RIM’s PR Predicament
Research In Motion (RIM), the maker of the BlackBerry PDA, is locked in a colossal battle with NTP, the company that owns the patents behind Blackberry’s e-mail service. RIM thought it had reached a licensing agreement to use NTP’s technology but is now facing a suspension of its entire U.S. e-mail service.
NTP doesn’t have much to lose in this case. The company happens to own the patent (worth $450 million at minimum) to the world’s most popular wireless e-mail service.
By contrast, RIM has much at stake. The company has more than three million users — some would say addicts — who rely on it to receive wireless e-mail every day.
What are RIM’s public relations options in this case?
- Play the victim. RIM can blame NTP if the service shuts down. Playing the victim is a risky strategy that rarely works in business, especially for a company as successful as RIM. Steven Covey said it best: “Victimism gives your future away.”
- Promise a workaround. The company has alluded to a workaround that will maintain e-mail service even if RIM fails to reach a settlement with NTP. That’s all good, if we as BlackBerry consumers have enough time to install and test the fix. Don’t make us compete with three million fellow addicts to download a patch (an ironic name) on the last night. And, make sure it works, or we’ll all go buy a Treo.
- Promise a settlement. RIM’s stance so far has been to fight NTP at every turn in the courts. Changing its tone and promising a settlement would cause us to look up from our collective thumb keys and thank RIM for its newfound wisdom. Analysts have estimated the company can afford to pay the $1 billion they believe it will cost to settle the suit.
RIM has put up a good fight for what it believes are valid reasons. Maybe, it’s time to stop fighting for millions of dollars and start fighting for the millions of loyal users.
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