Just recently, Microsoft unveiled their own range of dedicated stores in which they"ll showcase their software and technologies, as well as directly compete with the opposing Apple Stores. Of course, with stores, you"ll need managers and sales staff, which is apparently where Apple comes in. According to anonymous sources that spoke to The Loop, the Redmond-based software company has been offering jobs with higher pay and benefits to staff in Apple Stores, hoping to draw them away from the competition.
How it"s working is that Microsoft offers a job to an Apple Store manager, who then takes the position and contacts the employees he or she once reigned over, hoping to get them to jump ship as well; to help persuade them, it is said that Microsoft has even offered to cover moving costs in some circumstances. This is, understandably, a very enticing offer for most, though it"s unclear how well it"s working out so far.
Some believe this is a rather clever move from Microsoft, even though others might think it"s a bit wrong; by taking the top sales people from Apple, Microsoft can grow and Apple will suffer. As The Loop reminds us, it was revealed in July that Microsoft"s stores were to be modeled after Apple"s, with product tables on display and even a Genius Bar equivalent, named the Guru Bar.