Official response to changes in business practices
On behalf of the shareholders and management team at Dive RAID International (RAID), we wish to make it clear that our agency does NOT plan to restrict our members from conducting business however they wish and in a way that works best in their market. We are aware that a competitive certification agency has recently decided that dive centres in certain regions who “fly its flag” may no longer offer courses from other companies. Offering alternative programs in these regions, either to offer courses NOT in their curriculum or to simply offer customer choice, will result in what amounts to expulsion. RAID wants to assure its members that it has no plans to embrace a similar tactic. With very few restrictions, RAID allows RAID instructors and DCs choice, and encourages broad support of the dive industry as a whole community. We also believe that doing so supports the spirit and intent behind our membership to WRSTC, ISO, RTC, et al. Our open market policy is part of doing business The RAID Way™ which includes Zero Fee-Membership, highly competitive pricing, and support for our professionals rather than unilaterally deciding to restrict their business. We do understand that an analogy exists that while Hoover is synonymous with vacuum cleaners, consumers sometimes chose to buy Dyson because it better suits their needs. The same may be said of consumers deciding to buy scuba and freediving training. Brand primacy does not equate to the best choice for every consumer, and RAID believes in a fair, open market. Again, RAID supports customer choice and we are comfortable being judged on our high standards, track record for safety, quality, inclusiveness, and ethical business practices. Dive RAID Brasil | Dive RAID Latin America | Dive RAID Benelux | RAID Maldives | Dive RAID Malta & Gozo | RAID Deutschland | Dive RAID UK | RAID USA | Dive RAID Southern Africa | TheRAIDway-Pro Group | | Dive RAID Italia | Dive RAID Asia | Dive RAID International | et al
Growing the IT network in UK
Karl Kruger has been a valued member of Dive RAID International’s instructor-team since he joined us in 2017. As a former Military Diving Supervisor, he has been sharing his love of diving teaching what works in all sorts of conditions for close to 30 years. He has a great skills-based approach in his programs and has a quick eye fixing student problems with confidence and empathy: a perfect fit with RAID’s teaching philosophy. So, of course, it came as no surprise that he has successfully passed his RAID Instructor Trainer program recently. “With his passion for training all levels of students, recreational and tech, and a special love of exploring wrecks home and aboard, Karl is perfectly placed in South Wales at Bay Divers to offer his vast industry experience. We feel strongly that Karl’s skills a an Instructor Trainer will help him expand his business and Dive RAID International’s,” said James Rogers, RAID UK Business Director. Karl is a Regional Representative for RAID UK, he can explain why he chose RAID originally: just ask. He can assist you as a diver, Instructor or Dive Centre to make the same choice bringing positive change to the dive industry starting today. His email is: Karl@diveraiduk.com Please join us in congratulating him – and well done again from everyone at RAID HQ!
Lungfish CCR closer to CE accreditation.
RAID has just received some great and exciting news about one of “our” CCRs. The ORCA v6 Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR) is one step closer to making a huge splash in the European rebreather market! To be fully supported in EU countries (and the UK), a rebreather must conform to CE. The CE marking confirms that a product meets EU safety, health and environmental protection requirements. It is required for products manufactured anywhere in the world that are then marketed in the EU. Lungfish have successfully done all the practical tests, and the manufacturer has announced its application to attach the CE logo to the ORCA is at ‘the pivotal moment of submitting our technical file for CE certification to 100 m.’ A spokesperson for the UK-based manufacturer explained: ‘This process is the key to officially introducing the light and compact, powerful ORCA v6 with its unique user sizeable lungs and solid-state CO2 sensor, to the European market.’ We’d like to offer the agency’s congratulations to the team at Lungfish for this landmark event. Don’t miss the chance to be among the first to explore the depths with the ORCA v6! Have questions or eager to learn more? Drop RAID HQ an email and ask for more information about our Lungfish CCR Programs. #LungfishDiveSystems#ORCAv6#CCR#Lungfish#ORCA#Lungfish#CCR
RECREATIONAL COURSES FLOWCHART
The Benefits of Being an Online Training Partner
IT’S THE BEST OPTION FOR YOU… HERE’S HOW IT WORKS RAID is an online business; we always have been. We like the whole vibe that being totally digital conveys: that’s to say a sense of community, open access, and inclusivity. And it really helps the company keep the smallest environmental ‘fin-print in the industry.’ One message we send out is “Join us.” This is an invitation to become part of our organization. That message is aimed at dive pros who want to bring positive change to the dive industry, but also to divers in general. There are more than a thousand reasons to join RAID, and one of them is the way our system works. It’s really very simple. For dive centres and instructors, we’ve done away with paper. RAID arrived at the ‘paperless office’ years ago, and it works very well. For our students, people like you perhaps, our system presents all the academics in a format that ensures customer safety and security. No books to lose, no chance of the dog eating your homework. All that is a top priority for RAID. What also counts is customer satisfaction, and something that we think is unique is our QA System (step 8 in the course flow). At the core of RAID’s QA System is customer protection, because every student is surveyed at the end of their course and as part of the final certification process. During what amounts to a class debrief, they are asked if the course met their expectations and if they feel comfortable and confident performing the course-specific skills… the stuff that’s supposed to be covered in their course by their RAID instructor. Step 8 in the RAID course flow is a vital part of the the whole system and it’s important for our students to understand why. The student co-signing skills essentially checks the final box in the process. Their input becomes part of the Quality Assurance audit trail. By checking it, the student is telling RAID HQ that everything was fine. It’s the student’s best chance to say things went exactly as expected. Investing in a robust customer protection system not only helps to safeguard customer trust and loyalty, but it also helps to protect everyone from potential legal and financial liabilities. So, it turns out that final sign-off is much more than just a simple check box. It’s the key to happy, comfortable, confident, and safer diving. Many thanks to James Omac Field Service Manager for RAID in the Philippines for the infograms used in this posting…
DEMA Special Professional Xover
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Some of more than 1001 reasons to choose RAID
Pro-diver or pro diving, here’s a listing of ways RAID can change your life. And your choices are growing because our training department adds new courses every month or so. To check what’s new, browse our press releases>>> or contact RAID in your area>>>. SEND RAID HQ AN EMAIL…
Renewals For Members 2023
Dear member: thank you for your support, and thank you for helping us to make 2023 so successful. This year, we have tried to make renewing your professional status easier than ever… READ HOW BELOW. And of course, Zero FEe-Membership really helps to make the process pain-free… we’re happy to help there too. QUESTIONS: CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL OFFICE HERE>>> or EMAIL ADMIN HERE>>> If you are not currently a professional member of RAID, CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE WINNING TEAM, AND START SAVING MONEY>>>
What does “global acceptance” mean exactly?
The RAID Way™ in action Compared to some of the original diver certification agencies (the dive industry’s granny and grandpa companies), RAID is a relative newcomer with a little more than a seven-year history. However, in that time we’ve earned a reputation for delivering quality instruction, respecting student safety above the almighty dollar, and delivering excellent customer service. All this while providing an innovative and inclusive learning environment, and providing our members with rock-solid support. We call this ‘bringing positive change to the dive industry’ because investing more time in instructor/student interactions, and paying attention to a student’s in-water comfort and skills, translates into happy divers who keep diving. Our organisation (Dive RAID International) is diver owned and operated. We’re not a faceless corporation: RAID is about our customers and teaching them to enjoy scuba and freediving while respecting the marine environment… and them As part of our business ethos, RAID is an active member of several organizations which serve as “industry watchdogs.” These act in a sort of supervisory role when it comes to training standards. Being a member of WRSTC, a regional RSTCs, ISO, EUF, et al. means our courses meet and exceed certain minimum standards. And our training practices, certification levels, and course content is well above average. Working to a higher benchmark helps to protect our students, as well as the excellent professionals who teach for us. There are more than 100 training agencies in the world but the vast majority of diving certs (scuba and freediving) are issued by “the Big Seven:” BSAC, CMAS, NAUI, PADI, RAID, SDI/TDI, and SSI. And for the most part, this group are the backbone of the scuba diving industry, and make up the core membership of those watchdog organisations. One thing that the Big Seven agree upon is that we recognize each other’s certifications. That’s one of the benefits of membership and a sort of quid pro quo for the fees we all pay to be members. This means that a diver who’s earned a e-Card from XYZ agency, can dive with a dive operator or shop that’s affiliated with ABC agency. At the agency headquarters level, there is a true understanding of this respectful agreement and in day-to-day operations, the training department at one agency might speak to the folks in the training department of a “rival” agency several times a month. We get along because there’s strength and stability behind this level of cooperation. However, there are dive operators, dive shops, resorts, freelance instructors, even live-abords who determine to NOT follow the rules and break that arrangement. They insist that whatever agency logo they have on their door is the only one that’s any good and they refuse to recognize any other. RAID sees this as a false dichotomy: false logic. We respect choice, and we respect attention to safety and compliance regardless of agency affiliation. Of course, we understand that dive shops and instructors may have personal reasons for showing a bias, and they are free to conduct business however they wish. But we will continue to suggest to our growing network of RAID dive centres, outstanding professionals, and business partners that, respecting our sister agencies certifications is good business, and boosts the reputation of the whole industry in the consumer’s eyes. Stay safe and dive often!
RAID Benelux open for business
Growth without quality is a poor strategy for any business, but especially a scuba and freediving agency. So, when we took over the responsibility for Dive RAID International, we promised to make sure when we added people to our team they would be totally committed to bringing positive change to the industry. And that’s why we’re so excited to welcome Jimmy Wuytack, our newest RAID Regional Officer (RRO) to the team. “I am convinced that I am the right person to spread the RAID philosophy in Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg! “RAID’s reputation is innovation, and RAID Benelux will follow that trend, and work with the DRI team to bring success and new life to my region,” he said. RAID staffer, and a member of the agency’s management team, Gianmichele Iaria, explained, “I’ve known Jimmy and Tine for several years and have been lucky enough to watch their enthusiasm and expertise grow and become more and more impressive. “I’m excited to welcome them; it’s great news,and I was honoured to work with them during their transition to becoming our ambassadors for their region. They are a new generation of industry leaders, and I am sure they will do a great job for RAID in the coming months and years.” Please join us in welcoming Jimmy and Tine to our team! Visit their Facebook page at Dive RAID Benelux and Instagram here>>> Are you interested in joining Dive RAID International? We’re interested in welcoming you regardless of at which level you want to join: diver, dive leader, dive centre or perhaps as an RRO. Simple: contact info@diveraid.com and we’ll make it happen.
