What a shit show. The first straw was the switch on the price for the open water certification dive after completing the pool and academics. Went from $3-500 to $1100. And for some reason, if my wife tagged along it was an additional $900 for the extra hotel room. You know, due to COVID so we had to get separate rooms. I told them fuck that, got a referral, and scheduled a checkout dive on my own.

Then the whole “you only should buy the $1000 first and second stage, because if you don’t you won’t be able to breathe” bullshit.

Then I sign up to get my nitrox card. Got all the online stuff done and get on zoom 5 minutes early for the classroom portion last night. Other students get on that I remember from my open water pool session. The instructor never shows. Other students said this happened last time too. They said they rescheduled their last classroom session for the same thing. We start making phone calls, and the instructor said he got on but nobody was there. We call bullshit and demand a refund. Magically the shop owner finally gets on and says he will do the class. We accept and 3 hours later I retained nothing but rage.

I’m going in tomorrow to pick up my card, and that’s it.

That sounds like text book shit show.
Crazy, because you would think with the dive industry taking such a huge hit from COVID that they would be bending over backwards to rebuild their businesses.

Sometimes you have to do that. Back in the eighties I stayed with my original shop for about 3 years until they became a disorganized mess. Had to get my regs redone there after the annual service was fouled up, (reg free flow). After the second time I picked up my regs and made sure they were working properly on a tank at that shop, then walked out for the final time, and started going to another shop a few weeks later.  That original shop bit the dust a couple years later.

The scuba training and equipment sales retail business is mostly mom and pop shops, but most of the governing certification agencies police them as best they can. Maybe you should consider contacting the issuing agency, and reporting the incident, (IE: Contact PADI, NAUI, SSI, IANTD, or whoever.) Was this by chance a PADI shop? (Euphemism for them is: Put Another Dollar In)

Also, OP. Weren't you the same guy that posted earlier about the hard sell to buy the top end Scubapro reg set? My mid line recommendations from that still stand. If you go Scubapro and are unhappy with local service, Wateree Dive Center in Columbia, SC can professionally handle that for you, if you don't mind the shipping. Wateree D.C. is now a second generation dive center in business since the early 70s.

I was. I found another shop that is a bit further away from where I live, but it’s much closer to where I work. Both shops are SSI.

My course in 1972 was $25.  They did like you to buy stuff from them.  But it was all priced fairly.

You’re a bit out of date. Mine was $450 in 2016.

What shop?

$100, 1979.

My gear, an aluminum 80, used conshelf reg, used horse collar BC, Imperial turtle fins. and a USD ball cap, $450.

Had a similar experience with an SSI shop in GA too. Hmmm.

That aside, found a IANTD instructor for Nitrox, Technical Nitrox and Nitrox Blender courses. Much different experience and some great training.

Also got turned on to Poseidon Odin regulators. They are the bomb!

@SpanishInquisition

Who were you asking?

It’s Dive Dive Dive in Lawrenceville. The owner has been very helpful to my wife and I in the past, he even got on the zoom class until late so we could complete the classroom part. But he has, for the most part, taken a step back and has left the shop in the hands of someone who will end up ruining the business.

I was asking DOUGHERTY03, so that the community can self-police a bit.

Went in on my lunch break to analyze some gas, get signed off, and pickup my card.

The instructor was having some issues analyzing normal air out of a tank. I had to take the analyzer and turn it on for her. She then set it for 21.9 before sampling the nitrox tank.

Did my part, got my card and GTFO.

If it's as bad as you say, SSI investigates all complaints. They take it especially serious if you can detail areas that the instructor didn't teach but is required to. I've had complaints against me, all were unfounded, but SSI looked into every one.

...21.9...for nitrox.   Gotcha.  Enjoy your air.

IANTD at Taverier Divr Center in '96 at least had decent
class  material, and good boat dives.