“Microsoft on Friday said that its $300 million marketing campaign will now involve in-store representatives to promote the brand, the company’s general manager of corporate communications, Tom Pilla, says. Effectively mimicking Apple’s Geniuses as well as their floor specialists, Microsoft will run a trial later this year that sees 155 trained experts in Windows, nicknamed Microsoft Gurus, answering questions at larger retail chains such as Best Buy and Circuit City,” Electronista reports.
“The Gurus will answer both general questions about computers and giving their own demos of different Microsoft programs and services working in tandem, including Windows Vista as well as Windows Mobile-based smartphones and Windows Live web features,” Electronista reports.
Full article here.
Why “Gurus?” Because if they were “geniuses,” they’d already be Mac users.
Weak. Really weak, Microsoft. What a shitty company.
They are going to need far more then 155 gurus to fix all the problems with windows.
Will they be dressed as giant paperclips?
“Gurus” makes sense, since I’m mystified as to why anyone uses M$ products.
They’re called “gurus” because they have to import them from Bombay, India. I mean noone else understands Windows in all its variants like a Bombay-guru!
Boy, they are going to need a lot of those. Just connecting a laptop to a Wifi network, you need a certificate of sorts.
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Woooooowww! what a great innovation company Microsoft is….
I am so surprised!!!! (sarcasm)
It’s not even funny anymore, it’s just sad.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…not to mention a first class indicator that the imitator is fresh out of new ideas…
They’ll try to trick you into thinking that you’re really not in a sticky situation. That’s why they’re called Goo Ruse.
Ballmer came to work today wearing a black mock turtleneck and jeans.
it is a lame and blatant ripoff of course. But Apple geniuses? That’s always bothered the crap out of me. I mean, come on, Geniuses? Give me a break. If they were geniuses, why are they working in a low paying customer support mall job for pete’s sake. No, they’re just best buy geek squad level tech support with an assinine and egotistical job title.
OBill-Wan Kenobi,
“Fresh out of new ideas” mistakenly implies that Microsoft actually had new ideas until just recently, when, in fact, they’ve never had any meaningful new ideas in their company’s history.
I’d be interested to read the “Guru” job description – are they hired for their technical expertise, or for their ability to put positive spin on Microsoft’s poor products? I’m guessing the latter will be at least as important as the former.
MW: pressure, as in Microsoft must really be feeling it.
I say we call them “Microsoft Bobs”
Didn’t they already take the Lotus position a long time ago?
My suggestion would be “Ballmer Bozos”.
Not very smart.
Considering the problems with Windows, the line will be so long that they’ll have to have signs along the path…”approximate wait time: 97 hours”
The “gurus” won’t have time to do demos.
Suppose I want to switch from Mac to Windows. Will the gurus help me transfer all my files?
This is great news! I was hoping to have a Guru show me how to work my Apple iTele. There seems to be a conflict between running Window’s Vista and the teleportation system on my iTele. I need a Guru to help solve these problems.
reminds me of the “zzzzzzz” cloud in the old Amiga system, “guru meditation” indeed!!
Does no one here read the actual articles??
“The Gurus will answer both general questions about computers and giving their own demos of different Microsoft programs and services working in tandem, including Windows Vista as well as Windows Mobile-based smartphones and Windows Live web features. Like their Apple counterparts, the Windows-focused agents won’t be paid by commission and will instead focus on their ability to help whichever customers they receive.
Repairs and other technical support won’t be part of the new program.”
In other words, these “Gurus” will not solve your computer problem, they are just there to sell Vista.
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Microsoft is hiring 155 Vista sales man, which is just what they said they were going to do with the $300 million. Polish the Vista turd….. er image.
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Just a thought.
en
Imagine the nineteenth time, on the first day, a newly-minted Guru hears, “Why doesn’t this shit work?”
“Considering the problems with Windows, the line will be so long that they’ll have to have signs along the path…’approximate wait time: 97 hours'”
MS Guru: “In my line we had three births, seven deaths and several people met, dated, got married and started a family. The one guy with a Zune walked around trying to squirt people. After he was beaten unconscious, people tried to call 911 but their phones kept crashing. After a few weeks, it really started to stink.”
Might be time to start compiling the list of MS Guru Stumper issues and questions. Knowing how MS works they’ll be underpaid, under trained and have little real knowledge on how to troubleshoot any Windows’ issues. It will be a half assed attempt at getting customers to buy PC and Phones with Windows.
Get ready for the MS Office Mac Questions too, After all no one wants to use Mac users to just look like were heckling the poor MS Guru, for the fun of it.
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“Repairs and other technical support won’t be part of the new program.”
So, the program is designed to mostly just piss people off. That’s genius.