Habbox International Side

[Foregetfuhl]

Need to actually work from the top down to be honest. International has nothing to work on if it has no one doing anything for it. We actually have a fair amount of international DJs, about 16 at the moment. We need 24 for me to be happy with them. I've already said I want an international assistant RM because it is sorely needed and they need the help and dedication from someone in management just like the EU staff get from Mark and myself. I try to as much as I can for the international people but I feel like I'm personally letting them down because I physically can't give them that support during THEIR peak times. As always my idea was shot down because apparently we don't need an international person managing them. Apparently Habbox wants to be stuck in it's 2008 ways before merge and just keep going down rather than up. I'm going to say this once. Habbox is in a state of pre-merge and until it gets out of it it isn't going to even remotely start to get better. We're pretty much cutting off 60% of the Habbo community who could potentially be involved with Habbox because there's nothing on our site to entice them and to show them we are focused as Habbo.com and not a Habbo.co.uk website.

I'd like to see recruitment fair happen. I want to see a push from general management to actually do what other sites are doing. But until they get your heads down from the clouds and forget about the past and stop being oblivious to what can be done and focus on what other fansites have achieved by going fully global it won't happen.

[Inseriousity.]

There are currently no plans to hire international managers. I've just recently had this debate with Jade and I know she disagrees with my stance on this but beyond the rhetoric, I am just not convinced and think there are a few assumptions about them that do not add up.

International managers will bring in international people

If this were true then the Habbox Help Desk should, in theory, have more international members of staff as the manager is American and the assistant manager is Australian so that covers all those timezones. They currently have 1 non-UK member of staff. If it's not the title then it's something else.

Other fansites have them

If other fansites have them and they have a more active international presence, this means it's worked and we should introduce them too. However, it's not necessarily proof that it's that factor that contributed to that success. There could be a whole variety of factors involved in that success and it's not apparent how much international managers actually contribute (I will expand on this in the point below).

Action only comes from the top

This is the clincher for me. You say we need a leader. My question is, does a genuine/good leader need a title to lead? I am against hiring international managers because I do not think they are the solution. The solution is empowerment. For example, you say that it's embarrassing to DJ to 10 listeners. I've always wondered why it's seemingly the job of management to boost your listeners. Of course, that's what management do but they can't do it alone. I believe this is a grassroots issue. To get more international members, we need our international staff on the ground, showing the Habbos on at the times that those from the UK can't reach just what a great fansite we are. If you only have 10 listeners, what are you personally doing to increase them? You don't need any management, international or otherwise, to get yourself involved with Habbo. You don't need any management, international or otherwise, for you to show leadership qualities. We don't want to hire managers who can become leaders, we want to hire managers who've shown they can already lead, who can show us creativity and what they've done to help improve the departments they work in even though it's above and beyond simple minimums. Instead of waiting around for someone else to take charge, I challenge you to lead the charge, regardless of your official title (for example, I've been informed that Grig has recently brought in several international DJs despite only being a Head DJ and not having a management title and I imagine he would do the same even if he was just a radio DJ because that's just who he is). Only then will we see improvement*. It seems to me that people stop themselves from taking charge because they automatically assume that management would stop them when it is actually a management's dream come true that someone would organise an event off their own back, for example.

*I should probably point out that compared to a year ago, both events and HxL have seen a vast improvement in covering international times. Events, for example, used to stop at 10pm and you could guarantee there wouldn't be another one until at least 11am.

[Samantha]

What I believe may be a problem and the fact we're still in pre-merge times as some put it is the fact that the General Management team don't know about every department, some of them only know what they're doing in a couple and really it may also be the reason why some of them [the departments] are still stuck without updates from years ago. Firstly, there's not one who knows a thing about Rare Values, we're still waiting for updates from 2009 that David failed to do, but then again he didn't know about the department either. Matt is having to spread himself further due to away time so is attempting to look after some departments, but he may not have knowledge of them or know how to improve them.

This isn't a dig at the team, but if you're the (A)GM you should know something about each department on your side or want to learn about them instead of just brushing it off as you're confused. No one knows straightaway what to do in the department, they all had to learn too. We have no international person in the GM team, that's not their fault, but if we don't do something or look forward, or even if they don't try attempt to learn how to improve the international side then Habbox isn't going to get better. It'll just stay the same or get worse.

---------- Post added 14-07-2013 at 04:33 PM ----------
@Inseriousity.; Help Desk have 2 non-UK members, I know it's not much of a difference though .

[Foregetfuhl]

HxHD aren't even TRYING to get International people in so your point for HxHD is completely invalid.

As far as I'm aware events and HabboxLive are the only two departments that are stressing out about the fact that they have no one in the department for international people. We have a few and yes people have been pushing for it. But if they have been pushing and if they have been coming up with these ideas then they deserve full recognition to further there potentional instead of being stuck in a position where they cannot do a whole load of things that myself and Mark can do. Effectively when we reach capacity we will have 25 international DJs without the guidance and leadership of a manager in their timezone. So therefore effectively those 25 people will be receiving nothing except for something from a Head DJ. I'm sure I am right in saying the majority of my DJs like to come to myself or Mark in regards to a lot of their issues and it is not fair on them to not have immediate feedback from management because GM physically don't want to get out of the stone ages and focus on something that could be done to improve it. It isn't about a title it is about giving people a CHANCE to make a change and to do something so that we will ACTUALLY be achieving something like the other fansites are. It irritates me to think that you really think Habbox should stay structured as it is and you cannot see the benefits from going global rather than focusing on our EU community how about you actually focus on the community as a WHOLE. Because from where I am coming from anyone outside of Europe gains NOTHING.

When Gemma was here we had WAY MORE international presence than we had UK and THAT WAS COMING FROM THE TOP not from the bottom or a Head DJ. That just highlights the fact that if there is someone focused on those times, granted that the EU was bad under her, it proves that someone focusing on those timezones FROM THOSE TIMEZONES in a management position actually helps. Having three managements, one on EU, one on Int and one as an overall will make it tonnes easier for us and will make it tonnes better in way of community and in way of staffing.

What I believe may be a problem and the fact we're still in pre-merge times as some put it is the fact that the General Management team don't know about every department, some of them only know what they're doing in a couple and really it may also be the reason why some of them [the departments] are still stuck without updates from years ago. Firstly, there's not one who knows a thing about Rare Values, we're still waiting for updates from 2009 that David failed to do, but then again he didn't know about the department either. Matt is having to spread himself further due to away time so is attempting to look after some departments, but he may not have knowledge of them or know how to improve them.

This isn't a dig at the team, but if you're the (A)GM you should know something about each department on your side or want to learn about them instead of just brushing it off as you're confused. No one knows straightaway what to do in the department, they all had to learn too. We have no international person in the GM team, that's not their fault, but if we don't do something or look forward, or even if they don't try attempt to learn how to improve the international side then Habbox isn't going to get better. It'll just stay the same or get worse.

Pretty spot on to be honest.

[lemons]

HxHD aren't even TRYING to get International people in so your point for HxHD is completely invalid.

As far as I'm aware events and HabboxLive are the only two departments that are stressing out about the fact that they have no one in the department for international people. We have a few and yes people have been pushing for it. But if they have been pushing and if they have been coming up with these ideas then they deserve full recognition to further there potentional instead of being stuck in a position where they cannot do a whole load of things that myself and Mark can do. Effectively when we reach capacity we will have 25 international DJs without the guidance and leadership of a manager in their timezone. So therefore effectively those 25 people will be receiving nothing except for something from a Head DJ. I'm sure I am right in saying the majority of my DJs like to come to myself or Mark in regards to a lot of their issues and it is not fair on them to not have immediate feedback from management because GM physically don't want to get out of the stone ages and focus on something that could be done to improve it. It isn't about a title it is about giving people a CHANCE to make a change and to do something so that we will ACTUALLY be achieving something like the other fansites are. It irritates me to think that you really think Habbox should stay structured as it is and you cannot see the benefits from going global rather than focusing on our EU community how about you actually focus on the community as a WHOLE. Because from where I am coming from anyone outside of Europe gains NOTHING.

When Gemma was here we had WAY MORE international presence than we had UK and THAT WAS COMING FROM THE TOP not from the bottom or a Head DJ. That just highlights the fact that if there is someone focused on those times, granted that the EU was bad under her, it proves that someone focusing on those timezones FROM THOSE TIMEZONES in a management position actually helps. Having three managements, one on EU, one on Int and one as an overall will make it tonnes easier for us and will make it tonnes better in way of community and in way of staffing.



Pretty spot on to be honest.

PREACH

[despect]

HxHD aren't even TRYING to get International people in so your point for HxHD is completely invalid.

As far as I'm aware events and HabboxLive are the only two departments that are stressing out about the fact that they have no one in the department for international people. We have a few and yes people have been pushing for it. But if they have been pushing and if they have been coming up with these ideas then they deserve full recognition to further there potentional instead of being stuck in a position where they cannot do a whole load of things that myself and Mark can do. Effectively when we reach capacity we will have 25 international DJs without the guidance and leadership of a manager in their timezone. So therefore effectively those 25 people will be receiving nothing except for something from a Head DJ. I'm sure I am right in saying the majority of my DJs like to come to myself or Mark in regards to a lot of their issues and it is not fair on them to not have immediate feedback from management because GM physically don't want to get out of the stone ages and focus on something that could be done to improve it. It isn't about a title it is about giving people a CHANCE to make a change and to do something so that we will ACTUALLY be achieving something like the other fansites are. It irritates me to think that you really think Habbox should stay structured as it is and you cannot see the benefits from going global rather than focusing on our EU community how about you actually focus on the community as a WHOLE. Because from where I am coming from anyone outside of Europe gains NOTHING.

When Gemma was here we had WAY MORE international presence than we had UK and THAT WAS COMING FROM THE TOP not from the bottom or a Head DJ. That just highlights the fact that if there is someone focused on those times, granted that the EU was bad under her, it proves that someone focusing on those timezones FROM THOSE TIMEZONES in a management position actually helps. Having three managements, one on EU, one on Int and one as an overall will make it tonnes easier for us and will make it tonnes better in way of community and in way of staffing.



Pretty spot on to be honest.

Agreed with all the above, we are working very hard on getting a more solid international side to keep the radio on during the early hours of the morning. Which is why we have been planning at international fair where people from outside the UK can come to the fair and actually register their interest and hopefully get them a trial. Although, HxHD and Habboxlive are two DIFFERENT departments.

Having an assistant radio manager for the international side of things is going to actually increase the amount of international applications we are currently getting, tbh i'd say we have done pretty damn well with what we have, a lot of international DJs have actually been putting in a real big effort so if anything they deserve to be noticed.

[Chug!]

HxHD aren't even TRYING to get International people in so your point for HxHD is completely invalid.

As far as I'm aware events and HabboxLive are the only two departments that are stressing out about the fact that they have no one in the department for international people. We have a few and yes people have been pushing for it. But if they have been pushing and if they have been coming up with these ideas then they deserve full recognition to further there potentional instead of being stuck in a position where they cannot do a whole load of things that myself and Mark can do. Effectively when we reach capacity we will have 25 international DJs without the guidance and leadership of a manager in their timezone. So therefore effectively those 25 people will be receiving nothing except for something from a Head DJ. I'm sure I am right in saying the majority of my DJs like to come to myself or Mark in regards to a lot of their issues and it is not fair on them to not have immediate feedback from management because GM physically don't want to get out of the stone ages and focus on something that could be done to improve it. It isn't about a title it is about giving people a CHANCE to make a change and to do something so that we will ACTUALLY be achieving something like the other fansites are. It irritates me to think that you really think Habbox should stay structured as it is and you cannot see the benefits from going global rather than focusing on our EU community how about you actually focus on the community as a WHOLE. Because from where I am coming from anyone outside of Europe gains NOTHING.

When Gemma was here we had WAY MORE international presence than we had UK and THAT WAS COMING FROM THE TOP not from the bottom or a Head DJ. That just highlights the fact that if there is someone focused on those times, granted that the EU was bad under her, it proves that someone focusing on those timezones FROM THOSE TIMEZONES in a management position actually helps. Having three managements, one on EU, one on Int and one as an overall will make it tonnes easier for us and will make it tonnes better in way of community and in way of staffing.



Pretty spot on to be honest.

This.

But basically, in simple terms :

After being at HFFM though, their International side works well, surely it's good to move forward... get bigger - and better, ofcourse.

[Logandyer45]

I agree with Jade. HxHD doesn't have ANYBODY. I was HxHD staff and I resigned due to me not being able to do the times. Jade is also correct on the Habboxlive side of this argument. We have been gaining International DJ's like crazy. Me being one, I stay up most nights since it is Summer break, but when you DJ from the International side, you think "Will I ever be Manager to fix any current problems?" Well, if you see it, complaining that we don't have any International DJ's or let alone Managers, is not gonna cut it. Get out, go advertise. Not that hard. I have spoke with Jade the past 12 hours, me and her are working on a way to get more DJ's, and watch, tonight, we will have listeners booming the roof. I promise you that. Anyways, I however agree with Jade. She is correct. Mike, you are wrong, an Int. RM would work. It would give the Int. people a chance to come. Think of it. 12am BST/7pm EDT. Who is more likely to DJ?

[iMattster]

This really tells me that something can be done. Yes, It can start with management by asking

Hell, Ill happily ask to be a manager. If they want an Intl RM (even if its Assistant) Ill put my hand up. I wont get it, but if no one else will, I will if they want.

--- Added minutes later

After finding out Grig is in Hong Kong (my time zone, and -2hrs from AEST), get him to do it if we're gunna have one. Thats just my 2 cents. Im not gunna whinge if you ignore it completely.

[Samantha]

Hell, Ill happily ask to be a manager. If they want an Intl RM (even if its Assistant) Ill put my hand up. I wont get it, but if no one else will, I will if they want.

It doesn't work like that, you'd have to be a Head DJ most probably before they'd even consider you, unless you had previous experience at Habbox like it before. Also, Habbox doesn't and won't work like that. If someone was to ask, I would prefer someone I knew had been at Habbox for ages, had the experience and wanted to take it places. Only one person springs to mind when I say that and he knows who he is; I think everyone knows who I'm talking about really.

Also, I fully agree with those saying we need an international manager, it's not the title, but that person can mould the international radio side, it can be their project and honestly they cannot do that if they're not a manager, a Head DJ needs the feedback from a manager, a manager can do something on their own accord usually. An international manager isn't someone who will just shape the Habbox Live side, but knowing that the radio is getting that treatment people will begin going to the non BST/GMT events, get the word out and around more and just improve Habbox in general with their presence, drive and ideas.