“Attention all Microsoft employees. Is this thing on? As I was going to say, the only approved mobile smart phone that can be used on the Microsoft campus is a Windows Mobile phone. That means no BlackBerrys, Google Androids, and above all, NO iPhones. You know who you are, so cut it out!” All joking aside Microsoft employees are having to hide their iPhones from management.
Cult of Mac reports on a Wall Street Journal piece that iPhones are frowned upon at the Microsoft campus in Seattle. This must make it difficult for Microsoft employees to hide their iPhones from management. I mean if they use their iPhones like I use mine it would seem impossible for someone not to notice that they are using it. I practically use mine for everything at work. I use it to take notes during meetings, or I write down information for something important, then I email it to myself for later review. I’ve even take pictures of areas or equipment and email them to my boss.
However, recently Microsoft went as far as to only allow the expensing of Windows Mobile smart phones. So, that leaves out BlackBerrys, Google Androids, and iPhones. They didn’t say you can’t buy them or that you can only buy a Microsoft Mobile smart phone, Microsoft just won’t expense any other smart phone but their own. I can understand brand loyalty, but this is getting down right childish.
Whenever someone asks me what kind of smartphone they should get I always tell them to get an iPhone, and I explain to them the good and bad points of the iPhone. I mean it’s their money, so if they want a Google Android or a Blackberry smart phone that’s their decision. I’m not going to force them to get something that they will be unhappy with for two years. However, most of the time they come back and say that they wished they got an iPhone because of x, y, and z reasons.
I remember reading some months back that Microsoft held a company meeting, in which an unsuspecting employee used his iPhone to snap a picture of Steve Ballmer. Ballmer saw what this employee had done and decided to make an example of this poor guy. He snagged the phone from his hand and took it on stage where he proceeded to pretend to step on the iPhone. Really Ballmer? You’re going to take your employee’s phone and make a spectacle of him because he’s got an iPhone? Grow up. I’m not sure what the outcome was with the guys iPhone. I’m guessing he got it back, but he probably also got stern talking to from Ballmer.
I understand brand loyalty all to well. However, you shouldn’t berate your employees over their phone selection. If you want your employees to use your products why not make a product that they will want to use? Just saying.
Photo Credit: IMG_3769
Article Via Cult of Mac
