RDC the debate

I was sent to a Tesco RDC today in Milton Keynes.

I was dreading it because , as drivers will know. RD C's are horrendous.

They are often unforgiving places with cold,humourless staff, petty rules and regulations that dominate your visit.

Time also often stands still.

There is always a barrage of signs to navigate, controlling every step you take, including (if your lucky and they allow you to use them) your toilets breaks.

It seems from my experience that the bigger the company , the worse the RDC. They all fail in some area, even if they get some things right.

The Tesco I visited today was an example of getting some things right but still being a horrendous experience.

Ill explain the whole procedure from the front gate so you get an idea of how things work there.

I pulled up at the gate and rang the intercom to gain access.

After a few minutes I was asked for my reference number and booking time.

I was booked in at 9 am but I had arrived early, it was 7.45.

This is the best way to make your stay a whole lot longer because they seem to get really annoyed when you are early.

I was told to find an empty parking lane and write the lane number and phone number down on the notes and hand them into the office.

I was given a pager and told to wait in the truck until it went off.



At 10 30 it went off.

That's 2 hours and 45 minutes after I arrived.

This had given me time to make use of the facilities on offer and I have to say the whole site was dirty and messy.

This pallet of wine was rotting away on the front.

The toilet was out of paper and the sink was filthy and out of soap.

This lager was also left abandoned out in front of an empty bay.



I was guided by the yellow lines to the drivers room where I found a coffee machine and a TV showing Jeremy Kyle.

I think that us drivers must be a changing breed because the coffee machine was sold out of Cappuccino, Latte, and Mocha chocolate.

The only drink left was white coffee and tea.
Even the hot chocolate and the soup were empty .


I have been wondering if tuning the TV into Jeremy Kyle was done on purpose or a cruel act thought up by a disgruntled employee to exact revenge on an early driver.

By the time I took the photo This Morning had started.Evil !

I was beeped at 10.30 and told to go to bay 24 and hand my keys in at the office.

I was still sitting in the truck, keyless and clueless at 11.30 and nothing had happened.

20 minutes later and there was movement on the rear of the truck.
The sides of the loading dock started inflating and wrapped around the rear of the lorry sealing it.

After a few moments the sides deflated again and a loader asked if I could open the curtains up because the truck was too low to fit on the dock.

I was in the 10 ton Iveco which usually fits on most docks, but there is always a first time for everything I suppose.

I had to wait for the forklift driver to come around the front and unload me or side tip me, to give it its technical term.

This made it even longer until I could leave.

The boss was now ringing me, asking what was taking so long and I didn't really have an answer except , I'm at Tesco! Its what you expect to do at a Tesco.Wait.

I mentioned humourless staff and I have to admit that today they were all OK.

I'm not saying anyone smiled or commented on the weather or made even the slightest attempt at polite conversation but they did their job to the minimal requirements with at least courtesy and efficiently. which is all they are required to do I suppose.

I did feel a little bit embarrassed by the facilities because there were several foreign drivers including two immaculate looking french drivers waiting, and they looked less than impressed.


I was finally given a code and released at 12.45.

I have posted about RDC's before and they never come out very well which makes me think that they must all be crap.

I went to one that bucked the trend once It was penguin book warehouse known as Pearsons. the staff were really friendly and helpful and the coffee was free.
See how easily pleased we are ?