JumpStart Comments On Staff Removal

[Lady Lyuba]

Does this explain why the site is running worse than salted Slorgs?

 

This just had to happen during the quest event. I am so done with their rubbish.

[jellysundae]

"Unfortunately, a recent restructuring of our resources"

 

This sounds pretty obvious even for me that I'm a foreigner lol

They are still reducing costs because the site does not bring them profits anymore, so they aren't going to invest more money in it, logical isn't? I don't see any hope in getting it better.

Me, I'd be doubtful about Neo making no profits. For most of these companies it's not making a high enough level of profit. It's going to be interesting to see what further changes are made this year.

[asterisk_trine]

It's sad that TNT staff members are being laid off or fired. I can't imagine how frustrating it might have been for them. Lets hope things stay relatively the same on the site. I know it'll take time. Patients is a virtue and all that jazz.

[Hert123]

I would like jumpstart to go a mobile direction, but a proper one. A mobile app to access Neo and some of the most popular games translated to mobile, so it will attract more people of the same age (for people who are already on the site). Of course, I'm not an expert programmer so I do not know how much (work) this will cost, but I'm hoping they'll improve the mobile version of Neo. Releasing apps is definitely something for NOW, although it has to be a proper app, without bugs and glitches, available for everyone, with Facebook or not. Of course, after the desktop version of Neo has returned to a proper site, without lag/bugs/glitches!

[missemmielou]

Such a shame.

The lag is unbearable today and I've played Ghoul Catchers for the past two days and not received anything. Also snot splatter keeps sending my scores to be reviewed when they aren't high enough to warrant it! The sites gone downhill in the last 3 days!

 

Also Snarkie updated her tumblr http://snarkie.tumblr.com/post/113323934260/ow-my-inbox-my-apologies-friends-but-im-not

[jellysundae]

I would like jumpstart to go a mobile direction, but a proper one. A mobile app to access Neo and some of the most popular games translated to mobile, so it will attract more people of the same age (for people who are already on the site). Of course, I'm not an expert programmer so I do not know how much (work) this will cost, but I'm hoping they'll improve the mobile version of Neo. Releasing apps is definitely something for NOW, although it has to be a proper app, without bugs and glitches, available for everyone, with Facebook or not. Of course, after the desktop version of Neo has returned to a proper site, without lag/bugs/glitches!

I'd be really surprised if Jumpstart didn't move towards a more phone/tablet friendly site, it's what most sites are doing. My fear is things going so far that way (for the net in general) that people like me, who only have a computer for getting online, eventually start having the same issues that people trying to navigate using their phones on non-updated sites have now ^^;;

[Neopets9738368]

Spoken like a true CEO... *eyeroll*

I would love to play ghoul catchers, if the log in worked.

You think they would release an app without major glitches to launch new mobile content. I feel they need to get their dark battle ducks in order before releasing more content.

Hugs to the staff working around the clock to fix the site. I can't imagine how much data and coding they are sorting through.

[jellysundae]

Spoken like a true CEO... *eyeroll*

 

Lol, it so is, isn't it xD When they start spouting like that I find it hard to take anything they say seriously, because it is all spin.

[ClarityAvast]

Such a shame.

The lag is unbearable today and I've played Ghoul Catchers for the past two days and not received anything. Also snot splatter keeps sending my scores to be reviewed when they aren't high enough to warrant it! The sites gone downhill in the last 3 days!

 

Also Snarkie updated her tumblr http://snarkie.tumblr.com/post/113323934260/ow-my-inbox-my-apologies-friends-but-im-not

 

 

As far as I know, no one has ever stated openly anywhere on Neopets what score triggers a score review. However it is well known that Snot Splatter has reviewed all scores over a certain level for a long time, at least for over a year because that is when I first got the notice that they were reviewing my score. The first dozen times it happened were rather shocking. I don't cheat, and don't even know people who cheat. A couple of NFs explained that Snot Splatter has always routinely triggered a score review when the points achieved are above a certain level. Apparently score review was included in the original code for Snot Splatter and has been there since the game was first launched on Neopets.

 

In other words, Snot Splatter score review was actively used while Viacom still owned Neopets, and long before the Jumpstart purchase and recent staff changes.

[marthaclark]

This is my take on it.. (trying to apply my really (really) basic learning from organisational psychology)

 

This is really commonplace in mergers and takeovers. It's a phenomenon that has been studied to death since 80s I believe (when mergers and corporate takeovers were suddenly everywhere). Problems seem to arise from differences in organisational culture.. and culture is hard to even pinpoint and explain exactly because it's not something you can walk in and "see". You have to experience the clash in practical terms - like imagine two factions of people singing together but actually from a completely different hymn book (and it can effect everything from how things are done to why they are done). It's very unlikely to be in harmony. I think the prevailing method of dealing with this is to replace a majority of older staff from the company that was taken over.. particularly at management or mid management levels...

 

I think Snarkie's tumblr update is very telling in this way too: she definitely doesn't want people to think they were fired. It really wouldn't be that they've been "fired" and this may have been on the cards at the merger: to give over a site is to give over a lot of control and I'm sure a lot of people were predicting / preparing for an exit anyway. We don't know if the organisation was dying slowly before the takeover! Maybe the takeover was supposed to reinvigorate Neopets. People who don't want to be part of the vision for re invigoration (for whatever reason) more than likely had a great package to encourage them to walk away.

 

I don't feel very optimistic about the future. Only a small minority of takeovers succeed - I think up to 90% fail? I don't know how recent/accurate that figure is though.. it's just what i have in my head.

 

To be honest I'm glad I stopped being premium when I did in a lot of ways. I feel like they are forcibly downsizing their audience. Like they only want die hard fans and that's it! I think that might explain why they don't advertise too.

 

But I'm in many ways happy for TNT - they are leaving behind a great era of gaming innovation online and all signs indicate they might have been very ready to. They are now free to pursue new adventures! Meanwhile Jumpstart will have to struggle to put their stamp on a brand and long time neopet fans will more than likely want to resist that. It's not going to be easy for them.

[loraleigh]

"And I really hope that they gave generous severance packages and plenty of notice."

I have worked at companies that offered me a "generous" severance package. They almost never come with any notice! Corporate thinking is that if given notice you will either sabotage operations or steal clients. You usually find all your email and address book locked before the reveal. I recommend using one or more professional networking sites to avoid this lock out. Professional relationships made while working for a company should not be considered intellectual property.

 

Sadly trust between employee and employer has become the victim of corporate progress. When budgets get tight pruning benefits receiving employees and outsourcing are common ways to return to profitability in the short run even if it hurts the company in the long run. After a few cycles of applying this method the upper management is invited to use their own golden parachutes. However the damage has been done by then.

 

I wish those impacted the best,

Laura

[hrtbrk]

I have worked at companies that offered me a "generous" severance package. They almost never come with any notice! Corporate thinking is that if given notice you will either sabotage operations or steal clients. You usually find all your email and address book locked before the reveal. I recommend using one or more professional networking sites to avoid this lock out. Professional relationships made while working for a company should not be considered intellectual property.

 

Sadly trust between employee and employer has become the victim of corporate progress. When budgets get tight pruning benefits receiving employees and outsourcing are common ways to return to profitability in the short run even if it hurts the company in the long run. After a few cycles of applying this method the upper management is invited to use their own golden parachutes. However the damage has been done by then.

 

I wish those impacted the best,

Laura

 

I'm pretty sure that's what happened in this case, as many people have probably seen already. They didn't have any notice at all and found out in the worst way possible. :(

 

Once the wound heals a little bit, I have no doubt that the people affected by this will find far greener pastures.