Microsoft will deploy “Gurus” to stores to help customers interested in purchasing a new PC or learn more about Windows products…Microsoft reinvigorated marketing efforts also include customer-service representatives who will be sent to Best Buy, Circuit City and other brick and mortar retail stores.
The Redmond, Washington-based company plans to have 155 “Microsoft Gurus” deployed to retailers across the country throughout 2008 and will expand the program depending on its success at the end of the year.
Rather than pay each guru on commission, they’ll be graded according to the customer experience by customers, who will chat with the gurus and learn more about Microsoft products and the PC industry.
Apple has a similar service, dubbed the “Genius Bar,” located in many Apple retail stores, with Apple employees available to help customers with their Macs or iPods. Each Apple Genius Bar also helps offer on-site technical support for customers who purchased something and are having problems with it.
Is Microsoft just going to keep on with copying Apple marketing?
Why all this hate for Microsoft? If they don’t do what Apple does, you’ll say they’re behind the times.
Eideard asked, “Is Microsoft just going to keep on with copying Apple marketing?”
Market leaders don’t innovate. They watch the smaller players and take the pieces that work. Mktg 200.
Article: “Microsoft reinvigorated marketing efforts also include customer-service representatives who will be sent to Best Buy, Circuit City and other brick and mortar retail stores”
Eideard wrote: “Is Microsoft just going to keep on with copying Apple marketing?”
Let me get this straight, you honestly believe that Apple invented the idea of sales people going into stores and explaining and selling products to customers?! God, that level idiocy is nearly unbelievable, even from an Apple-head. But yet, there it is.
Is Microsoft just going to keep on with copying Apple marketing?
I agree. They should definitely spend more time trying out crazy new untested ideas instead of doing smart proactive things with known results.
“that level idiocy is nearly unbelievable”
…but totally expected on this blog
I hope they pay well. Personally, I couldn’t take the shame of actually working for Microsoft. I would get sick of constantly apologizing for their crappy software.
“…but totally expected on this blog”
Dvorak.org: Always expect the expected!
The local Apple store is exceptionally nice.
I suspect that the Microsoft employees will be assigned as a punishment detail.
I cant wait =)
Maybe they could hire some gurus to fix their software.
After seeing the Seinfeld/Gates “commercial about nothing”, I think Bill Gates should make the following announcement:
“Ladies and Gentlemen, after watching the final edit of the ‘new’ Microsoft commercial I have realized it was a phenomenal mistake. I have paid off Mr. Seinfeld’s contract personally. I have fired the ad agency which came up with this nonsense. I have fired the marketing people who thought it was a good idea. I have ordered that the remaining $290 million of the advertising budget be spent improving Vista, fixing the bugs, and writing the drivers for all ‘legacy’ hardware. I have ordered the ‘Windows 7’ team to stop writing new code until the old code works. And I have ordered that WindowsXP be made available to any individual or PC maker who wants it.”
Result: MSFT shares go through the roof.
That picture of Balmer reminds me of the movie “Young Frankenstein” when the blind guy spills the soup on his lap. Ha Ha…Good Times….Good Times.
If it works, go for it.
I doubt it, but anything is better then -those- adds.. >_<
M$ gurus are better than Apple gurus. Why? Because all the Apple gurus have to do is look pretty and tell the customers they forgot to plug their machines/recharge their iPod/iPhone (Yes, Apple products are that easy to use.)
So basically M$ gurus have to have an IT degree.
I don’t know what a “Genius Bar” is. But if its a geek station, then they probably are useful at ironing out problems with OS10. On the other hand. Microsoft’s “Gurus” will probably just tell everyone to give up on XP and buy Vista. Or, “Vista doesn’t have problems. Only XP does.”
And other not-so-useful advice like that, to sell Vista. And dispell all doubts about it.
Apple may not have invented the idea of having people answer questions in a retail environment, but Microsoft is *still* copying Apple, and this *is* symptomatic of Microsoft’s problems. They are not making the new OS better than the old one. Slick selling strategies are nice, but you still need the product to back it up. Microsoft made a lot of hay on customers’ desire to not have their PC be different from their neighbors or co-workers, but that matters little today. Hence computers selling on merit rather than momentum.
I switched to Apple because using PC’s became too much of a PIA. I’m no zealot. I’d buy a Vista PC if it was better, but it’s not. One simple piece of free advice to Microsoft – Never make the new OS slower than the old one. That’s where you lost me.
Soft is like an old rock band out of new tunes.How Balmer is still in a job after the stck has done nothing for 8 years is beyond me.
Ha . If these MCSE flunkies are even on the floor, and not hiding in the breakroom trying desperately to hit on the new girl they will just spew out a bunch of garbage, probably confuse the customer, and get in direct competition with the people who work at the store. Wait until the customer tries to buy a computer off the guru, and then switch people on them. Can you say disgruntled worker who loses their commission? Why not offer classes to help train who is already there?