While Microsoft is known for developing software for competing platforms such as Mac OS and iOS, it looks like the company doesn’t want its own sales and marketing group to be purchasing such devices with company funds. According to an alleged leaked internal email, Microsoft’s Sales, Marketing, Services, IT & Operations Group (SMSG)’s chief financial officer announced that there will be a new policy in place that says “Apple products (Mac & iPad) should not be purchased with company funds.”
It makes sense since you don’t expect your own employees to purchase competitors’ products with your money, but it’s probably going to cause some unrest with the not-so-loyal staff working in Microsoft’s SMSG. We can’t verify whether the email is true or not (ZDNet seems to think so) but you can read the complete message after the break:
From: Alain Crozier
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 1:17 PM
Subject: Apple Purchases
Within SMSG we are putting in place a new policy that says that Apple products (Mac & iPad) should not be purchased with company funds.
In the US we will be turning off the Apple products from the Zones Catalog next week, which is the standard purchasing mechanism for these products.
Outside of the US — we will work with your finance and procurement teams to send the right message and put the right processes in place.
The current purchase levels are low, however we recognize there will be a bit of transition work associated with this. Details of historical purchases in the US are provided in the attachment to help understand the changes that will be needed.Thank you for your support and leadership on this.
Alain Crozier
CFO | WW Sales, Marketing & Services Group
WW SMSG Finance
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