Microsoft just can't get the staff, so takes Apple's...

Jonny Evans
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September 22, 2009
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Microsoft’s copy-cat battle against Apple seemingly knows no boundaries.  In fact, it is attempting to lure away Apple’s retail staff, a report claims.

Citing anonymous sources, The Loop claims Microsoft is attempting to hire Apple retail store managers to staff its future chain of Microsoft retail shops. Apple staff are being offered “significant raises” and - in some cases - relocation expenses.

The report continues to explain that staffers Microsoft has succesfully poached are then contacting their own former senior management to offer them jobs in Microsoft retail.

So, Microsoft’s vision for a retail store is to pop these shops down right beside existing Apple shops, staff them with former Apple workers, offer Genius Bar-like Guru Bars and more...

That’s innovation... The company’s even hired in former Wal-Mart man, David Porter, who is now corporate vice president of retail stores.

Bear in mind the background: Microsoft’s sales fell another 17 per cent in the just gone quarter as profits slid a significant 29 per cent. Sales fell to $13.1 billion, a billion short of analyst expectations and the second quarter of decline. Will a chain of expensive retail shops truly be enough for Microsoft to regain relevancy?
 

Comments (14)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 12:35am

fail ........again microcrap

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 1:03am

I would never work for ms! they could triple my wage offer me a car !!! I still wouldnt!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 1:06am

I would take the triple wage and the car, then completely trash MS while at work.

9to5Mac (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 5:31am

I'd take triple the cash and a car, then not work.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 7:00am

What's the point of taking "triple the cash" if you're not going to work ? :D

0 hr x (3 x "old salary") = 0$

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 7:55am

LOL trueee ^.^

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 1:22am

The traitors aren't traitors afterall. Imagine : a manager who was bribed my M$ telling it to Apple. They create a plan. The manager will infact accept the money, and work for the devil. But now he won't call the best Apple retail employees, but the worst. Additionally he does everything to secretly damage M$, aka (W)M(H)S(C) (world's most hated software company). Profit! After M$ went bancrupt (praying everyday to both the invisible pink unicorn and the flying spagetti monster (for combined power) for it), they return to Apple and are celebrated as St. George, who killed the evil dragon.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 8:00am

New recruitments will never *change* the way Windows works.

Its like MS thinking that if they bring staff from Apple their BSODs will disappear or their registry and .dll madness will magically go away.

There are more people like me and my mom, who have senses within them - who have used Windows for 12 years before discovering Mac OS X and realizing how they have wasted their lives in vain.

MSEmployee-notMSFanboy (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 8:10am

What planet are the posters from? All's fair in love and war. Competition is healthy. But, compare Apples to apples. Profit to profit.... MS is a good place to work!

LD (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 8:23am

Compare profit to profit? Um, ok, Apple any day of the week.

Microsoft is literally copying Apple's move into retail. The stores are nearly identical. Guru vs. Genius bars. Walmart's retail guy vs. Target's retail guy.

Microsoft continues to do in the physical world what it's done in the software world, steal everyone else's ideas and create a crappier copy. I don't blame their strategy, it's perfectly legitimate and makes good business sense. But I see it for what it is, a bad copy.

Kev Orng (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 8:33am

Hell, I'd take it.

Of course, I'm speaking from the perspective of my past self working in retail. I never once considered retail a career, never considered any retail job I had to be permanent, and didn't need to believe in the product to sell it. I understand that many people have very successful life-long careers in retail, like my father-in-law, but my particular skillset isn't suited to it.

But yeah, my 19-year-old self would have happily worked a year or two in a Microsoft store for more cash, to pay tuition, get experience and buy the occasional case of beer.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 3:09pm

Micro$oft who?
Are they still alive?

the last time I used an MS product was the MS Basic on the Commodore Pet 2001 in 1977 ;-D

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | September 22, 2009 - 3:11pm

Micro$oft who?
Are they still alive?

the last time I used a MS product was the MS Basic on the Commodore Pet 2001 in 1977 ;-D

Lakawak (not verified) | September 26, 2009 - 12:02am

Regain releveancy? Microsoft is FAR more relevent than Apple. Yes...Microsoft's profits dipped 29%..but the actual amount was still more than Apple.

Hate to break ti to an Apple fanboy like yourself, but you have been predicting an iPod bup for Mac sales...and it simply has not happened. So continuing to claim that Microsoft is on the way down in a half hearted attempt to conivnce Steve Jobs to let you swallow next time only hurts your credibility...as if a blog writer has any to begin with.