sometimes things go wrong, but you recognize a good company from a bad company how they solve problems.
My two sons joined an expensive Open water course Padi certification with Dive Friends. At first they had to do their theoretical course online. The first day of the course was in the swimming pool next to the office of Dive Friends. It was a boring first day, a long day , but they managed to survive the extreme slow speed and boring first day. They had 1 instructor, with 4 students. Second day a 5th student showed up, and ruined the morning of the second day completely. Instead of making the first dive, they where constantly delayed by the new student, who was not able to keep up with the course. We complained at the office with the management, and same time the husband of the student, had a conversation with the dive instructor, who made the decission to remove the student from the group, because she was not able to keep up.
I did not need to explain anything any more to the managere of Dive Friends Submarine.
The student was removed from the course by the dive instructor Brad (who is a good guy, but does not decide who is in the group, from dive friends, and I left my sons for the afternoon program.
The manager told me Dive friends has a policy not to put extra cost to the students who suffer from a bad course member. But to solve it at no extra cost.
I proposed to pay a surcharge for the next and last day, to have a private lesson instead of a group session. But since the lady was removed, it was not necessary.
I was happy with the solution, and hoped for a good end of the course for my sons.
When I picked my sons up, end of the day, it turned out that the lady was back in the group, and she continued to delay the group, and they had again a boring horrible, useless afternoon, full of delays.
I went back to the office, but the manager was gone. I drove to the office of Dive Friends at Delphins, where we booked the course, and spoke to the lady in the shop and the dive instructor. At first they did not believe me. At second they proposed two things, first to accept the fact that there is a terrible student in the group. When I did not accept that, they proposed on sunday a private morning, with two lessons, at a ridiculous cost. Twice the cost of the course with Dive Friends, plus twice the price for padi theoretical cost. That means a fortune for a morning of diving.It sounded really outrageous, and I could not believe this. I asked for the manager, and they told me, he was not reachable, they did not want to give the phonenumber, nor did they want to give through my phonenumber.
Than they said, they are going to close the office, and if I could leave. Without offering no solution.
Worst was the manager in Dive Friends Submarine, who told me the student was removed. and it turned out not to be the case.
Second the staff of Dive friends Delphins, treated me, as if I was an idiot, and did not solve a solution, other then to go tomorrow to the Dive shop Submarine and talk to the management.
What a terrible bad service.
I also learned that the gear they use is damaged, wholes in the shoes, and really old.