When Microsoft’s vendor partners shipped their first Windows Phone 7 devices last year, they hardly seemed to back up the launches with the kind of marketing efforts that might position the platform to succeed against established rivals like Android and iOS. Reportedly, “secret shoppers” from Microsoft have since been snooping in stores and discovering that sales staff were largely uneducated about the platform, often confusing it with the older Windows Mobile operating system. The Redmond-based company is trying a different tactic for its new Windows Phone Mango devices, however. In preparation for the upcoming release, Microsoft and HTC are training “hundreds” of sales staff on to use and sell the platform, head of Windows Phone marketing at Microsoft Achim Berg recently told Bloomberg. In addition, the company will also put more effort into its marketing campaigns according to the report. Microsoft’s latest Windows Phone Mango operating system is expected to be deployed to Windows Phone devices this fall alongside the release of a new batch of Mango smartphones.
