Microsoft Poaches Apple Retail Staff

[JMcEntegart]

Microsoft is really learning from the competition, huh?

Microsoft Poaches Apple Retail Staff : Read more

 

[valcron]

Hmm so what? Is this supposed to matter.

If apple doesn't pay their employee's enough to keep them or garner enough employee loyalty through rewards programs its their own fault for their employees leaving.

At the same time if i were these employee's i would be weary...companies are known to put strong goals on retail employees that determine if they keep their jobs. And i can see Microsoft putting some of the hardest goals out there, especially due to the pay increase/moving expense.

 

[doomtomb]

It's pretty amazing that Microsoft has made it to the top and stayed there with such an overwhelming lead over the competition with the Windows platform. And the whole while, many years later after launching their first product they are actually opening up a retail store... I look forward to seeing them in person. But no doubt this is because of the competition with Apple.

 

[tektek]

The only market strategy i want to hear about is when it forces them to cut prices... how they make there shops look.. means nothing.. besides... most techies buy from online..

 

[ChuvelxD]

Business is business. This happens all the time and is nothing new. What i'm looking at is this article.
http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/article/336235/Ten-Big-Companies-That-Are-Veering-Toward-Bankruptcy?tickers=AMD,LVS,S,M,GT,MYL,HTZ

AMD is on this list. oO GOGOGOGO GULFTOWN!!!

 

[amabhy]

All Apple does anyway is sell overpriced shit that explodes when you use it. The only reason they exist is to spur Microsoft to make Windows better and so we can shit on them.

No wonder Microsoft is staying competitive. Good for them.

 

[dheadley]

@valcron

I have no idea what Apple is paying their store managers, but as an example:

Say Apple pays 1.5 times the going industry rate for that level of position in a geographic area and has attracted the best talent in a given area.

Microsoft comes in and says we'll pay 2 times the going rate and pay your moving expenses if you need to relocate. Plus we'll offer a bonus for every Apple retail associate you get to switch teams.

There is nothing wrong with offering someone more money to come work for your company and they are targeting the right people to hire as the Apple staff will know their customers (people with software questions, in's and outs of upgrades, etc.) more than anyone they would hire away from the Best Buy or Walmart employee pool.

BUT, I am a little concerned that Microsoft is opening these stores, choosing locations and now this with the job offers as a way to derail the Apple retail business. They may be going down a road where they are willingly going to throw a bunch of money away and run the stores at a big loss if needed to to accomplish it. So I would be concerned for the future if I was an Apple employee, and wonder if this is meant to be a permanent thing or just Microsoft trying to strip the ranks of Apples retail business then dump them down the road.

 

[presidenteody]

I agree with doomtomb, it seems Microsoft is doing this business thing backwards. Are you not suppose to open a store to sell product before becoming a monopoly and having several anti-trust suit filed against you? I suppose now they are going for the more traditional approach?

I am glad more competition is entering the game! We need it as consumers for the big wigs to stay competitive! And hell if they want to pay their employees more then heck yeah! as long as they aren't as pushy as the circuit city or hhgreg commissioned guys

 

[cruiseoveride]

+1 for significant raises

 

[bydesign]

What is Microsoft going to sell, they don't make anything remotely cool. Trendy people selling useless crap that's not cool. They seem rather lost without Gates.

 

[Yoder54]

[citation][nom]tektek[/nom]The only market strategy i want to hear about is when it forces them to cut prices... how they make there shops look.. means nothing.. besides... most techies buy from online..[/citation]

If you are a college student you can get Win7 Pro for $29. I am having my daughter get me a copy since she is eligible.

MS has tried similar tactics in the past and it always seems to blow-up on them. Why do they want to hire Apple Geeks, when there are plenty of qualified Win Geeks out there? Seems more like an act of retaliation than one of good business.

 

[Maxor127]

I don't know why Microsoft is wasting all of this money on something that will clearly fail. It made sense for Apple to do it because they didn't get a lot of shelf space at retail stores. It seems more about Microsoft's ego than anything else.

 

[precariousgray]

An added plus is that now Microsoft has in-house Apple experts who will know exactly how to convince someone to buy a PC instead of a Mac

 

[Major7up]

I'd do it in a heartbeat. I like both camps and have no loyalty to either.

 

[megamanx00]

Hah that's funny. I wonder if they just aren't doing it to piss off Apple . It's actually pretty smart, who better to keep people on PCs than those who know Macs best. Of course, I don't put much stock in these "Gurus", but whatever .

 

[rsud]

Alright... we have a windows-mart! What do they make again? Oh yeah some zune thing. A whole store full of zunes and windoze 7. Should be a small store! Why don't they just setup street carts?

 

[AMDnoob]

Does Microsoft really feel THAT threatened by Apple? I mean I'm all for friendly competition (if it even exists), but doesn't Apple have like

 

[valcron]

[citation][nom]dheadley[/nom]@valcron I have no idea what Apple is paying their store managers, but as an example:Say Apple pays 1.5 times the going industry rate for that level of position in a geographic area and has attracted the best talent in a given area. Microsoft comes in and says we'll pay 2 times the going rate and pay your moving expenses if you need to relocate. Plus we'll offer a bonus for every Apple retail associate you get to switch teams. There is nothing wrong with offering someone more money to come work for your company and they are targeting the right people to hire as the Apple staff will know their customers (people with software questions, in's and outs of upgrades, etc.) more than anyone they would hire away from the Best Buy or Walmart employee pool. BUT, I am a little concerned that Microsoft is opening these stores, choosing locations and now this with the job offers as a way to derail the Apple retail business. They may be going down a road where they are willingly going to throw a bunch of money away and run the stores at a big loss if needed to to accomplish it. So I would be concerned for the future if I was an Apple employee, and wonder if this is meant to be a permanent thing or just Microsoft trying to strip the ranks of Apples retail business then dump them down the road.[/citation]

Thank you for re-iterating the entire point of my post. There was nothing wrong with Microsoft for doing it and its Apples fault if they can't keep their employees. Not sure where you thought i said something different