PRINCETON REVIEW CR DOUBT:In a recent customer satisfaction

[Guest]

In a recent customer satisfaction survey, 2000 customers of a certain bank that had recently switched from live tellers to automated banking expressed dissatisfaction with their bank. They said that they felt alienated and insignificant, and that they believed their bank no longer cared for its customers. Many felt that the services offered were inadequate and that the banking options they desired were not present. Analysts of the banking industry have used the evidence gathered in this survey in their reports to warn banks that automation of banking procedures, while cost-efficient, leads to dissatisfaction among customers.

Which one of the following statements, if true, most forcefully undermines the conclusion of the banking industry analysts described above?

A) The customers surveyed were chosen at random, and represent a valid cross-section of the bank’s customer base.
B) The accuracy of bank record-keeping procedures has increased dramatically in recent years with the advent of advanced computers.
C) The bank in question had turned to the use of automated banking in response to customer complaints of poor service and general dissatisfaction.
D) Since the standardization of banking procedures is now controlled by federal law, the importance of banking options had declined significantly.
E) According to another survey, computerization and automation of certain other financial-services industries have led to increased client satisfaction

OA:E

I think it should be "C' rather than "E" because "E" is referring to "automation of certain other financial-services" but we are concerned with the automation of banking procedures. what say ?

[san]

Conclusion - Analysts of the banking industry have used the evidence gathered in this survey in their reports to warn banks that automation of banking procedures, while cost-efficient, leads to dissatisfaction among customers

Survey has determined that automation is causing dissatisfaction.

Decision based on the survey but if we can udermine the servey then we can attack the problem. Hence answer A.

Answer C can not be right. Bank can start automation to satisfy customer but customer can be dishappy with automation if it is not implemented properly. What if automatated teller is down at least half of the time.

E says that automation is great for CERTAIN finanical institute. Does not mean it is for bank we are considering.

[JonathanSchneider]

I would choose C as well. We are asked to weaken the conclusion. This can be done in two ways: by adding a new counter-premise, or by undermining an assumption in the argument. (Undermining an assumption is more difficult and more common.) There is an assumption in this argument, which is that the 2000 customers were unhappy BECAUSE of the new, automated system. We might not see this as an assumption because of the subtle sleight of hand in the argument. We are told that the customers feel insignificant, and that they think the bank no longer cares about them. It seems as though this is because of the new automated system; however, we cannot know that for sure - it could certainly be that these customers dislike the bank for other reasons. Choice C best negates the assumption - it shows us that the customers were already unhappy with this bank. As a result, the new survey might not be very worthwhile.

E is a good option, but second-best. A actually supports the conclusion - it makes the survey even more valid.