Ah Grizzler,
There is the basic problem....
How many times do ramp teams have to be told of the basic process? If the customer wants you to walk around the aircraft 5 times and bow to the East; and you have been told that by your management (and probabaly received traing - and signed as accepting that training) then why do you think it is acceptable not to do so?
You might like to think that the big metal bus parked on the ramp is obvious; IATA estimate (2005) that ground damage cost avaition over $4bn a year - yes $4 billion! That is a lot of revenue that the airlines can not pay to ground handling companies or other service providers because some people think they know better than the process.
So if the customenr wants cones, put the cones out and then everyone will be happy.
Unfortunately, a lot of ramp guys and gals think that they know better, sadly they are wrong.
Follow the process, that's all you are being asked to do.
Is it so difficult?
GH