A company is considering whether to invest in a new automated customer service system. Proponents argue that this system will reduce operational costs by replacing human agents and will improve customer satisfaction due to faster response times. Opponents, however, claim that while costs might decrease, customer satisfaction will decline because many customers prefer interacting with human agents. Which of the following is an assumption on which the proponents' argument relies?
- AThe company currently receives a high volume of customer inquiries, making automation necessary for efficiency.
- BCustomers prioritize speed of response over the nature of the interaction (human vs. automated).
- CThe new automated system will be able to handle all types of customer inquiries, including complex ones.
- DThe cost of developing and maintaining the automated system will be less than the salaries of the human agents it replaces.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Customers prioritize speed of response over the nature of the interaction (human vs. automated).
Proponents argue for improved customer satisfaction due to *faster response times*. This conclusion relies on the critical assumption that customers value speed *more* than or at least *as much as* they value interacting with a human. If customers prefer human interaction regardless of speed, then faster automated responses would not necessarily lead to improved satisfaction, thus undermining the proponents' argument. Option C directly states this necessary assumption.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. While a high volume might make automation desirable for efficiency, it's not a direct assumption for the claim that faster responses *will improve customer satisfaction*.
- C. This is a strong assumption, but the proponents' argument for *improved satisfaction due to faster response times* specifically hinges on customer preference for speed, not necessarily the system's ability to handle all inquiries.
- D. This is an assumption for the 'reduce operational costs' part of the argument, but not for the 'improve customer satisfaction' part, which is the focus of the opponents' counter-argument.
Identifying Assumptions
An assumption in an argument is an unstated premise that must be true for the conclusion to logically follow from the stated premises. It bridges the gap between the evidence and the conclusion.
- It's unstated.
- It's necessary for the conclusion.
- If false, the conclusion is weakened or invalid.
Memory trick: Assumptions are the unstated bridges that hold the argument together.