skyturtle 0 #1 April 10, 2013 What's the best way to get from O'Hare to CSC? Are there any bus routes or is it going to have to be a cab? If any locals are heading that way in mid June and want beer/money for the ride pm me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jumpdude 0 #2 April 11, 2013 QuoteWhat's the best way to get from O'Hare to CSC? Are there any bus routes or is it going to have to be a cab? If any locals are heading that way in mid June and want beer/money for the ride pm me. It's fairly easy to find! Here's the directions! Leave the airport and merge onto I-190 East. • Take I-294 South (Exit #1D toward Indiana). • Merge onto I-55 South (toward Joliet) to I-80. • Take I-80 West to (the first Ottawa exit) Route 71 (Exit #93). • At Exit #93, turn right on Route 71 (north) go 1/4 mile to Dayton Road (31st Rd). • At Dayton Road (31st Rd), turn left (west). Dayton Road will cross the Fox River. • Travel to first stop sign (1961st Rd.), turn right. • Please drive slowly past the homes. • Stay left at the "Y" and go straight up the hill at the stop sign, this is the entrance. • Our airport is less than 2 miles from exit #93. (Approx. 1hr. from Midway Airport) • Pull into parking lot and prepare to have the time of your life! skydivechicago.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
craigbey 0 #3 April 11, 2013 SDC, CSC ... they're both great! But directions from O'Hare may be different. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jumpdude 0 #4 April 11, 2013 Quote SDC, CSC ... they're both great! But directions from O'Hare may be different. There's a reason why I referred you to SDC over CSC, SDC don't participate in shady, and/or unethical business practices to steal customers from other DZ's! CSC does all of the above!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpwally 0 #5 April 11, 2013 Really ? Do tell,,,c'mon,,give it up....smile, be nice, enjoy life FB # - 1083 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpwally 0 #6 April 11, 2013 That would be one expensive cab ride,,you are better off renting a car...smile, be nice, enjoy life FB # - 1083 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jumpdude 0 #7 April 11, 2013 QuoteReally ? Do tell,,,c'mon,,give it up.... Affiliation with sLyride, and owner of PROskydiving.com, He said it himself in the thread about PRO that he intended to get in between the customer and the DZ!Refuse to Lose!!! Failure is NOT an option! 1800skyrideripoff.com Nashvilleskydiving.org Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AdD 1 #8 April 23, 2013 Doug is on the level, nobody is stealing customers at CSC, you don't know what you're talking about.Life is ez On the dz Every jumper's dream 3 rigs and an airstream Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smooth 0 #9 April 23, 2013 Quote There's a reason why I referred you to SDC over CSC, SDC don't participate in shady, and/or unethical business practices to steal customers from other DZ's! CSC does all of the above!!! That was totally unnecessary ! ! ! ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alabamaskydiver 0 #10 April 23, 2013 QuoteQuote There's a reason why I referred you to SDC over CSC, SDC don't participate in shady, and/or unethical business practices to steal customers from other DZ's! CSC does all of the above!!! That was totally unnecessary ! ! ! ! Why do you think that? I suggest that you read this thread and make your own decision! Doug essentially admits it himself that he intends to get in between the customer and the DZO and skim some of the profits, he uses strong arm piracy tactics to try to force DZO's to sign up and he also admitted that he is affiliated with Skyride and had no intention of severing ties with them, which, Skyride, as I've heard has made several name changes since this topic was hotly discussed here last. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=3680598;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25; Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smooth 0 #11 April 23, 2013 I say that because the original poster simply asked for directions to CSC. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #12 April 24, 2013 QuoteI say that because the original poster simply asked for directions to CSC. True, but the guy who replied is trying to funnel business to DZs that don't participate in business practices that are detrimental to the sport. The owener of CSC also owns Proskidving, which is a website that attempts to attract people searching for a local (to them) DZ in order to make a jump. Then Proskydiving will sell them a jump, and refer them to the nearest DZ that 'participates' with Proskydiving. Of course, they take a cut of the action, something on the order of 20%, if I recall correctly. The issue is that DZs are 'forced' to deal with Proskydiving, or operate under the threat that their local competition will, and thus lose all the business that Proskydiving can draw. Doug, the owner, claims that he is providing a service by handling the advertising and administration of the business for the DZ. Meanwhile, if Proskydiving didn't exist, the DZs would have an easier time advertising as they would only have to compete with their local competition. As to the 'adminstration', if he charged a reasonable rate, like a couple % of the deal, I would understand, but for 20-ish%, even the lowest volume DZ could have their own online merchant account for far less than that. In the end, the guy is a shark feeding on other DZs profits. He runs a DZ in the Chicagoland area, and makes money providing actual jumps there. Meanwhile, he's also trying to get in on the action of DZs all across the country where he does nothing but intercept internet users who are already searching for a place to make a skydive. He's not drawing new business, just grabbing people who are already looking to make a jump. Without Proskydiving, they would have found a local DZ, dealt directly with them, and the DZ doing the actual work would have recieved 100% of the profits. It's bullshit, and I wouldn't fault anyone for calling him out on the bullshit. If you can jump at CSC or SDC, I would vote SDC all day long. Top notch DZ, and the exact oppostie of CSC. In fact, back in the day, when Roger Nelson founded SDC and starting having huge success and doing 100+ tandems in a day (which was a real milestone), he used to hold seminars for DZOs to show them how to market their DZs and achieve the same sort of success. Roger knew that if a guy in Cleveland was doing 100 tandems in a day, it didn't hurt his business in SDC, and was good for the sport. He helped the sport to grow, while Doug (CSC) is helping his bank account to grow on the backs of DZOs who aren't competing for his local Chicago business in anyway. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigMark 1 #13 April 24, 2013 As a dropzone with a webpage if you are not using google ad words with a territory that includes the customer you are targeting you will lose ad placement to to other dropzones no matter what, Not defending slimeride just pointing out a fact. You can use the name of other local dropzones in your key search words to funnel them to your dropzone, you would be amazed at what $500-$1000 a month with a 60-100 mile advertising radius around your operation will do, forget the magazines, bill boards and other dinosaur advertising techniques! Google often has free $100 advertising for new users, no strings attached. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #14 April 24, 2013 QuoteAs a dropzone with a webpage if you are not using google ad words with a territory that includes the customer you are targeting you will lose ad placement to to other dropzones no matter what I couldn't agree more. You need to advertise such that it effectiely coutners that of your competition if you expect to succeed. Between local DZs, this is fair game. However, it turns into dirty pool when an operator of a larger DZ the draws from a population of millions uses his financial position to interject himself into the battle in markets where he provides no services. Let's consider this - how would you feel if Pizza Hut started a program where they intercepted web orders for Jimmy's Smithtown Pizza, even though they had no stores in Smithtown? How about if they then contracted Jimmy to fill those orders after pocketing 20% of the take? This is the same scenario. Without providing any actual skydiving services, Proskydiving is taking advantage of the national reach of the internet, and using it to reach right into the pockets of other DZOs in markets far from their home base in Chicago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigMark 1 #15 April 24, 2013 He's advertising in the whole country, your regional ad budget should counteract his with minimal funds and if the language in your ad is superior even if you are both listed next to each other you'll get the clicks, not condoning just explaining if it's going to happen don't just lay down, do something about it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites