Source: The Drum
In anticipation of Microsoft unveiling its workplace chat service in New York today (2 November), rival Slack took out a full-page ad in the New York Times letting the computing giant know it is in for a fight.
A full page of copy, penned by Slack chief Stewart Butterfield, warned Microsoft that its relationship with customers will not be easily replicated, ahead of the launch of ‘Microsoft Teams’.
It said: “We’ve spent tens of thousands of hours talking to customers and adapting Slack to find the grooves that match all those human quirks.
“The internal transparency and sense of shared purpose that Slack-using teams discover is not an accident. Tiny details make big differences.”
He concluded: “So welcome, Microsoft, to the revolution. We’re glad you’re going to be helping us define this new product category. We admire many of your achievements and know you’ll be a worthy competitor. We’re sure you’re going to come up with a couple of new ideas on your own too. And we’ll be right there, ready.”
Microsoft looks intent on entering the professional realm to the extent that it pitched in a massive $40bn in its acquisition of LinkedIn earlier this year.
The prospect of facing off against Microsoft clearly shocked Slack into posting the ad.
