Many of you have had to close your doors temporarily and are facing a list of unknowns. Certainly at the top of the list is when you’ll be back in the water and serving your customers again. You’re being forced to face realities no one ever wants to have to face. The PADI® organization has always put diver health and safety first, above everything else we do. It’s the PADI System’s foundation, and our first thought when planning, leading and executing dives. But, apart from the virus itself, the COVID-19 pandemic brings us new challenges for well-being we have to address: mental, emotional and financial health. Everyone’s life has been disrupted. Many of us are physically isolated not only from friends and colleagues, but from the underwater world we care so much about. Depression, discouragement, stress and anxiety are widespread, and they only intensify in isolation.
While they won’t solve all our challenges, there are things that each of us can do at this time to emerge stronger when the storm subsides. Here are a few ideas to keep your business going and support one another during these times:
Practice Distant Socializing. As long as social distancing remains essential for physical health, it’s our job to leverage distant socializing for our overall well-being. By connecting virtually with our colleagues and divers via social media, face-to-face apps, text and email, we can provide emotional support, encouragement, reassurance and distraction. Studies of survival crisis show that those who endure and overcome invariably do so drawing together, combining strengths and leveraging available resources, which is exactly what we will do now with distant socializing.
Host and promote live online events and classes. Use two-way meeting apps like Zoom, Go to Meeting and Go to Webinar to keep divers engaged with diving and distant socializing with seminars, club meetings, class knowledge development or even “let’s just talk.” Personalize these by making them relevant to everyone. And, use your imagination, like using a share-screen webinar app to group edit your dive center’s last outing video, or to identify “mystery fish” photos divers post. Using existing PADI materials and live online contact, you can do much of (or all of) what you normally would when students come to the dive center. Invite with direct texts and emails, and on social media. You can find additional information and tips here.
Look into what government subsidies might be available. Many governments are offering grants and subsidies for small businesses to bridge financial hardships caused by closures and/or lack of business. In the United States for example, many dive businesses may be eligible for assistance and resources to be made available by the newly passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (check out DEMA’s The Small Business Owners Guide to the CARES Act for more information about these resources). Other countries including the UK, Switzerland and Australia have assistance programs your dive business could be eligible for as well.
Be active on social media. Be conspicuous and regular. This reminds everyone you’re there, connected and aware. Whatever you’re doing to stay engaged with diving and protecting the oceans – put it out there and invite others to join you from afar. It’s an important reminder that this will all pass. With customers staying at home respecting social distancing, there is no better time than now to be active on social media. The PADI Marketing Team has developed social media strategies specifically for this situation, which you may find helpful:
Make direct contact (from afar). Reach out to friends in the industry, colleagues, divers and students with personal communications like email, texts, etc. Offer to call or connect virtually face-to-face for any reason — “I just want someone to talk to” is reason enough. Lending a friendly ear and words of support can help them in managing the stresses they are dealing with, and remind them that they are not alone.
Reassure and have answers. You’ll likely have lots of questions, ranging from disease transmission risks with scuba to when/how to continue their courses. You can stay up to date and find answers to many of your questions about PADI Training during this time of limited social contact on the PADI Pros’ Site. You’ll find updates, considerations and temporary allowances while stay-at-home orders and travel bans are in place in many areas. If you’re asked a training question you can’t answer, contact your PADI Regional Office – the global offices have a pandemic rapid training response team set up specifically to help you address these.
If you can dive safely, dive. If you can take people diving, do it implementing social distancing and other best practices during these times, always adhering to current local authorities’ guidelines. The Earth is a big place, and while the pandemic affects almost everyone, it’s not affecting all of us the same way at the same time. If you can dive and/or teach diving within required distancing and transmission prevention guidelines, do so – and be sure to post images and share your adventures with the rest of us. It’s a wonderful reminder that the beauty and adventure of the underwater world are still out there waiting.
Reach out. We’re here for each other. Contact colleagues, fellow divers, friends, or your PADI Regional Office when things feel too heavy.
We will weather this storm. There’s more rain ahead, but there’s already light on the horizon. Please stay well, connected and committed.
Respectfully,
Drew Richardson
President & CEO PADI Worldwide
