Why Microsoft Doesn't Get it.

[peashooter14]

I have been to many ATT stores, and today I went to the local MSFT store. The employees don't know a thing about any MSFT products. ATT has had exclusives on Lumias for years, but MSFT doesn't enforce product knowledge. What a shame.

What is inexcusable is going to MSFT store and not one person there knows the products. Examples...

Me, "What phone do you guys use, I love the 950XL...Answers, were I have an M9 and an iPhone, or I have an android phone"

Me, "Do you guys have someone who knows about the MSFT band...10 minutes later one guy out of 10 has one, and doesn't know anything about it and uses his iPhone with it"

It should be mandatory that all employees use the full MSFT stack of hardware!

 

[Laura Knotek]

I wouldn't say that the employees don't know the products because they choose not to use them as their personal devices. Unless Microsoft pays for its employees' devices, there would be no way of forcing them to use those devices. That would be a similar situation to a person carrying 2 phones: the company-issued BlackBerry back in the day, along with the personal iPhone.

 

[JaimitoFrog]

i met a friend who works quite senior in MS at Redmond, and when he saw my Icon at the time, he was so surprised. he said he never sees those outside of work. and he and his family all use iphones. granted, he doesnt work on hardware, but u get a feeling there isnt enough users in their own company. kinda explains why some obvious bugs are not already eliminated.

 

[mariusmuntean]

I have been to many ATT stores, and today I went to the local MSFT store. The employees don't know a thing about any MSFT products. ATT has had exclusives on Lumias for years, but MSFT doesn't enforce product knowledge. What a shame.

What is inexcusable is going to MSFT store and not one person there knows the products. Examples...

Me, "What phone do you guys use, I love the 950XL...Answers, were I have an M9 and an iPhone, or I have an android phone"

Me, "Do you guys have someone who knows about the MSFT band...10 minutes later one guy out of 10 has one, and doesn't know anything about it and uses his iPhone with it"

It should be mandatory that all employees use the full MSFT stack of hardware!

))))))))))))))) even employees from their store do not use MS products. This is bad PR, BAD Marketing.

 

[mariusmuntean]

i met a friend who works quite senior in MS at Redmond, and when he saw my Icon at the time, he was so surprised. he said he never sees those outside of work. and he and his family all use iphones. granted, he doesnt work on hardware, but u get a feeling there isnt enough users in their own company. kinda explains why some obvious bugs are not already eliminated.

Hmm, this proves that even MS employees don't trust their own built platform. How could this happen?

 

[ajayden]

I have been to many ATT stores, and today I went to the local MSFT store. The employees don't know a thing about any MSFT products. ATT has had exclusives on Lumias for years, but MSFT doesn't enforce product knowledge. What a shame.

What is inexcusable is going to MSFT store and not one person there knows the products. Examples...

Me, "What phone do you guys use, I love the 950XL...Answers, were I have an M9 and an iPhone, or I have an android phone"

Me, "Do you guys have someone who knows about the MSFT band...10 minutes later one guy out of 10 has one, and doesn't know anything about it and uses his iPhone with it"

It should be mandatory that all employees use the full MSFT stack of hardware!

Well, I think that its you who don't get it. What is wrong in employees having a different device? I have seen employees of Apple stores having android phones and employees of Samsung stores having iPhones. Does that mean anything?

Nope. Absolutely nothing.

Lol. I believe ATT might have staff who do not know about Microsoft products, but not Microsoft.

 

[peashooter14]

Well, I think that its you who don't get it. What is wrong in employees having a different device? I have seen employees of Apple stores having android phones and employees of Samsung stores having iPhones. Does that mean anything?

Nope. Absolutely nothing.

Lol. I believe ATT might have staff who do not know about Microsoft products, but not Microsoft.

When you have 4% of the market, you better make sure your employees are champions of the product. Hell, give them free phones. Nothing like asking them about the MSFT band, and them not knowing anything other than, its over there on the wall. Every employee needs to know the 5 differentiators about all of the products in their store. It's just sad really.

This is the first time I think MSFT may give up on the mobile platform. If you look at all the press, they are building kick butt products for iOS and android first then maybe bringing them to WP. Me thinks WP may be a dead platform, and they will focus on killer software for the remaining two mobile OS's.

I fully blame Balmer on this one, they had Windows mobile 6.5 and chose not to improve it until the iPhone ruled the world.

 

[ajayden]

When you have 4% of the market, you better make sure your employees are champions of the product. Hell, give them free phones. Nothing like asking them about the MSFT band, and them not knowing anything other than, its over there on the wall. Every employee needs to know the 5 differentiators about all of the products in their store. It's just sad really.

This is the first time I think MSFT may give up on the mobile platform. If you look at all the press, they are building kick butt products for iOS and android first then maybe bringing them to WP. Me thinks WP may be a dead platform, and they will focus on killer software for the remaining two mobile OS's.

I fully blame Balmer on this one, they had Windows mobile 6.5 and chose not to improve it until the iPhone ruled the world.

Well you are late to the party cos Microsoft has already said it that they are not competing with anyone in the mobile market, and they will provide their services for every competitor.

Hope you get the picture now.

 

[jmshub]

I bet lots of people who build Fords drive a Chevy or a Toyota, etc.

People can be very familiar with the product and even like it without owning the phone as their daily carry. I use iOS devices a lot at work, so I could be considered fluent in their use, despite never owning an iPhone or iPad.

You can't force people to own a certain product to work for you, but they should be able to explain how their products work.

 

[N_LaRUE]

I'm surprised that the fact that the head of development for WP, Joe Belfiore, tweeting with an iPhone while travelling the world hasn't made it in this thread.

If you're going to complain about MS employees might as well go all out.

It's okay that Joe Belfiore is using an iPhone | The Verge

WM is doomed I tell you! Doomed... whatever.

Can't say much about the blonde hair...

 

[peashooter14]

Well you are late to the party cos Microsoft has already said it that they are not competing with anyone in the mobile market, and they will provide their services for every competitor.

Hope you get the picture now.

That's not my point... They are making better software products for ios and android first. Then sometimes they bring them to WP. They may say they are committed to the WP platform, but they are clearly not trying to drive market share. Here is a simple example. Take the decent phone Lumia 650, which maybe costs $100 to make. Why not give them away, that's right give 5 million away in the us. a 500mil hit is nothing for msft and would get their phones our there. every 12 year old would have a Lumia because parents like Free.

You see no real advertising for their phones, or the OS. Hell even the ads that do come out don't show why the OS is better than iOS etc...

 

[teemulehtinen]

Isn't it logical that the people who are trying to develop the MSFT platform and products use the competitors' products and services to learn about them. In that light, Belfiore and others using the competing products is actually rather good. Knowing your competition is important in all other lines of business - why wouldn't it be in this?

If, however, the employees who sell the product, don't know even their own platform, it is rather sad.

 

[ashram]

Personally, I don't expect much from an AT&T store, but am surprised as the manager at the local one still prefers to use her 1020.

As for MS store employees, I haven't had that issue. Even employees using either an iphone or android phone had no issue answering windows phone questions correctly. Also, when I bought my band 2, I wanted to set it up instore since a friend did have a band doa out of the package. Since I popped up during a shift change, the person I was dealing with brought someone over to finish up with me before I left. Both we VERY helpful, 1 used a 950, the other an Galaxy S5.

I don't work for either a telecom or retail, but despite using a 950, I still offer support for IOS and Android devices at my job. Does that mean I think everything is better than windows or that i don't have faith in it? Not whatsoever. I use the ecosystem I prefer, but still keep up with the competition as well, just because I know I will have to support them more due to market numbers.

Just because your location may suck for Windows support, doesn't mean everywhere is exactly the same.

 

[Jonnie LasVegas]

I know the Microsoft store here in Vegas requires their employees to have and use the latest Windows phones and products.

 

[SpinalRemains]

Employees being mandated to use the devices they work for?

Are you insane? Why shouldn't they be allowed to use whatever they like for their personal use? You like WP so MS employees should have to use them? Think about what you're suggesting.

Of course they should know their job and be up to date on any inquiries concerning the products, but to demand that they use one for their own personal use is madness.

 

[IzaacJ]

Here in Eskilstuna, Sweden, theres 2 store reps that like WP, one in the Phone House store, which sells any brand, any provider. And then theres one in the provider Telias store. The rest don't know jack **** about WP. Been asking around in every phone store when I've been out and about and there is generally little to no knowledge at all about wp. Some reps doesn't even know what Windows Phone is, and thinks im talking about WM6... The interesting thing is thou, that it seems like the market share here in Sweden is growing. I've seen plentiful of people with lumias and I've also manages to influence a few people to consider the OS they didn't even know about by showcasing my 1520 and 950XL (both insider builds) and how they work together with a pc/tablet with windows 10.

 

[ashram]

I know the Microsoft store here in Vegas requires their employees to have and use the latest Windows phones and products.

that is the EXACT MS store I was referencing....Never had an issue with them, but have seen the occasional android device... maybe they had 2 devices on them? no matter, as long as they can help with any simple questions I have, i'm good.

 

[Jakoh]

That was the whole point, that no one knew squat about the M$ products at the M$ store.

Lol. I believe ATT might have staff who do not know about Microsoft products, but not Microsoft.

 

[T Moore]

Not all stores are the same apparently. The employees at the one in FriscoTX know their stuff. When I got my Surface one of them spent about 20 minutes showing me around, saved me a lot of time instead of figuring it out for myself. All the phones I saw were Lumias.
If you are going to bring up a store experience at least say where you were.

 

[ajayden]

That's not my point... They are making better software products for ios and android first. Then sometimes they bring them to WP. They may say they are committed to the WP platform, but they are clearly not trying to drive market share. Here is a simple example. Take the decent phone Lumia 650, which maybe costs $100 to make. Why not give them away, that's right give 5 million away in the us. a 500mil hit is nothing for msft and would get their phones our there. every 12 year old would have a Lumia because parents like Free.

You see no real advertising for their phones, or the OS. Hell even the ads that do come out don't show why the OS is better than iOS etc...

No business in their right mind will just give away 500Mil worth of products for free. I am sure you also will not do that if you were Microsoft.

You still don't get it. Their strategy is different. It is not what all the WM fans and haters think it is. Microsoft is already on the right path with their strategy and Windows Mobile is not their main strategy (even though it is part of it).

They are advertising in the markets where Windows has strong presence. You will find television ads, digital display, roadshows and hoardings in developing countries.