Holiday Store Fail

[inteller]

Really disappointed in my initial visit to the Holiday Store.

First of all they showed me W8 on the old Samsung Series 7 tab. As you know this is a Core i5 x86 tab. So I asked the guy if this was running x86 Consumer preview or RTM. He said it is running Windows RT. Hrm...ok making sure he heard me right I asked again, and he said "we're just concentrating on RT right now so this is running RT" Oh boy. Well so I went to the Store on the tab and it had pay for apps so that told me it was running RTM. Undeterred, I went ahead and got a reservation card from him....and he must have been the manager because he was the only one who had the keys to the locked drawer.

Then I had to get a demo from ****, I dismissed the Store and went back to the home screen. "Hey did you know you don't have to press the button to close it, you can just drag it down and close it" I said, uh yeah, but I don't want to close it then I gestured how I can swipe between apps and it is running. "oh I didn't know that" ...uh..OMFG I thought.

Now I know that Microsoft has no plans for these kiosks to live beyond the holidays, but jeebus please at least get some booth babes...or get some fat chicks that at least know what they are doing. I figure there is at least a handful of people on this forum in every city they are in that wouldn't mind working in these booths. Microsoft is setting themselves up for failure by hiring clueless temp worker schulbs who are just there to make a buck.

I also want to say the kisoks are super flimsy. I barely leaned on one and it started to move. That's not going to work when the fat bubbas start to line up to get their Surface.

 

[12Danny123]

you know they are getting trained soon. MS confirmed it

 

[VagrantWade]

Really disappointed in my initial visit to the Holiday Store.

First of all they showed me W8 on the old Samsung Series 7 tab. As you know this is a Core i5 x86 tab. So I asked the guy if this was running x86 Consumer preview or RTM. He said it is running Windows RT. Hrm...ok making sure he heard me right I asked again, and he said "we're just concentrating on RT right now so this is running RT" Oh boy. Well so I went to the Store on the tab and it had pay for apps so that told me it was running RTM. Undeterred, I went ahead and got a reservation card from him....and he must have been the manager because he was the only one who had the keys to the locked drawer.

Then I had to get a demo from ****, I dismissed the Store and went back to the home screen. "Hey did you know you don't have to press the button to close it, you can just drag it down and close it" I said, uh yeah, but I don't want to close it then I gestured how I can swipe between apps and it is running. "oh I didn't know that" ...uh..OMFG I thought.

Now I know that Microsoft has no plans for these kiosks to live beyond the holidays, but jeebus please at least get some booth babes...or get some fat chicks that at least know what they are doing. I figure there is at least a handful of people on this forum in every city they are in that wouldn't mind working in these booths. Microsoft is setting themselves up for failure by hiring clueless temp worker schulbs who are just there to make a buck.

I also want to say the kisoks are super flimsy. I barely leaned on one and it started to move. That's not going to work when the fat bubbas start to line up to get their Surface.

So how's the 8th grade?

 

[stephen_az]

Really disappointed in my initial visit to the Holiday Store.

First of all they showed me W8 on the old Samsung Series 7 tab. As you know this is a Core i5 x86 tab. So I asked the guy if this was running x86 Consumer preview or RTM. He said it is running Windows RT. Hrm...ok making sure he heard me right I asked again, and he said "we're just concentrating on RT right now so this is running RT" Oh boy. Well so I went to the Store on the tab and it had pay for apps so that told me it was running RTM. Undeterred, I went ahead and got a reservation card from him....and he must have been the manager because he was the only one who had the keys to the locked drawer.

Then I had to get a demo from ****, I dismissed the Store and went back to the home screen. "Hey did you know you don't have to press the button to close it, you can just drag it down and close it" I said, uh yeah, but I don't want to close it then I gestured how I can swipe between apps and it is running. "oh I didn't know that" ...uh..OMFG I thought.

Now I know that Microsoft has no plans for these kiosks to live beyond the holidays, but jeebus please at least get some booth babes...or get some fat chicks that at least know what they are doing. I figure there is at least a handful of people on this forum in every city they are in that wouldn't mind working in these booths. Microsoft is setting themselves up for failure by hiring clueless temp worker schulbs who are just there to make a buck.

I also want to say the kisoks are super flimsy. I barely leaned on one and it started to move. That's not going to work when the fat bubbas start to line up to get their Surface.

1) What part of "holiday" store did you not understand? The fact you can go to the kiosk at all is rather novel since this is just the training period. If you hadn't noticed the holiday shopping season has not started yet.
2) Are you expecting a kiosk to be made out of brick and mortar, or perhaps titanium alloy? Maybe they should have precast them out of the Surface magnesium alloy for you?
3) How about checking the sexist BS at the door? While you are at it, you can check the insults directed at others as well.

I could add grow up and/or get a life, but I think those go without saying in this case....

 

[inteller]

really, so it is perfectly fine to throw people at a booth with no training? I've heard of Microsoft apologist, but this takes the cake.

You all obviously understand nothing about retail. If I'm going to part with my dollars in person I EXPECT top notch service and knowledge. Otherwise, I can check myself out online just fine.

And just WHEN are they going to get this training you all speak of? It is a week before this thing hits stores and they are expected to go from an iKnownothing to a Surface expert in 4 days? Give me a break, you can't explain away basic product questions to "no training".

I want Microsoft to succeed as much as anyone else. They will not get the job done like this.

And finally, YES I expect the kiosk not to roll away if I barely push on it. It gives a potential customer the impression they could pack up and leave any second (nevermind the fact that's what they plan on doing after Jan)

 

[Targus]

I saw a Microsoft kiosk last week. It's just a kiosk anyway, no mall would allow them to drill some holes on the floor to fix the kiosk. I think they would be more sturdy when Surfaces and other merchandise are stocked underneath.

 

[inteller]

i don't think any mall would object to them taking the wheels off the cart.

 

[jdevenberg]

I have to back him up on the flimsy-ness of the kiosks. I leaned on the counter and it slid because it isn't even attached to the base of the kiosk, it just sits on it. How much this matters is up for debate, but the fact is that they at poorly put together, even by mall kiosk standards

 

[inteller]

maybe that's what it was, I know I was moving the table, but I didn't see what part I was moving as I stood back waiting for something to fall or roll away. Craptastic at best. If the top really isn't attached, maybe these transform into something else when it launches....I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[jimski]

Well if the sales associate didn't try to talk you into buying an iPad or Tab, that's a good start.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express Pro

 

[inteller]

i see we are setting the bar extremely low.

 

[squire777]

I went to the kiosk here in Toronto and it didn't seem flimsy to me. I don't know how much more sturdy they can make it without directly anchoring it into the ground.

And the two guys there seemed to be in the know in terms of the Surface, Win 8, etc. It's probably a minimum wage job so I'm not expecting any expert advice. In fact I never ask store clerks anything when buying tech products since it's better to do the research yourself.

 

[eric12341]

Feel free to repost this without the offending remarks.

-Thread closed-