The Microsoft Shopping Experience

 

Today is my first day with the Microsoft Surface.  I was reading all the launch reviews like I usually do when some exciting new tech gadget is announced.  While my wife and I were at dinner, Friday night, she mentioned that she'd seen a news story about the new Microsoft tablet and that there was what TV called a "pop-up" Microsoft Store in the neighboring community of Frisco, TX.  She asked me if I wanted to drive over there and see the new tablet first hand.  My wife is very tolerant of my fascination with shiny objects, and this was very cool of her to make this suggestion, so I jumped at the opportunity.

 

At the Microsoft Store, I was able to spend some hands-on time with a demo model and confirm that remote desktop connect (a mission critical app for me) was included and that it would work with my virtual server. It is included (even though the sales rep insisted it wasn’t) and it worked fabulously. Unfortunately, they were sold out.  The sales rep said another shipment was arriving overnight.

This morning, after my weekly Saturday morning breakfast with a couple of friends, I decided to head back over to Frisco and see if I could score a Surface Tablet.

There was a line, but not bad….

Several Microsoft event staff were there to take our orders and answer our questions while we waited in line. They also offered us breakfast bars and bottled water.   Blue is apparently the most popular touch cover at this location (I chose red).  Most of the people I saw in line were selecting colored covers rather than choosing the $599 bundle with black cover.  One software developer in line near me selected the type cover.  It was only slightly thicker than my touch cover.  I chose the 32 GB model with the red touch cover and I also purchased the VGA and HDMI adapters. 

When I got to the front of the line, they called my name and had my order bagged and ready.  They rang me up and asked if I wanted to stick around for the "out of box experience" (aka set-up).  I opted to do that because I didn't want to go all the way home and find out something was not working.  I asked and was told that they had a 14-day return policy, contrary to a blog post that I read that there were no open-box returns.  The whole wait, order, and set-up took only an hour and I was very impressed by the way the Microsoft staff handled the event.  They opened up with a ra-ra Microsoft cheer at 10AM and their enthusiasm and excitement about the product was evident as they helped the customer in line.  Apple may have pioneered the modern computer shopping experience, but these Microsoft employees have learned how to execute good customer service as well.