Associate
- Joined
- 4 Jan 2005
- Posts
- 407
For the last 8 years, as part of my job as a field engineer, I've had to go to the Tesco stores in my area. Normally I just have to sign in the visitor's book, and tell them where I'm going. Sometimes they call a supervisor, mostly I'm left to my own devices.
Today I went to a store that I haven't been to for a while. It's just been turned into an Extra store, complete with new staff & visitor reception, manned by an outside security company. After signing in (I wasn't asked to show my ID), they called a supervisor. Just as I was about to follow her onto the shop floor, the security man asked if I had a wallet. I thought that it was a strange question, but answered "yes". He told me that I wasn't allowed into the store if I was carrying a wallet - I would have to leave it at reception, or leave it in my car! He assured me that it was Tesco's policy - new one on me.
I said that I would phone my office. If they confirmed that this was correct, I would comply. Both my office supervisor, and the account manager, knew nothing about this, so I told security that I wouldn't leave my wallet - instead I would leave site, without fixing their equipment. And, I left.
Now, bear in mind that I was carrying a very large tool bag, and several spare parts, why on earth are they concerned about my wallet? If I was going to steal something, what could I conceal in my wallet? I have no unsupervised access to their cash, and they already have a random search procedure for visitors and staff.
I regularly fix equipment in banks, government offices, schools, shops, even military bases, and have never been asked to leave my wallet with security. Some customers require visitors to leave their car keys (if you are using their carpark), and military bases don't allow mobiles or pagers in the comms room, but what's Tesco's problem with a few quid and some cards?
What planet are these people on?
Today I went to a store that I haven't been to for a while. It's just been turned into an Extra store, complete with new staff & visitor reception, manned by an outside security company. After signing in (I wasn't asked to show my ID), they called a supervisor. Just as I was about to follow her onto the shop floor, the security man asked if I had a wallet. I thought that it was a strange question, but answered "yes". He told me that I wasn't allowed into the store if I was carrying a wallet - I would have to leave it at reception, or leave it in my car! He assured me that it was Tesco's policy - new one on me.
I said that I would phone my office. If they confirmed that this was correct, I would comply. Both my office supervisor, and the account manager, knew nothing about this, so I told security that I wouldn't leave my wallet - instead I would leave site, without fixing their equipment. And, I left.
Now, bear in mind that I was carrying a very large tool bag, and several spare parts, why on earth are they concerned about my wallet? If I was going to steal something, what could I conceal in my wallet? I have no unsupervised access to their cash, and they already have a random search procedure for visitors and staff.
I regularly fix equipment in banks, government offices, schools, shops, even military bases, and have never been asked to leave my wallet with security. Some customers require visitors to leave their car keys (if you are using their carpark), and military bases don't allow mobiles or pagers in the comms room, but what's Tesco's problem with a few quid and some cards?
What planet are these people on?