Service and warranty changes for Scubapro automats

Johnosn’s Outdoors, which owns Scubapro, seems to be far more focused on cost than customer satisfaction and service. Until recently, if you forgot, or for some other reason missed, the annual servicing of your scuba machines, you could easily revert to the perpetual warranty programme by simply having it serviced at an authorised dealer. However, Scubapro has now decided to change the rules and in the event that a part needs to be replaced, this will only be done free of charge if your machine has been serviced annually without interruption.

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“As long as our customers provide service records, which are completed every 13 months, they will be covered by a lifetime parts replacement warranty (excluding service parts). If a situation arises where a service appointment is missed, the machine will no longer be covered by the lifetime warranty programme. The main intention of the change in our strategy, is to keep the ‘parts for life’ programme viable,” said Scubapro spokesman Gabriel Gilman.

Undoubtedly, such a policy is aimed at supporting the local representatives of the company by increasing the number of serviced automats, even if the equipment was used during one or two diving trips during the year.

Another important point to note is that the new rules apply to equipment purchased in 2011 or earlier. From 1 January 2012, in order to participate in the ‘parts for life’ lifetime warranty programme, we will have to purchase a full equipment set! Such a set would consist of a stage I+II scuba diver with octopus, dive computer and jacket. The scuba diver has to be a Scubapro diver, whereas the computer and the jacket can alternatively be products of Subgear – a brand owned by Scubapro.

Another problem Scubapro scuba diver users encounter and complain about is the inability to purchase service parts. In order to purchase a so-called service kit, it is necessary to go through a diving centre, which is also connected with the service. Therefore, some customers decide to buy Scubapro scuba diving machines of other brands.

“If Scubapro, and their local partners, had a little more brains, they would introduce the purchase of service kits for the retail customer. Not everyone services their scuba machine themselves, but those who can and do would certainly be happy to purchase scuba machine service kits from their local reps, giving them an income, while Scubapro would benefit as a company that can adapt and move with the times, showing their foresight,” said Zac Kelly, a diver from Santa Rosa, CA, who relied on the Edge and Hog brand for the aforementioned reasons.

The situation may be changing, as both Aqualung and Scubapro, which were known for their opposition to online sales, as of 1 November 2011, have softened their stance and allowed such activity for some online shops.

Source: undercurrent.org