5 Necessary Steps to reach 10% Marketshare - What would you add?

[fatclue_98]

That's debatable based on history

Proof please. Don't need a dissertation, a simple spreadsheet showing all the failures will suffice. Go ahead, we'll wait.

 

[runamuck83]

Proof please. Don't need a dissertation, a simple spreadsheet showing all the failures will suffice. Go ahead, we'll wait.

Failure to reach 10% market share. I need to create a simple spreadsheet pointing out the obvious? 2.9%. Done.

Whatever they've been doing thus far has failed to achieve that. Of all the things I listed they have only consistently been doing #1.

#2-5 have not been done, although they're working on #6.

 

[fatclue_98]

Failure to reach 10% market share. I need to create a simple spreadsheet pointing out the obvious? 2.9%. Done.

Whatever they've been doing thus far has failed to achieve that. Of all the things I listed they have only consistently been doing #1.

#2-5 have not been done, although they're working on #6.

That's not what I asked for. JamesDax3 wrote that MS knows better than us what to do. You stated it was debatable based on history. The question still stands, your response was non sequitur.

 

[runamuck83]

And the title of the thread is 5 things to do to reach 10% market share.

Have they reached 10% market share? Have the past 5+ years of their ideas worked? Have they done all 5 things I listed consistently? No to to all of the above.
So quite simply either they don't know what's best, or they do know and refuse to do so for financial or other unknown reasons.

To say or assume MS "always knows best" is quite silly. If they did, WP wouldn't be in the position it is right now. That is unless they don't care about having a meaningful market share which I don't think is their goal.

 

[anon(8985111)]

1 step would possibly be already sufficient: Focus on cutting edge productivity solutions that clearly distinguish Windows Phone on the market.

 

[spch]

Give away Lumia 930s for free.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

Give US carriers a cut of app profits. I.e. Make a Windows phone sale one that constantly generates income for carriers.

In other words, you're suggesting carrier billing.

It's about time we're given the option!

 

[WanderingTraveler]

>>OP

I believe Microsoft will at least do 4, 5, and 6 at the same time to maximize impact. They indicated as such in their announcements in recent times.

 

[HeyCori]

#1 - Cut a deal with the four major U.S. carriers to carry either a high/mid/low phone or a high/low phone. Windows Phone has already reached 10% in certain parts of the world, but worldwide market share still hovers around 3%. People say America isn't the only country in the world but a lot of the apps that people are begging for come from American developers. Those devs aren't jumping on until WP makes a splash in the U.S. Thus, increasing U.S. market share is vital. That's hard (or impossible) to do when carriers won't carry your phone, or only carries a mid/low range, or wants some unnecessary carrier exclusive. There was a time when people would switch carriers en masse to get a specific phone but those days are gone. Nowadays people expect flagships to be on every carrier.

#2 - Change the marketing message. Apple's attack ads on Windows didn't work for Apple. Microsoft's attack ads on Apple are about as effective. Stop with the useless comparisons with other products. Focus on what your product does. Hopefully that's the direction they go when Windows 10 and the "one Windows" idea takes off.

#3 - Consolidate the product lines. I know, some people really don't like the numbering system. However, the alternative isn't much better. In fact, no company has a good naming scheme. And the numbering system could be better if there wasn't so damn many of them. There's everything going from 4xx, 5xx, 6xx, 7xx, 8xx, 9xx, 10xx, 13xx, 15xx and standalone names like the Icon. Okay, so a lot of that is Nokia's fault but now Microsoft has to clean it up. An easy fix is what Microsoft has already done with the 640 and 640 XL, same product line with easy differentiation between the superior product. It's like what Apple does with the iPhone and iPhone xS.

#4 - Get their own devs to make mobile games. For having such a nice lineup of Xbox games, Microsoft has done a poor job of getting their own devs to create Windows Phone exclusives. They outsourced Halo for Windows Phone, and it's good that they did that, but there are so many other games they could bring over. And they could outsource like Halo or use their own in-house devs. Universal apps will help but it doesn't change the fact that Microsoft itself needs to make more games.

#5 - A business designed phone. Not a phone with business software but a phone that a businessman would be proud to show off. Generally speaking, I like the "Lumia look." There's a distinctiveness to them, with the bold colors and rounded corners. But it's not the sort of design that old, rich men expect to pull out of their pocket. Businessmen want to look business ready. A bright yellow phone isn't going to cut it. The Icon, in comparison to other Lumia designs, is kind of boxy and boring (though it still looks great). But that's the sort of phone professionals expect to use. There needs to be more Icon like designs to cover the business sector.

 

[b0blight]

The tech industry is driven by the younger generation and many of them have it in their heads that Microsoft and Windows are old and outdated and uncool and they choose Apple or Google instead.

Yes. I totally agree with that statement. I was just speaking to someone a few days back, and he was like "why do you want to choose Microsoft/Windows ? They are so outdated." There really is a need for Microsoft to be cool again, and what they are doing now (HoloLens, Win10 for PC and Phone, Universal Apps) really shows that they are trying hard. Heck, even the CEO himself is doing his best to transform the company's image. But We can only say so much here. Tech news still favor Apple/iOS, Google/Android and sees Microsoft/Windows as something irrelevant (well, to be honest, there is much more coverage nowadays compared to 2-3 years ago, where an article covering Windows would appear once every 3-4 months). I really really hope that people will see MS in a different light, and there would be more support for them.

 

[several potatos]

Train the carrier employees, too. I'm literally the only WP savvy T-Mobile rep in my county. Everyone just sends customers to me when they have a windows device. Not great for customer experience.

 

[TechFreak1]

I think there is one thing that needs to be made clear, Microsoft is in the business of making money and like any other software company they will target the platform with largest number of users.

Of course on the flipside they neglected their own hardware platform (phones) in the process, whereas in fact they should have used their own platform to showcase their services and given perhaps some-sort of app parity to the competing platforms.

Yes, they said "Windows Best", that's great but try explaining that to the average person. Most are interested in what they are getting today or tomorrow not a ambiguous launch several months down the line where things can change for the better or worse.

However that is the past, they have one last chance with Windows 10 and beyond that I doubt many will stick around. Personally I will and can wait as windows phone does what I need it to do, the day it doesn't then I will switch.

After watching the convergence conference, they are doing pretty amazing things in the enterprise sector which is not really spoken about. The company "Wash" will make an amazing case study, I am interested to see what they have to say at their event which I believe is tomorrow.

 

[wuiyang]

6. Provide a free Lumia 640 XL when you brought Surface Pro 4
7. Lumia 930's Slogan - "Windows on your Phone". Let's make this dream come true, a Surface Phone, which has two ROM, one for phone, one for PC. has intel i3, i5 version (no i7, will overheat the phone), with 9000mAh (use 3 lightweight 3000mAh, 2 are non removable)
8. Support more developers, provide free windows develop tools. They would have no excuse to not code on Windows ecosystem.
9. Provide "test-drive" phone, give customers 2 weeks period for "test-drive" the Lumia, once the period ended, block the phone. If they want to buy, they have to go to Nokia retail store to pay the cost for the Lumia, and staff will unblock the phone. If they dont want to buy it, they have to pay 5% of the cost of the Lumia. If they have lost the phone, they need to pay twice the price of the Lumia (until phone was found, so they can choose whether to buy it or not).

 

[runamuck83]

8. Support more developers, provide free windows develop tools. They would have no excuse to not code on Windows ecosystem.

I think they pretty much do offer free tools? There's an express version of Visual Studio that gives almost all the functionality of the full fledged version. Maybe as a side note to this, Microsoft could offer royalty free store access for the first year and a half of an app's life span? Or something to incentivize them. Maybe they already do this, I don't know.

 

[MikeX74]

I think MS knows better then us what steps need to be taken.

If they knew what steps they should be taking, shouldn't they have taken them by now? It's not as if Apple or Google are just sitting back and not doing anything to improve their respective platforms. It's time for MS to put up or shut up.

 

[someone2639]

Just make it seems faster and I'm okay

 

[Tsang Fai]

• should aim at both low-end and high-end markets. Smartphones are just like your clothes, your shoes. Even people in developing countries are WILLING to spend $ on a high-end smartphone which they think is cool. Microsoft should aim at producing WPs which are both useful and beautiful.
• why don't Microsoft build their own apps? I mean, not just Office. It is a strong motivation for trying Windows Phone if there are already some professional apps available from Microsoft. And these apps should be, of course, available for free. This would not cost so much money for Microsoft.
• About apps again. You may agree that people may find difficulties in looking for apps in Windows Store. Those really good apps should be listed out as "Recommended by Microsoft". For each category (calendar, photo-editing, etc), there are some recommended apps. That would save users much time on searching for good quality apps.
• I think the idea of bundling Windows Phone with Windows tablet/laptop may be practical. Maybe in this way - offer customer a very low price to "try" Windows Phone (maybe for 3 months). If they are not satisfied with the phone, they can ask for a 100% refund. Why 3 months? I think 3 months is long enough for a user to really taste the beauty of WP (and also to look for the apps he needs).

 

[mjrtoo]

Simple, entire kiosks dedicated to that product in all sales areas. And then people who sell them.

 

[mohit9206]

Well i hope MS reaches 10% by 2020. I mean its almost 5 years now since Windows phone 7 came out and the market share is still less than 5%.If it doesn't reach 10% by 2020,you know it will have been 10 years and nothing to show for it.I still don't understand why MS advertises Xbox brand so much but not even a fraction of advertising for Windows Phone. How about a free Windows Phone with every Xbox One and Surface Tablet. A free Windows Phone with every Big Mac. Just imagine how much market share would increase if MS would give away a free entry level Windows Phone with every Big Mac. Get on it M$!!!

 

[OriginalSynapse]

2. Get in bed with business/IT
Foster the relationship with businesses to showcase why Windows Phone is the better option for their business users. Tout management, security features and cost savings. Offer special discounts on "custom apps" for business development. Much like they did with Office 365 they offered free migration service credits to businesses switching from on-premise to cloud.

I'm amazed that doctors still carry pagers. Obviously this is due to network coverage but I find it hard to believe that the pager radio technology could not be stripped out of the old device and inserted into a phone and then connected to a pager app. Might not add a lot in terms of market share, but if making the Windows phone the de facto device among doctors/surgeons/nurses were coupled with other ongoing Microsoft healthcare initiatives, it would be a huge image win. ...Unless people actually like lugging around an extra device, if only for the pleasant sounds it emits.