improved customer service is the best way for us to differentiate ourselves from competitors and attract new customers.

Arguement:

“We believe that improved customer service is the best way for us to differentiate ourselves from competitors and attract new customers.  We can offer our customers better service by reducing waiting time in teller lines from an average of six minutes to an average of three.  By opening business at 8:30 instead of 9:00, and by remaining open for an additional hour beyond our current closing time, we will be better able to accommodate the busy schedules of our customers.  These changes will enhance our bank’s image as the most customer-friendly bank in town and give us the edge over our competition.”

Question:

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and use the evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refuse the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion. 

Answer:

The argument states that better customer service differentiates and makes the bank stronger among competition.  Shortening waiting time and longer operation hours are examples.  However, there are some flaws make the statement unreasonable.  

The first issue to be addressed is a premise that waiting time and operation hours are considered as customer service.  To be known as customer-friendly, faster service and more convenient operation hours are not enough.  As a bank, for example, friendly behavior to customers with a good manner is important because most customers go to a bank to see its consultants.  Imagine if a staff looks angry while the bank provides quick operation.  There are more aspects to be considered.  

Also, the author relies on the idea that customer service contributes the best to make the bank stronger over competition.  That is not the case.  Customers do not expect the bank to treat them nicely but to generate profits on their assets.  Customers will go away to another one if yield rate is very low No matter how friendly the bank is.  For instance, there is a phenomenon that many customers change their main bank to an internet banking corporation, where higher yield is available but no consultation service, from an ordinary bank, where friendly customer service is always available but low yield rate.  The author should not forget what the bank exists for.  

Finally, employee's motivation and working condition need to be considered.  This argument is based on the premise that staffs would provide as friendly customer service as the bank expects.  However, motivation towards work would be dramatically decreased if operation hour suddenly gets longer without additional welfare.  They will get tired more easily so that quality of service will be lower as well.  The author must analyze how to get all employees to follow a policy of customer-friendly service otherwise its service will get even worse.  

While it may seem true that better customer service is the most helpful to make the bank distinct over other banks, it is not enough convincing due to some critical false premises.  The author must consider all kinds of service the bank provides, products and yield of the bank, and its employees.  Before any conclusion is made, any possible case must be analyzed.