Nothing like idiocy to make me grumpy

[mdlbear]

... nothing like being loved, and having the house to ourselves all afternoon, to make me un-grumpy, but that's not what this post is about.

I went to the bank earlier this afternoon to get a stack of $5's, and found that they'd installed a metal detector inside an airlock, complete with a rent-a-cop standing outside. So you have to go through the metal detector, put your purse on the shelf, and go through again. And go through another airlock on the way out, where you can't get out until the inner door closes behind you. IDIOTS! How is this going to detect the Leatherman in my purse? Or any of dozens of non-metallic lethal devices that might be in somebody's pockets? OK, it might keep a thief from getting out, if it wasn't for the emergency exit that used to be the front door, and the big expanse of glass beside it.

And just how many robberies do they expect to prevent, over the course of a decade? One or two? At a cost of maybe $100K/year salary + overhead for the rent-a-cop, and the gods know how much for the airlock? And the massive UPS that they'd damned-well better have so people don't get trapped during a power outage? What's the average take from a bank robbery these days? Maybe $10K? (ETA Colleen says they've been hit three times recently. So that explains the rent-a-cop, maybe. I'd still be interested in the trade-off: theft losses vs. overhead and lost business.)

Or maybe it's just that they don't want any new customers.

I am not quite angry enough at them to move all of my accounts. But any new accounts are highly likely to end up someplace else. I'll tell the manager personally on Monday, I think.

(07-13) I'm a little less grumpy knowing that Union Bank has been hit by a number of branch-takeover robberies recently (see links in comments). But I still think they could have put in deterrents that would be nearly as effective against robbers while being less annoying to customers. As a rule, I prefer not to do business with anyone who treats all customers as thieves unless proven otherwise. There may be reasons to continue doing business there (Fry's is another example), but I'm not going to like it, and I'm likely to be looking for someplace else to take my business.

Comments

[hsifyppah.livejournal.com]

I'd still be interested in the trade-off: theft losses vs. overhead and lost business.

There might be an additional financial factor if their insurance rates will go up if they don't have some idiotic "security" scheme in place.

[mdlbear]

Entirely possible, though in that case they could probably have stopped with the rent-a-cop. Or figured out something that didn't involve alienating their customers for no good reason.

[hvideo.livejournal.com]

Let's assume that the take from the average robbery is $10k in cash.

I would bet that the cost TO THE BANK would be over 100k dealing with the aftermath. The man-hours lost investigating, additional insurance costs, loss of reputation/business, new procedures to be written, employees to be trained on the new procedures, etc. etc.

I would bet that they would break even if it stopped a single robbery per year.

[mdlbear]

Insurance costs would certainly increase. Not sure about the investigating; that would most likely be done by the police (these measures wouldn't stop anything that would need investigating by the bank).

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

Mexican banks don't take that many security precautions. Say what? This is TFCU?

[mdlbear]

Exactly. One gets the feeling that something else may be going on; it doesn't quite make sense on its face.

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

Who is doing this? Inquiring minds want to know.

[mdlbear]

The Union Bank near the corner of Stevens Creek and Winchester.

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

Dumb. There are banks all over that area who aren't pulling that cr*p. Heck there's a Wells Fargo in the Safeway at W San Carlos and Meridian, and that's a rougher area.
I think I'll go pat my Credit Union on the head then next time I go in. They tried doing the Tellers through a TV screen, so we would no directly interact with them at all. We all complained and they pulled that out. The newest branch has a nice open counter. There is a double set of doors with bullet proof glass (the ATM is in the room made there), and I'm sure they could lock someone into it if they rob the bank, but there are no guards or metal detectors.
As for Metal Detectors, What do they think coins are made of. What if you have a coin deposit in your pocket and don't want to take it out. That is sooo Stoopid.
Meanwhile, Jennie and Mark have changed banks again and are now with WaMu. We'll see how that goes. Their last CU starting putting random holds on checks. Paycheck on the 15th, No Hold. Same Paycheck next 1st, a 5 day hold. The reason? Because they could. Now, she can walk into a teller at the WaMu in Half Moon Bay and hand them the paychecks, much safer.
Everyone seems to be into "How much can we jack up our Fees and give people Less Service."
Your bank seems to be into the How much can we avoid seeing our customers mode.
Good Luck!

[jilara.livejournal.com]

Random holds are why I dropped Bank of A--holes. "But this is drawn on an account in the same branch of this bank!" "Doesn't matter..." But that was a looooong time ago.

I believe some banks now add a service charge if you go to a teller, rather than an ATM.

[johno.livejournal.com]

WAMU has had uniformed security at each branch for a couple of years now.

Some of the larger branches have 2.

At one branch, the rent-a-cop is so bored, he does the doorman and greeter stuff.

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

Uniformed Security is Not Unusual. Even Greeting the People is a nice touch. He can look at faces and get an idea of what they are like. People tend not to rob the bank where the Rent-A-Cop has just taken a good look at you.
Doing the TSA Screening with a metal detector is a bit much though.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

It's not about what makes logical sense. It's about what the marketing divisions for security-device companies can flog to the bank management after a chardonnay or seven.

[mdlbear]

This is probably dead on: a couple of robberies and the security-device companies flock around like vultures...

[tagryn]

This probably has something to do with it. If one or more of the recent robberies were takeover robberies, I can understand the precautions. Those are pretty traumatic for employees and customers alike when they happen, and increases the chances of getting an customer or employee shot. If there's a access control unit in place, the robbers will hit someplace else.

[mdlbear]

Almost certainly. They could still have gone the WaMu route, and it's really tempting to move my checking account there. It's just across the street and a couple of blocks over from the branch of Union Bank that I normally use.

A dozen takeovers would certainly explain the bank's level of paranoia, but having the explanation doesn't make it any better for the customers.

[tiggerypum.livejournal.com]

I guess it depends on how you look at it.

Do you want to be a customer in the bank during a robbery? I sure don't. People sometimes die, and not just bank staff or security guards.

I'd say it's unclear why that bank was targetted, but clearly it has been - and I expect they won't be the next target in the area now; I wouldn't go open my acct to the bank across the street that has less intimidating security, I'd assume they'll be next. (unless WAMU's guard is -armed- at which point that might be enough deterrent)

----
from one of the articles:
"We don't comment on bank robberies other than the safety and security of our customers and associates are a top priority," said Colleen Haggerty, a Bank of America spokeswoman. "We continue to work on ways that help ensure that safety and security."

Ha ha. More like, we don't comment because the numbers will either scare customers or give robbers the idea we're an easy target.

[jilara.livejournal.com]

Takeover robberies are becoming more and more the norm, not just for banks. Restaurants. Markets. Anyplace where they can get cash. It's a new trend. Heck, a couple years back, there was a vegetable market/Mexican food store on my corner, and they got hit by a takeover robbery.

Why do you rob banks?
Because that's where the money is.

Or at least more of it, than a mini-mart.