We all love diving. That’s what brought us to become a professional in this industry. But as a dive shop owner, it comes down to one thing: trying to make enough money to stay in business so we can support our divers, our industry, and more importantly our families with a steady paycheck. Well… that and taking a killer dive trip once in a while, and sampling all the cool toys for ourselves for less money. But really, it’s about staying in business.
As rebreathers become more popular, the profit margins and dollars will make it much more appealing and worth the high cost of training and stocking the units to sell. Get there much quicker and start reaping the benefits of not only having better dives yourself, but offering your customers and students an opportunity to get in just above the ground floor on what is surely taking off as the next generation of diving technology and gear.
The ways to increase your profits on the backs of rebreathers are equipment sales, including reoccurring gas fills, and training and running rebreather friendly or rebreather specific trips.
Though rebreather units will vary in price, they are generally not inexpensive, and it will be important to identify your general market. Rebreathers are an investment, and you will find that research on your clientele would warrant the investment you are willing to make on the units and how many you will need.
Like with any new piece of equipment, there needs to be training and a certification that follows. Technical Diving International has several manuals that are unit specific as well as TDI’s Generic CCR manual that works in conjunction with the unit operator guide. This course is also available online.
Once your customers have bought a new rebreather unit and have completed their training, it is time to take them out someplace cool, such as places like the Galapagos, Coco Islands, Sea of Cortez and so many more. Get the best for your customers and take them to places where they can now experience the critters coming right up to them as bubbles will no longer be a factor in intimidation. Contact Scuba Travel International to find out where STI can take you and your group next.
Rebreathers may end up drawing you more business right off the bat. It is a hefty investment and many dive centers will not attempt to get involved in rebreathers. It may not be cost effective or they may not have a certified instructor that has been properly trained. So get started! You will automatically be the dive center people go to if they require training or just have questions about it. This gives you the opportunity to gain more business because you offer something exciting and different…and to many people, “new.”
It’s not in everyone’s budget. However, it is definitely true that many of the most successful dive centers are the ones that offer as many aspects to our industry as they can handle and afford while making diving more fun and exciting, and in your case, more profitable.
Contact SDI TDI and ERDI
If you would like more information, please contact our World Headquarters or your Regional Office.
Tel: 888.778.9073 | 207.729.4201
Email: Worldhq@tdisdi.com
Web: https://www.tdisdi.com
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