Good grief! The Guru bar is going to bankrupt M$. Ever tried calling their tech support?
Yes:
NEW DELI: "Thank you for callling Microsoft, my name id Harry. Can you tell me your Windows 72 digit number?"
"I can help you wid dat. Let me see, you said you can't log in and you have no internet. Is dat correct?"
"Good. Have you tried to down load a newer version of IE?"
"Please don't get upset. I told you I can help you wid your problem. Would you mind going over your problem once again. Perhaps you might have left out a minor detail dat could be important....hello?....hello?"
You mean to tell me that the gazillions of computer owners who MS telephone techies turn away because their version of Windows is OEM will be welcomed by the guru bar? They will not have enough gurus or bars to handle that deluge.
An Apple customer usually approaches a genius bar for trivial things, the occasional failure, transferring data from an old Mac or (PC) to new Mac, and general questions. Usually can be resolved right then and there by an enthusiastic and competent staff that genuinely love what they do and believe in the products Apple sells.
The "Guru" bar on the other hand will be staffed by clueless wannabe hackers working at minimum wage with zero customer service skills and be expected to fend of the herds of angry, frustrated PC users with machines infested and corrupted with viruses, malware, trojans, corrupted registries, driver conflicts, and all other kinds of nasty instabilities. And they will be expected to resolve those problems while the customer waits.
What Microsoft would like for you to believe is that they will be there for you in the long haul to help with your problem. The reality is that MS will (again) realize they went way over their head, and the Guru bar will be shut down due to high costs and few results. I work on the side resolving PC / Windows problems (I'm a systems engineer) for frustrated friends and users that just could not get the kind help they needed. Even with my experience, there is no way whatsoever anyone could pay me enough to work behind that desk. Poor workers will be going into the lion's den every day. The turnover rate will be high, morale will be low and in the end, it will become more a liability and will result in really bad PR. Microsoft will silently close the stores and when questioned, will be referred to as an "Experiment".
All those hundreds of millions of dollars MS spends on advertising and this is the best they could come up with? Put the entire Apple store into a huge Xerox machine and press "Copy"??
Just great a Microsoft store that employees sixteen year old kids and declares them to be genius without any formal training. While at the same time having nothing to sell as they wont even endorse their own OS "Reminds me Bestbuy..."
Sounds more like a false propaganda nonprofitable commercial space to me
Well keep wasting your money MS. Hopefully you can post a lose next quarter instead of just a decline. I dont hate MS i just wish they would find their focus some time soon.
The government put out health warnings from second hand smoke... They need to put out second hand warnings from MS from the second hand stores (to the Apple store), second hand guru bars (to Apple's Genius Bars), second hand Zune mp3 players (to Apple's iPod), second hand The Social music store (to Apple's iTunes Music Store), second hand Windows 7, Vista, Windows (insert year here) all the way down to 95 (to Apple's OS pick any version), second hand advertising (remember Apple's Switcher campaign and MS had that Mac user switch to PC and MS used a stock photo for the girl), second hand X-Box (to Playstation and Wii), second hand Aero (to Mac's Aqua), second hand Search, Internet Explorer, Mail, Calendar (to appear more Mac like), second hand phone (you know they gotta have one coming out soon along with their second hand WinMo Phone OS), second hand... well, you get the picture.
Either that or Apple should produce a MS Hunter's ad, where someone goes out searching for Microsoft but all they find is a company with products and other enterprises that come out after some other company innovated it, backed it with R&D money and brought it to life (for the people that say Apple didn't originally do this or invent that etc., true, but before Apple did it, it probably was crap and not worth mentioning!)
So which is it folks? The government second hand warning or the Apple MS Hunter tv ads?
Now I know exactly what to tell people that went against my advice to purchase a Mac: GO TO THE GURU BAR at the Microsoft Store--here are the directions--they will fix all of your woes.......
Then once you come back completely flustered and angry, we'll sell this hunk of junk on ebay (unfortunately for pennies on the dollar), and get you a real computer.
It is a lot of fun having a crack at M$. I have enjoyed the comments which all have some foundation in reality if they tend to the hyperbolic.
However, I would add that M$ is looking to defend what it already has. It wants to take away some of Apple's edge in public perception etc.
The stores will be bad mouthing Apple stuff, showcasing top end >$1000 PCs like the Dell Adamo, to take a little sheen off the cool Apple kit, and helping people migrate to Win7 etc. If it can take a few MBA or MBP sales away from Apple, it is probably a job well done.
It probably can't be profitable for M$ directly, but it can slow the Apple train, take something off the halo and do something that the individual PC makers with their pitiful margins can't afford to do for themselves.
Didn't Gateway have little stores like this years ago? I think they all failed pretty huge.
So unless Microsoft actually offers a MS machine, aren't they just selling software? How do they pay rent for all of these store fronts if they don't sell anything. It seems like a lot of money to be spending on physical advertising.
If MS offers a free service or service for a very small fee, they may have something here. Even if it isn't as extensive as Apple's service, simply offering hands on help with installing software, upgrading operating systems, etc. could spark a lot of interest. I gotta think MS does not like the image that comes with fixing a PC.
Apple computer breaks, you bring it to an Apple Store where a trendy looking guy behind a counter takes a look at your machine, makes you feel good about buying it, fixes it, and sends you on your way.
PC breaks, you bring your computer to Best Buy where a guy wearing a polo shirt that says "Geek Squad", khaki pants, and white tennis shoes takes a look at your machine, laughs at the amount of RAM you have, speaks in a condescending tone to you, fixes it, gives you a big ass bill, and then suggests that you look into buying a new computer.
If nothing else, this might help give Microsoft a better image. I've said too much.
Talk about running scared. Words almost cannot describe how badly this will backfire on M$.
Strategically, it is very bad for a market leader like MS (read 90%) to acknowledge a small competitor. This will only help Apple. There are 100 times more places to buy a PC than there are to buy Macs. Let's name a few: Radio Shack, Best Buy, Walmart, and Fry's. Let's not forget the omnipresent Dell online and oh Gateway.
How is this going to help MS? MS does not make the computer so when a person has a problem they have to contact their OEM and deal with their warranty issue with Gateway, Dell, or HP. Out-of-warranty then the Geek Squad might help you for some $$$ or just get a new system for about the same price.
The Apple store is the synergy of the hardware manufacturer with the customer. They service the hardware and the software. I don't see how MS will do that unless they are wanting to compete with the Geek Squad and even then will all the different manufacturers they cannot give the same level of service to the customer's satisfaction like Apple can.
Good luck MS. I'm an Apple user to the end, but I'm rooting for you to succeed. Who knows, maybe MS will buy Dell and then the game will be really on.
If Microsoft were smart, they would use the Guru bar to better understand what the Windows user experience really is. Could be that they would learn a lot from this and improve their products. If only there was someone at MS that's actually interested...
Comments
This company makes me weep. So much money, so little talent.
Good grief! The Guru bar is going to bankrupt M$. Ever tried calling their tech support?
Yes:
NEW DELI: "Thank you for callling Microsoft, my name id Harry. Can you tell me your Windows 72 digit number?"
"I can help you wid dat. Let me see, you said you can't log in and you have no internet. Is dat correct?"
"Good. Have you tried to down load a newer version of IE?"
"Please don't get upset. I told you I can help you wid your problem. Would you mind going over your problem once again. Perhaps you might have left out a minor detail dat could be important....hello?....hello?"
I bet they stole that too along with CP/M and Mac OS.
You MUST have heard the old joke? Here's an approximation in any case...
Q: How did Microsoft get it's name?
A: Ask Mrs. Gates.
That is, MS has no intention of having such a thing in their stores (where you can't actually buy anything except a Xbox and a mouse).
http://www.cracked.com/blog/when-the...-a-blue-screen
Talk about running scared. Words almost cannot describe how badly this will backfire on M$.
I couldn't agree more. It will fail. I give it a year tops.
Um, didn't Sony try the same thing? And fail?
My god, can't Microsoft come up with anything original?
An Apple customer usually approaches a genius bar for trivial things, the occasional failure, transferring data from an old Mac or (PC) to new Mac, and general questions. Usually can be resolved right then and there by an enthusiastic and competent staff that genuinely love what they do and believe in the products Apple sells.
The "Guru" bar on the other hand will be staffed by clueless wannabe hackers working at minimum wage with zero customer service skills and be expected to fend of the herds of angry, frustrated PC users with machines infested and corrupted with viruses, malware, trojans, corrupted registries, driver conflicts, and all other kinds of nasty instabilities. And they will be expected to resolve those problems while the customer waits.
What Microsoft would like for you to believe is that they will be there for you in the long haul to help with your problem. The reality is that MS will (again) realize they went way over their head, and the Guru bar will be shut down due to high costs and few results. I work on the side resolving PC / Windows problems (I'm a systems engineer) for frustrated friends and users that just could not get the kind help they needed. Even with my experience, there is no way whatsoever anyone could pay me enough to work behind that desk. Poor workers will be going into the lion's den every day. The turnover rate will be high, morale will be low and in the end, it will become more a liability and will result in really bad PR. Microsoft will silently close the stores and when questioned, will be referred to as an "Experiment".
All those hundreds of millions of dollars MS spends on advertising and this is the best they could come up with? Put the entire Apple store into a huge Xerox machine and press "Copy"??
Well said my friend.
Sounds more like a false propaganda nonprofitable commercial space to me
Well keep wasting your money MS. Hopefully you can post a lose next quarter instead of just a decline. I dont hate MS i just wish they would find their focus some time soon.
Either that or Apple should produce a MS Hunter's ad, where someone goes out searching for Microsoft but all they find is a company with products and other enterprises that come out after some other company innovated it, backed it with R&D money and brought it to life (for the people that say Apple didn't originally do this or invent that etc., true, but before Apple did it, it probably was crap and not worth mentioning!)
So which is it folks? The government second hand warning or the Apple MS Hunter tv ads?
Then once you come back completely flustered and angry, we'll sell this hunk of junk on ebay (unfortunately for pennies on the dollar), and get you a real computer.
Just remember I told you this would happen.
Don't you guys have anything better to do with your Macs?
However, I would add that M$ is looking to defend what it already has. It wants to take away some of Apple's edge in public perception etc.
The stores will be bad mouthing Apple stuff, showcasing top end >$1000 PCs like the Dell Adamo, to take a little sheen off the cool Apple kit, and helping people migrate to Win7 etc. If it can take a few MBA or MBP sales away from Apple, it is probably a job well done.
It probably can't be profitable for M$ directly, but it can slow the Apple train, take something off the halo and do something that the individual PC makers with their pitiful margins can't afford to do for themselves.
So unless Microsoft actually offers a MS machine, aren't they just selling software? How do they pay rent for all of these store fronts if they don't sell anything. It seems like a lot of money to be spending on physical advertising.
If MS offers a free service or service for a very small fee, they may have something here. Even if it isn't as extensive as Apple's service, simply offering hands on help with installing software, upgrading operating systems, etc. could spark a lot of interest. I gotta think MS does not like the image that comes with fixing a PC.
Apple computer breaks, you bring it to an Apple Store where a trendy looking guy behind a counter takes a look at your machine, makes you feel good about buying it, fixes it, and sends you on your way.
PC breaks, you bring your computer to Best Buy where a guy wearing a polo shirt that says "Geek Squad", khaki pants, and white tennis shoes takes a look at your machine, laughs at the amount of RAM you have, speaks in a condescending tone to you, fixes it, gives you a big ass bill, and then suggests that you look into buying a new computer.
If nothing else, this might help give Microsoft a better image. I've said too much.
Talk about running scared. Words almost cannot describe how badly this will backfire on M$.
Strategically, it is very bad for a market leader like MS (read 90%) to acknowledge a small competitor. This will only help Apple. There are 100 times more places to buy a PC than there are to buy Macs. Let's name a few: Radio Shack, Best Buy, Walmart, and Fry's. Let's not forget the omnipresent Dell online and oh Gateway.
How is this going to help MS? MS does not make the computer so when a person has a problem they have to contact their OEM and deal with their warranty issue with Gateway, Dell, or HP. Out-of-warranty then the Geek Squad might help you for some $$$ or just get a new system for about the same price.
The Apple store is the synergy of the hardware manufacturer with the customer. They service the hardware and the software. I don't see how MS will do that unless they are wanting to compete with the Geek Squad and even then will all the different manufacturers they cannot give the same level of service to the customer's satisfaction like Apple can.
Good luck MS. I'm an Apple user to the end, but I'm rooting for you to succeed. Who knows, maybe MS will buy Dell and then the game will be really on.