Microsoft is all set to launch Microsoft Teams, a new group messaging platform for its software suite, Office 365, aimed at unseating rival Slack. But Slack, which is a hot favorite among companies across the world has some friendly advice for the tech giant, so much so that it has taken out a full back-page ad in the New York Times, ahead of its competitor’s launch.
In an open letter, that’s also published on Slack’s blog, the company begins by congratulating Microsoft on the new product and then goes on to mock that it’s not the features that matter, it’s the craftsmanship and human aspects of the software.
“We’ve spent tens of thousands of hours talking to customers and adapting Slack to find the grooves that match all those human quirks,” says the Slack team. “The internal transparency and sense of shared purpose that Slack-using teams discover is not an accident. Tiny details make big differences.”
“You’re not going to create something people really love by making a big list of Slack’s features and simply checking those boxes.”
While acknowledging that Microsoft’s entry in the space, will “validate” its efforts, the company made it clear that Slack is going to stay.
“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.”
