Preserving Trust at Care.com (A)

Care.com was an online platform designed to match caregivers with individuals seeking care for themselves, others, and pets, through job postings, caregiver profiles, and directories of local day care centers. In March 2019, the Wall Street Journal had just published a 2,900-word investigative piece detailing potential trust and safety concerns of customers of Care.com. The success of Care.com’s business model required individuals to trust the platform enough to leave their children or elderly relatives with caregivers found through Care.com. If unaddressed, the claims in the Wall Street Journal might undermine that trust. Care.com’s leadership team had to decide how to respond to the article and evaluate whether Care.com’s existing safety measures were sufficient. The (A) case describes the situation facing the management and the company's initial response.