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Microsoft Attempting to Lure Away Apple Retail Store Staff?

Typical for the Industry

Isn't this just how retail management works? I can hardly think of any stores or restaurants that have had the same manager for more than two consecutive years. They're always jumping ship.
 
ericinboston said:
Exactly...and these are RETAIL people folks...not employees making hard decisions in Corporate or developing Marketing campaigns or driving strategy.

They are Retail MANAGERS who hire people, manage shifts, count the money, and possibly help customers from time to time. They're not making $100k a year (I'm not picking on them). Likely they are making $35k (in the Northeast) if that....that is extremely cheap for a company like MS to "hire away". MS has 2 choices when hiring retail managers: 1)hire someone experienced in retail or 2)someone with 0 experience. Guess which option MS (or anyone) will choose? And...might as well try to steal some people from your competitor and/or a retail model you want to mimick...this also forces Apple to rehire/retrain.

I, too, am confused over what an MS Store will actually sell since MS really only makes software titles, an Xbox, and some keyboard/mice combos FOR CONSUMERS...there are plenty of other software packages and services that MS sells to BUSINESSES (unlike Apple) but I am not sure what the store will actually pitch. Maybe MS will team with Dell and HP and other HARDWARE VENDORS to sell some particular machines.

This kind of poaching happens all the time at retailers...and it's not just direct competitors. The "loyalty" that many of you talk about for Apple manager is nuts...retail Managers turnover all the time...maybe every 1-3 years. I can assure you that Apple, like all other Retailers, doesn't give a rat's *** about retail employees.

-Eric
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+1

Thank you for this post. I was getting concerned everyone on this forum had lost their mind. This is a non story. Any poster that is upset with a minimum wage manager in retail moving to a better paycheck needs to re-evaluate their own life. Go outdoors and smell the fresh air. Apple is just a business, nothing more.
 
You express an interesting point, but...

ziggyonice said:
For the first time, all the Specialists, Geniuses, Creatives... they'll all have to ask themselves what working for Apple really means. Do they work because they are passionate and engaged to represent the philosophy, ideals, and products that Apple stands for? Or are they in it just for the paycheck?

If Microsoft is unable to acquire associates that possess the same passion as those who work for Apple, their attempt at retail will be a failure.
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... Microsoft is leaving themselves wide open to both industrial espionage and 'sleepers.'

Consider this: Microsoft does manage to get some managers to switch over. The manager knows which of his former employees has experience in both platforms. The manager also knows which of these employees can be discreet about their true interests. They develop the store and Microsoft appears to see some profit; after all, there are some people for whom Windows really is the better choice. However, by discussing comparisons between the two platforms, the salespeople manage to reveal that an Apple does have certain advantages while ostensibly trying to make Apple look bad. End result, those that are borderline switchers get a slight push towards Apple and OS X while making it look like they were trying to pull towards Windows.
 
Shiner said:
+1

Thank you for this post. I was getting concerned everyone on this forum had lost their mind. This is a non story. Any poster that is upset with a minimum wage manager in retail moving to a better paycheck needs to re-evaluate their own life. Go outdoors and smell the fresh air. Apple is just a business, nothing more.
Click to expand...

Yes, this stuff does happen all the time. Back when I worked for an office supply/computer store, a Best Buy was opening up in the nearby plaza. I had a couple people try to lure me to come work at BB. I wasn't interested, since I was only working retail while in school.
 
*LTD* said:
Wow, I thought this myth was cleared up years ago . . .
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Nah, the WinBots will be chewing on that chestnut for many decades to come. "We saved Apple! Woooo!!!"

Makes 'em feel all toasty inside, despite the complete lack of factuality.
 
ssdfdsf

Im getting sooooo tired of MS trying to take Apples ideas and claim them as their own. Im not a rocket scientist; but if MS just keeps taking Apples ideas. Wont MS always be 1 step behind? Maybe i should run MS. (not really, i'd kill myself) Maybe if MS focused on developing some new stuff that WORKED!!! they wouldn't be the second choice all the time.:confused:
 
4D4M said:
Here we go again with the market share thing. You do know why their market share is so high compared to Apple's, don't you? If so you'll know why a lot of Apple fans (me included) want it to stay that way.
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Sure, it's because it's the most suitable enterprise level desktop solution, has the most commercial applications and is available on multiple vendors' hardware configurations.

That and the other vendors - Apple included - totally misjudged the emerging computer market of the late 80's and 90's.

Although with convergence, the desktop OS market share will become less important, and therefore so will MS.
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You think?
 
PC Killer said:
Im getting sooooo tired of MS trying to take Apples ideas and claim them as their own. Im not a rocket scientist; but if MS just keeps taking Apples ideas. Wont MS always be 1 step behind? Maybe i should run MS. (not really, i'd kill myself) Maybe if MS focused on developing some new stuff that WORKED!!! they wouldn't be the second choice all the time.:confused:
Click to expand...

Would you care to give some examples of ideas which Apple came up with which Microsoft have 'taken'?
 
Stories like this really make me hate Microsoft even more. FOCUS ON MAKING SOME BETTER PRODUCTS. If they put as much effort into that as they do into being nasty, they might have some great competition for Apple.
 
ziggyonice said:
But how many people work at Levi's because they WANT to work there? How passionate are they in selling Levi's products? How much do they care about the company as a brand, a philosophy? It's that type of passion that Apple looks for in their retail staff. If an Apple employee doesn't have it, they'll take the job at Microsoft.
Click to expand...

Have you ever been a retail manager? People call you all the freaking time trying to recruit you. I worked for Borders for 3 years as a sales manager, and would get recruiting calls from places like LensCrafters! I loved books, I was passionate about books, but LensCrafters was ready to offer me significantly more money...I ended up leaving retail entirely, but seriously, don't dismiss salaries out of hand...if you're getting paid peanuts at Apple, and MSFT offers to double your salary, I don't care how loyal you are, retail is retail, its tough work for **** money, if you get more offered to you take it. Until your soul breaks from *******s and you leave. Or get promoted.

ChadJK said:
Isn't this just how retail management works? I can hardly think of any stores or restaurants that have had the same manager for more than two consecutive years. They're always jumping ship.
Click to expand...

Exactly. You get promoted or you jump ship...more money, more benefits, etc. Most retail stores don't pay all that great, so if you're offered more money it's a huge boon...

I also wonder if Microsoft is truly calling tons of Apple retail employees; far more likely is that some mall property sold Microsoft recruiter a list of store managers, and they're calling down the list trying to recruit people.
 
After working Apple Retail for 4 years I can tell you Apple does the same thing. I was lured away from CompUSA with 3 other employees. I was shocked to find out that almost every manager at Apple Retail was eithe a former Gap Manager or Pottery Barn manager. Apple and every other retailer in the world does the exact same thing Microsoft does... its called Retail stop whining. Microsoft didn't just wake up and invent this form of hiring.
 
JohnnyQuest said:
Stories like this really make me hate Microsoft even more. FOCUS ON MAKING SOME BETTER PRODUCTS. If they put as much effort into that as they do into being nasty, they might have some great competition for Apple.
Click to expand...

But at the end of the day, can you really blame them?

Tapping in to the Apple ecosystem is always big business and is really nothing new. This is just another way to turn an old trick.
 
ksavorate said:
I have nothing to say...



They should make an effort to find their own staff, not poach employees from Apple!
Click to expand...

Oh come on. What are you (and the others expressing the same view) all twelve years old or something? You really think Apple would hesitate to hire staff from Microsoft if were beneficial to them? You think Apple haven't hired staff from other IT companies in the past? For gods sake grow up.

This is how retail works. It's fairly common practice to do this, especially from a point of view of recruiting experienced staff when your business is new to the sector.
 
neiltc13 said:
Would you care to give some examples of ideas which Apple came up with which Microsoft have 'taken'?
Click to expand...

Apple invented stores. Before Apple Stores there was no such thing as a place where you could walk into and browse a product line, ask questions, get help, and make a purchase. :p
 
*LTD* said:
But at the end of the day, can you really blame them?

Tapping in to the Apple ecosystem is always big business and is really nothing new. This is just another way to turn an old trick.
Click to expand...

Whos Ecosystem did Apple tap before? Think before you type.

VenusianSky said:
Apple invented stores. Before Apple Stores there was no such thing as a place where you could walk into and browse a product line, ask questions, get help, and make a purchase. :p
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And all of Apples Employees were angels sent from heaven by God (aka Steve Jobs.)
 
think about what this means to the esteem of mac bashers. while they tout and criticize the mac and say how superior windows is, microsoft looks to that supposedly inferior company (apple) for talent to work in their stores? doesnt really work well for the mac basher arguments.
 
theLastBeatle said:
think about what this means to the esteem of mac bashers. while they tout and criticize the mac and say how superior windows is, microsoft looks to that supposedly inferior company (apple) for talent to work in their stores? doesnt really work well for the mac basher arguments.
Click to expand...

Their is no commitment to retail. Retail managers and employees go from chain to chain looking for the best money and opportunities. Case in point many Apple managers worked at Pottery Barn, Gap, Best Buy, and CompUSA. My old manager used to work at Best Buy and was a notorious Mac hater. Retail is retail. Employees smile and cheer and behind the scenes, complain, and disagree.
 
Lure Away

Keep this in mind--When a company offers you a lot of money to join them they want you to fix their problem. After the problem is fixed they don't need you.

This has been said many times before " Microsoft does what it does best---COPY"
 
*LTD* said:
No ones.
Click to expand...

Wow. You sir need to get out more.

Ron Johnson - Pioneered Apple Retail and genius bar. Was recruited from Target where he was the Vice President of Merchandising.

Tim Cook - Recruited (in a rather ugly battle) from IBM

Peter Oppenheimer - Vice President at ADP

Mark Papermaster - Recruited (another ugly battle) from IBM

Bruce Sewell - Intel

George Blankenship - Gap Exec (left Apple for Microsoft)

Bob Mansfield - Exec at Rayser (whom Apple bought out)

Not to mention all the NeXT employees and execs and all the companies Apple bought. Shall I continue?
 
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