and annual reviews with their employees to track their progress and grant raises and bonuses. You don’t have to put together something as formal as large corporations do, it can be as simple as making time to check in with your staff members every few weeks. Don’t be afraid to ask them if there is something they would like to spend more time learning or if there is something they would like to do differently. At the very least, when you put new processes into place, be sure to check in frequently with your customers and staff so that you are achieving the expected results.

Those last two items are likely the most controversial, but I’m willing to argue that they are the most important to the success of your business. Too many industry professionals get stuck in a routine of only advertising, selling, and promoting what has worked best for them during their scuba journey. While your passion adds a layer of persuasion to your sales pitch, it would be irresponsible not to fully educate your customer on their options as their needs may not be the same as yours. Feedback, whether positive or negative, has become so valuable that industries have been built on how to harvest it from the population. The more your customers and staff experience you asking for feedback, the more quality feedback you will get.

Before another busy season begins, take some time to reflect and revamp the way you operate your business. I’m not trying to convince you to reorganize your entire business, I’m encouraging you to take a moment to acclimate to the reality that are operating in and begin making small changes that could have giant impacts. By beginning to expand and reframe the way you and your business operate, you are able to reach new results. I hope you are feeling inspired, refreshed and ready for the busy season!

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