Posted by Old Time Diver on September 07, 2004 at 17:12:59:
Spoke to the Owner of my favorite "Very Succesful" dive shop about how some Dive Operations love to "stroke" you on air fills. He told me how he learned a long time ago to never try to make money on charging for air fills. With what it costs to keep the compressor running and up to snuff on air purity and other incidental costs, he said he would have to charge an amount that no one would be willing to pay.
On the other hand, how many divers have looked around and bought stuff they didn't even know they "needed" while waiting to get their tanks filled. Or had some piece of equipment worked on while they waited. Keeping the air resonable, brings people into the shop! Do you know how expensive formal advertizing costs? Chasing divers away with incompetent service and high priced fills, only to have to try to lure them back with whole page newspaper ads and Half-priced lessons, makes no sence.