You go inside a bank and the first thing you see is that sign saying that, as per city ordinance, you are not allowed to use your phone inside the premises.

It’s a rule that is supposed to cut down on the possibility that someone will be monitoring clients and then contacting accomplices outside to do an ambush anytime they see someone withdrawing a huge amount of cash.

And it’s a stupid rule. Here’s why.

First of all, while clients are not allowed to use their phones in the premises, the same rule is not enforced for the bank personnel, including the tellers. I know it’s moderately tacky to even suggest this, but who’s to say that any communication with the outside world isn’t actually an inside job from a teller?

So if the spirit of the ordinance is to be obeyed, then even the bank itself should not be allowed to make communications with the outside world. Which is stupid.

Second, banning phone use is a form of technological discrimination. Why ban phones but not, say, tablets? Tablets allow you to communicate with the outside world too.

In fact, here’s a big, glaring loophole: there is no ban against using an old fashioned walkie-talkie inside the bank. Try it. Use a walkie-talkie or radio device. If anybody even tries to accost you, you can protest–and rightfully so–that there is no law that bans the use of radios inside the bank.

Third, phones today are so much more than just phones. In fact, I made a case recently for not calling them phones anymore. We use phones to check information, surf the net, play games, read ebooks, and more. Many can barely last a few minutes without checking their devices.

If anything, phones could be the ultimate tool for keeping clients from getting agitated should there be a long line inside the bank. So preventing clients from accessing their phones will only drive bank clients stir-crazy.

So if we allow phones inside banks, then how do we prevent possible inside jobs from happening?

Easy. Identify the root problem. And the root problem is: everybody can see what you’re doing at the teller counter.

The solution, then, can be as simple as propping up dividers so that the people who are waiting for their turn cannot see what’s going on between a client and a teller.

Simple, no? That solves the problem. And it’s very straightforward.

Now you can have bank clients using their phones to the hilt. It won’t matter.

Of course, this leads to the next logical conclusion, namely that bank tellers should be banned from using their phones while they’re serving teller duty. You know, just so to be very safe.

Art

Art is a long-time editor for a number of technology publications. He is a Palanca-winning writer whose day job is to try to be as serious as possible while being a management consultant and lecturer. His favorite noodles: chapchae.

email: art@technoodling.netwebsite: http://www.technoodling.net