Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, gearing up to open a chain of company stores along the line of Apple’s retail marvels, is looking to steal some of Apple’s best employees, according to some reports.
At first you’d think the last people you’d want selling Microsoft products are the folks who have spent the last number of years believing your products are inferior, but the software executive may be on to something.
“Apple’s got like, what, a nine year head start here in retail, so being a threat isn’t the issue,” says Michael Gartenberg, Jupitermedia Vice President of Mobile Strategy. “Would they try to woo Apple employees? Well, sure! They are trained and they showcase retail — which is hard to do. More importantly than the number of former Apple employees is the passion they have for selling their own products – finding people motivated and enthusiastic about Microsoft.”
Microsoft is trying to poach Apple retail employees with promises of “significant raises” and, once hired, are encouraged to bring over more Apple staff, sources told the Apple biz Web site The Loop.