I. Skype's Failure and Compensation
Last week, a failure in Skype caused login issues for millions of users, and Skype has finally provided an official explanation. According to Skype, the root cause of the problem was a combination of a Microsoft operating system patch and an error within the Skype software. Yesterday, TOM Online, Skype's domestic operator in China, announced that all users registered before August 18, 2007, would receive compensation in the form of a 30-minute free call card.
After the Skype failure occurred, the company actively informed users about the situation and proposed a compensation plan. Regardless of whether this plan is fully accepted by all users, their attitude at least appears sincere, and their approach proactive. The release of the compensation plan will undoubtedly re-attract many users who registered accounts in the past but did not use them, encouraging them to log back into Skype and potentially become active users again. After using up the 30 minutes of free calls provided by Skype as compensation, these users may even become paying customers. Additionally, with media exposure and positive evaluations from numerous bloggers, such extensive coverage will likely bring more potential users to Skype.
II. Failed Crisis PR Cases
There are not many successful examples of crisis public relations; more often, we see failures, including cases like Procter & Gamble's SK-II scandal and the Norton misclassification incident.