DIVE LOCAL – A Dive Industry Community Effort
Problem Solving in the Diving Industry
By Gene Muchanski, Executive Director,
Dive Industry Foundation

CHAPTER 10 – Potential Solutions to Industry Problems

During three Regional Summit Meetings in Dallas, Chicago, and Secaucus, 15 speakers and 83 attendees discussed local, regional, and national problems that were troubling our industry.  I use the word “problems” but would like to acknowledge the words challenges, obstacles, and roadblocks.  For me they all describe things that are not right with a situation which can be identified, dealt with, and corrected.  For the sake of simplicity in this article, let’s use the word “problems” as a catch-all term.  The original agendas of the summit meetings were set up to define the problems, brainstorm possible solutions, and create actionable items based on the best possible solutions.  I believe we missed one important step in the process.  After we identify a problem, we need to know how to reverse the problem to a more acceptable outcome before we can offer possible solutions to solve that problem.  As an example, suppose someone said that scuba classes were too expensive.  Before we can brainstorm possible solutions, I think we need to define what a more acceptable outcome for expensive scuba classes would be.  Maybe we should be thinking about how to correctly price our classes? Now we have a better idea of the problem we are trying to solve. Sometimes we don’t get the right answers because we are asking the wrong questions.

Problem solving is a challenging concept to perform correctly, especially in a mixed audience.  Remembering that we all see problems according to our own situation and perspective.  Therefore, it is quite understandable that industry problems can be regional, seasonal, generational, and unique to a specific stakeholder group.  It may behoove us to first discuss general problems that pertain to all or most of us, then move on to specific and more uniquely individual problems.  The same thing applies to recommending possible solutions.  Some solutions may be general in nature and apply to a number of problems whereas some solutions focus on a specific problem.  To keep our problem solving on track, here is a recommended sequence to finding workable solutions.

1. Identify problems.
2. Suggest alternate outcomes.
3. Brainstorm possible solutions.
4. Choose the best possible solution.
5. Create actionable items to solve problems.
6. Assign responsibility to oversee actionable item implementation.
7. Report and follow-up.

Potential Solutions for Diving:  As a trade association, our perspective of the diving community ranges from a global perspective down to the local diving community level.   We look at possible solutions to problems that affect the diving industry on a global, national, regional, and local level.  Our solution recommendations are fine tuned to address the needs of individual stakeholder groups.   When we look at problems and solutions for a healthier diving community, we use four priorities as a basis for our recommendations.  This is our message to the diving public and prospective divers.

1. Learn to dive.
2. Purchase your equipment.
3. Go diving.
4. Stay active in scuba diving.

From a global perspective, creating solutions for the underperformance of these four guideline steps increases the number of people getting certified, increases the sale of diving equipment, increases diving activity on a local and international level, and keeps divers active in the recreation.  When we discover problems, challenges, roadblocks, and bottlenecks in the four priorities, it’s easier to think of possible solutions to get them back on track.  Improvements in these four priorities help the Global Diving Community expand.  This community is all about divers and what they do.  To have a vibrant diving community, people need to learn to dive, purchase their gear, go diving and stay active.  How we go about that is the business side of diving. Let me explain.

Potential Solutions for Business:  Hypothetically, let’s think of the Global Diving Business Network as a single business.  We will call them Global Diving Business Network, Inc.  The business they are in is the recreational scuba diving business.  The products and services they sell are scuba and scuba related training, diving and diving related equipment, and travel services like local diving trips and adventure travel trips on liveaboards and at resort destinations.  When we look at the entire global network of dive businesses as one company, we see a common fault with many other dive businesses.  They are focusing too much time and energy on the diving aspect of their business (what they do) and not enough time and energy on the business aspects (how they do it).  Consequently, we see their certifications, sales, travel, and activities declining as they take the focus off of running their business.   If we lecture our diving businesses to spend half of their time running their business and half of their time doing what the business does, why would our advice to the diving industry be any different?

So, what kind of issues or problems would the business side of our industry have?  Since the Global Diving Business Network is a collaboration of many businesses, its problems are probably very similar individual businesses.   Let’s create a priority list of issues that pertain to a collection of businesses.

1. Collective industry vision and growth plan.
2. Industry fragmentation issues.
3. Channel friction between stakeholder groups.
4. Differences in channels of distribution.
5. Career advancement opportunities.
6. Co-op Marketing Campaigns.
7. Industry Data Collection.
8. Industry Advisory Panel.
9. Trade and Consumer Shows & Events.
10. Market Development.
11. Professional Development Programs.
12. Business Development Programs.

When we look at the distinction between diving related problems and business-related problems, we have a clearer picture of the problems, alternate outcomes, possible solutions, and actionable items that can correct, change, or modify the current state of the industry.  We see the similarity between a diving business and a diving industry.  Both have to split their attention between running their business and doing what their business does.  If the balance is not correct, both sides of the business will fail.  That’s how businesses fail and that’s how industries fail.

So how do we find out what the problems and solutions of the industry are?  Where do we find the people who will create actionable items that we can work on to solve the problems of the industry?  Let me put out a few suggestions.

1. Industry Surveys – by stakeholder groups.
2. Zoom meetings with regional and stakeholder volunteers.
3. Industry Advisor Meetings.
4. Round table discussions at Dive Shows & Events.
5. Regional Summit Meetings. (Digital and in-person).

For more information contact Gene Muchanski, Executive Director, Dive Industry Association, Inc., 2294 Botanica Circle, West Melbourne, FL.  Phone 321-914-3778. Email: gene@diveindustry.net  web: www.diveindustry.net

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