Comments on: Microsoft deploying ‘Gurus’ as part of their $300 million marketing campaign http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/09/05/microsoft-deploying-gurus-as-part-of-their-300-million-marketing-campaign/ Gadgets, gear and computer hardware. Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:25:37 -0500 hourly 1 By: thebonafortuna http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/09/05/microsoft-deploying-gurus-as-part-of-their-300-million-marketing-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-873438 thebonafortuna Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:50:20 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=40068#comment-873438 Are you guys serious? A ripoff of the "Genius's" at the Apple store? A) They work in retail, so MENSA probably isn't beating down their door, and B) Since when is having trained sales people in your stores such a novel concept? Sales people who can also work on their products have been around a while...possibly (definitely) since before Apple launched their first store. Apple is a great innovator, no doubt about that. But to start crediting them with concepts that have been around for so long is silly. And to accuse M$ of copying Apple is, in this case anyways, also silly. Maybe they modeled the training or approach after Apple's "Geniuses", but Apple didn't come up with the concept. That being said, it would be funny to see the role of the "Guru" degenerate into a Geek Squad employee specializing in Microsoft products. When people start bringing their buggy Windows machines in to get fixed, and that starts taking up the majority of the "Guru's" day, it might defeat the purpose. Are you guys serious? A ripoff of the “Genius’s” at the Apple store?

A) They work in retail, so MENSA probably isn’t beating down their door, and
B) Since when is having trained sales people in your stores such a novel concept? Sales people who can also work on their products have been around a while…possibly (definitely) since before Apple launched their first store.

Apple is a great innovator, no doubt about that. But to start crediting them with concepts that have been around for so long is silly. And to accuse M$ of copying Apple is, in this case anyways, also silly.

Maybe they modeled the training or approach after Apple’s “Geniuses”, but Apple didn’t come up with the concept.

That being said, it would be funny to see the role of the “Guru” degenerate into a Geek Squad employee specializing in Microsoft products. When people start bringing their buggy Windows machines in to get fixed, and that starts taking up the majority of the “Guru’s” day, it might defeat the purpose.

]]> By: Peter Ha http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/09/05/microsoft-deploying-gurus-as-part-of-their-300-million-marketing-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-873236 Peter Ha Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:51:41 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=40068#comment-873236 Yes, yes, it's a clear-cut clone of Apple's Genius' and I was trying to steer clear of that comparison, but you guys caught me. You wouldn't want to see a throw down between GS and MS? Yes, yes, it’s a clear-cut clone of Apple’s Genius’ and I was trying to steer clear of that comparison, but you guys caught me. You wouldn’t want to see a throw down between GS and MS?

]]> By: Kyle http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/09/05/microsoft-deploying-gurus-as-part-of-their-300-million-marketing-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-873161 Kyle Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:16:02 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=40068#comment-873161 You know I hate to say it, because in all honesty I am a bit of a MS fanboy. I own two vista laptops, and use only Windows Mobile phones....that being said this does totally sound like a Mac Genius rip-off. And seriously, when you walk into best buy and circuit city, and there are about 40 MS laptops and 4-5 apples laptops, do you really need some pushy MS guy selling you on the laptop that is $400 cheaper than the Apple one? You know I hate to say it, because in all honesty I am a bit of a MS fanboy. I own two vista laptops, and use only Windows Mobile phones….that being said this does totally sound like a Mac Genius rip-off. And seriously, when you walk into best buy and circuit city, and there are about 40 MS laptops and 4-5 apples laptops, do you really need some pushy MS guy selling you on the laptop that is $400 cheaper than the Apple one?

]]> By: Scott http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/09/05/microsoft-deploying-gurus-as-part-of-their-300-million-marketing-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-873115 Scott Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:59:00 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=40068#comment-873115 These sound less like Geek Squad agents and more like the Apple Store Genius folks. MS again stealing ideas from Cuppertino. These sound less like Geek Squad agents and more like the Apple Store Genius folks. MS again stealing ideas from Cuppertino.

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