Microsoft raiding Apple Stores for managers, sales pros

In pattern of events almost as old as the personal computer itself, a business model perfected by the Cupertino, California-based Mac, iPod and iPhone maker is being “embraced” by the company’s old rival in Redmond. As always, the software giant is blatantly ripping off cribbing quite liberally from Apple, even going so far as to build “Guru Bars” into its yet to open chain of retail outlets.

The Loop reports that Microsoft’s emulation of the Apple Store continues to gather pace with the maker of Windows and Office now poaching frontline retail managers and sales people. The company is said to be using a combination of big money raises and offers to cover moving expenses, the latter having become quite rare of the last decade or so.

Furthermore, once they’ve made the leap to the dark side, these new Microsoft employees are then in turn contacting other top Apple Store managers and sales professionals, offering them positions with the software giant’s still nascent retail arm.

Back in July, Microsoft hired Apple’s former vice president for retail real estate, the moving force behind the Mac maker’s high-rent location strategy.

Microsoft has been very profitably mass marketing Apple’s sloppy seconds for decades. There’s no better example of this symbiosis than the Zune, which in its fifth generation, is finally a real iPod competitor. Likewise, it took Redmond years to fully co-opt the original Mac OS with the release of Windows 95 and Windows 98.

Although there seems to be a fundamental disconnect between Microsoft’s largely OEM business model, which relies heavily on partners like HP and Dell to market its products, if the company works the problem long enough they will probably be able to match the Apple Store.

However, after more than 20 years of dumpster diving at 1 Infinite Loop, you’d think Redmond would be able to reproduce Apple concepts and products quite a bit faster than they do…

What’s your take?

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