Don't try to kid us that Windows 7 is going to rock our world, we've heard it all before with every new version of Windows, and it's still a crap OS.
And the Zune HD... what a joke.
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Microsoft Attempting to Lure Away Apple Retail Store Staff?
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Don't try to kid us that Windows 7 is going to rock our world, we've heard it all before with every new version of Windows, and it's still a crap OS.
And the Zune HD... what a joke.
It's a wonder how Microsoft got as big as it did the way they've been floundering along the past decade or so. Everything they do is so "Me Tooish."
Now this latest news is just ubsurd. Does M$ really think the Apple Store managers and employees are the key to the stores success? Honestly, unless you ask the sales staff a basic question like "can I use Word on a Mac?" they have to go ask a "Genius." Does Microsoft think they are going to pick up clues from the ex-staffers? I'm guessing not because I'm sure they had to sign an NDA on specific behind-the-scenes ops. That NDA doesn't expire when the staffer leaves the company.
Personally I hate going to the Apple Store because it's always too damn crowded. But the reason it is is because Apple has products people think are cool and desirable. They are aspirational...things people hope to be able to have at some point even if they can't afford them now. I don't know of a single product M$ has that I desire.
The new Zune is a start, but no app content and poor desktop still keeps it from being buzzworthy. The XBOX 360 is a great game platform, but it's old hat now. What else does M$ have they can put in a retail store that is going to draw people in? That's the question they should be asking rather than thinking they can steal Apple employees for success. Apparently Microsoft doesn't realize that the low-level retail employees they steal away are easily replaceable... like apples on an apple tree.
Now this latest news is just ubsurd. Does M$ really think the Apple Store managers and employees are the key to the stores success? Honestly, unless you ask the sales staff a basic question like "can I use Word on a Mac?" they have to go ask a "Genius." Does Microsoft think they are going to pick up clues from the ex-staffers? I'm guessing not because I'm sure they had to sign an NDA on specific behind-the-scenes ops. That NDA doesn't expire when the staffer leaves the company.
Personally I hate going to the Apple Store because it's always too damn crowded. But the reason it is is because Apple has products people think are cool and desirable. They are aspirational...things people hope to be able to have at some point even if they can't afford them now. I don't know of a single product M$ has that I desire.
The new Zune is a start, but no app content and poor desktop still keeps it from being buzzworthy. The XBOX 360 is a great game platform, but it's old hat now. What else does M$ have they can put in a retail store that is going to draw people in? That's the question they should be asking rather than thinking they can steal Apple employees for success. Apparently Microsoft doesn't realize that the low-level retail employees they steal away are easily replaceable... like apples on an apple tree.
MS should stick to what they do best, business machine OS's.
My manager understands that it takes 30 minutes to boot and become productive, and that I have to work at a slow pace as my PC just cannot keep up doing what I want because it's busy being a security guard to protect itself.
And every time my employer wants me to do more, they install software on my PC, which slows it down even more, so I have to work overtime to get work done.
And when windows crashes, I have time to have a relaxing coffee.
Thanks to MS, my work days are a breeze!
My manager understands that it takes 30 minutes to boot and become productive, and that I have to work at a slow pace as my PC just cannot keep up doing what I want because it's busy being a security guard to protect itself.
And every time my employer wants me to do more, they install software on my PC, which slows it down even more, so I have to work overtime to get work done.
And when windows crashes, I have time to have a relaxing coffee.
Thanks to MS, my work days are a breeze!
Ha ha, it's funny how many people rate this as a negative. Is it because the free market is in action? Is it because that it really isn't true that every Apple employee loves their employer?
Of course working at the MS store will suck as much as working at an Apple store but at least they are getting paid more for it.
Apple can pay their people more or set up some sort of LT compensation plan vesting over time if it is such a big concern.
Of course working at the MS store will suck as much as working at an Apple store but at least they are getting paid more for it.
Apple can pay their people more or set up some sort of LT compensation plan vesting over time if it is such a big concern.
...and yet Microsoft has much more market share than Apple. Moreover, Apple did their share of 'ripping off' in the early days, and have been punished by having 25+ billion in the bank.
And the true Apple-loving employee who stays get paid less as a thanks of being loyal and enthusiastic about it. How is this a win situation for them? Or that doesn't bother you because they 'get to work in a cool store'? They should be happy to be of the 'chosen ones'?
Please, think things through.
Because people tend to lead a more happy, stress-free life working at a job they enjoy for a company they like?
Can't speak for everyone else, but for me, it's because it's a move that gains Microsoft nothing other than to, maybe, agitate Apple. It's a lame Spy vs. Spy effort rather than a clever business pursuit.
but what are they going to showcase?
BSOD's all day long? and the computers that sell for less than the MacBooks are crappy. I wouldn't want to try and make a boutique store with refuse like that.
i wish them luck. they will need it. Windows 7 will only save them so much.
BSOD's all day long? and the computers that sell for less than the MacBooks are crappy. I wouldn't want to try and make a boutique store with refuse like that.
i wish them luck. they will need it. Windows 7 will only save them so much.
The difference is Apple went after quality hires who could take Apple to the next level. Microsoft is going after low level staffers, some of the paid with wages, not salary. M$ is just trying to be too cute here unless upper management and their consultants are really so clueless they don't know how to set up a retail store and need college interns to show them the way.
it's probably legal because Apple didn't envision MS making this kind of move
if a company knows that it has competitors in a specific market segment, they make employees sign a non-compete clause.
Since this is MS' first real attempt at a retail store, Apple may not have made the Apple Store employees sign non-compete agreements. As such, MS is free to headhunt all they want.
I'm sure that going forward, Apple will change hiring practices to legally prevent this.
if a company knows that it has competitors in a specific market segment, they make employees sign a non-compete clause.
Since this is MS' first real attempt at a retail store, Apple may not have made the Apple Store employees sign non-compete agreements. As such, MS is free to headhunt all they want.
I'm sure that going forward, Apple will change hiring practices to legally prevent this.
Very clever of MS is will say.
But here is their strategy. MS is trying to give the impression that they are giving the pc crowd a MAC experience at crack whore prices. But this of course goes contrary to MS's business model which is to make sure that their so-called partners sell as many pcs every quarter as possible so they can get all that licensing money.Now here is where this crap will fall apart and get weird. If you go into one of those MS stores with a pc problem and they solve it. Where is the incentive of the 3rd party folks? They have a business model which is to sell computers and not spend time trying to fix some old Dell or HP.
Now them folks at Best Buy are probably scratching their heads right now cause they have a business plan and it ain't trying to keep people on the same computer. Those pc vendors have a business plan and that is to move new models!
But we Apple folks know that we can go into our Apple store and get our stuff fix. There is no conflict of interest.
Those MS stores will be DOA!
But here is their strategy. MS is trying to give the impression that they are giving the pc crowd a MAC experience at crack whore prices. But this of course goes contrary to MS's business model which is to make sure that their so-called partners sell as many pcs every quarter as possible so they can get all that licensing money.Now here is where this crap will fall apart and get weird. If you go into one of those MS stores with a pc problem and they solve it. Where is the incentive of the 3rd party folks? They have a business model which is to sell computers and not spend time trying to fix some old Dell or HP.
Now them folks at Best Buy are probably scratching their heads right now cause they have a business plan and it ain't trying to keep people on the same computer. Those pc vendors have a business plan and that is to move new models!
But we Apple folks know that we can go into our Apple store and get our stuff fix. There is no conflict of interest.
Those MS stores will be DOA!
Maybe Apple is secretly sending these folks out the door as spies to work at Microsoft!
Seriously, Apple is known for having very, very, brand committed users. I'd think that the employees in their stores are even more committed to the Apple platform than the average user. This person is a committed Mac user and they now find themselves working in a Microsoft store. So they will have Apple zealots working in their Microsoft store. It would be like hiring the guy in the "hey, I'm a Mac" commercial to sell Windows. I can see a new Apple commercial coming from this.... the "hey, I'm a PC" guy talks the "hey, I'm a Mac" guy into helping him sell his PCs.... think of the humor! If he's just honest with what he knows to be true, he'll talk everyone that comes into the store into buying a Mac instead of a PC. What's he going to say when someone asked him which one is going to be easy to use, reliable, and be less prone to viruses? Umm... the Compaq one? I think not.
Seriously, Apple is known for having very, very, brand committed users. I'd think that the employees in their stores are even more committed to the Apple platform than the average user. This person is a committed Mac user and they now find themselves working in a Microsoft store. So they will have Apple zealots working in their Microsoft store. It would be like hiring the guy in the "hey, I'm a Mac" commercial to sell Windows. I can see a new Apple commercial coming from this.... the "hey, I'm a PC" guy talks the "hey, I'm a Mac" guy into helping him sell his PCs.... think of the humor! If he's just honest with what he knows to be true, he'll talk everyone that comes into the store into buying a Mac instead of a PC. What's he going to say when someone asked him which one is going to be easy to use, reliable, and be less prone to viruses? Umm... the Compaq one? I think not.
The same could be asked of Apple Store employees, at least in IL. Same goes for the "Geniuses" behind the counter.
Don't get me wrong, I love Apple stuff for the most part, but their Stores aren't a major selling point with me, having visited 3 different stores on multiple occasions.
When you lack taste, it's common to imitate someone else's.
MS seems to assume that by plugging Apple strategy into their licensing scheme, great things will happen. It's a shame though, that the two are mutually exclusive.
They can't keep it up...
Face it, MS can't keep it up. Their cost per-square foot in the stores will be so inflated just from over-paid staff they'll fail!
Besides... like someone said earlier... what are they going to sell? They'll need 90% of the space just for the Genius Bar... I mean Smart Guy Desk!
Face it, MS can't keep it up. Their cost per-square foot in the stores will be so inflated just from over-paid staff they'll fail!
Besides... like someone said earlier... what are they going to sell? They'll need 90% of the space just for the Genius Bar... I mean Smart Guy Desk!
BSOD's all day long? and the computers that sell for less than the MacBooks are crappy. I wouldn't want to try and make a boutique store with refuse like that.
i wish them luck. they will need it. Windows 7 will only save them so much.
You don't actually think Windows gets BSODs a lot these days, do you?
Windows 7 isn't going to "rock our world" but it's definitely the best Windows OS ever; rock solid and fast. Have you used it to be forming an opinion?
And seeing as how you're in the UK, I doubt you've actually used the HD to be forming an opinion on that either.
actually, these maneuvers are some of the early stages of microsoft preparing itself to be taken over by apple. if microsoft can get more apple people over the transition will become less painful when apple buys microsoft. for the first time microsoft is thinking forward All companies dump and hire people for less money. I'm convinced that this is a luxury for many big companies. For many people who are on the other end, the economy doesn't offer such luxury to stay with a lower paying job. If Apple feels that some of its retail staff are worth keeping, then they'll have to fork it out to compete in this employment arena as well. It's all about competition. No company advances or succeeds if it feels it has to make requests to its competitors.
Face it, MS can't keep it up. Their cost per-square foot in the stores will be so inflated just from over-paid staff they'll fail!
Besides... like someone said earlier... what are they going to sell? They'll need 90% of the space just for the Genius Bar... I mean Smart Guy Desk!
Actually I think theirs is called the Guru Bar or something to that effect, which is pretty damn funny. They really need to be a bit more creative.
Not for retail staff they don't.
It's simply too expensive and difficult to enforce this on retail staff level, so the employees can basically do whatever they like. And for the sake of them, I'm glad about that. They should be able to work wherever they want.