mayankgupta01 wrote:
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.
Please explain the answer with reasoning?
Some of the answer choices are ambiguous and could equally apply.
Example: B, C and E (the official answer).
B is also possible as an answer. It states that the accuracy of certain banking procedures has dramatically improved. Although this does not directly relate to customer satisfaction measured in the survey, it could potentially lead to improved satisfaction later on. Therefore, this could undermine the analysts' conclusion that automation could lead to lower customer satisfaction.
C is also possible as an answer. It states that the bank implemented certain automated procedures due to customer complaints of bad service and dissatisfaction. This could imply that the bank attempted to improve customer satisfaction through new procedures. Therefore, this could undermine the analysts conclusion that automation could lead to lower customer satisfaction.
E is possible, but it is less preferable to the former choices. This talks about another survey that that showed that automation improved satisfaction. However, the question stem talks of a different survey that showed opposite results (decreased satisfaction). Both surveys are valid. There is no reason to doubt the analysts conclusion which is based on this different survey that showed decreased satisfaction.
The actual GMAT will not have such ambiguous questions. GMAC throroughly tests all questions on multiple fronts.