A policy argues that extending customer-service hours will boost sales because it makes it easier for customers to contact support. The underlying assumption is:

• A. Customers will purchase more if they can contact support easily.
• B. Customers will not respond to support contact.
• C. Extending hours will not affect sales.
• D. Costs of extending hours are negligible.

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is the assumed link between how easy it is to contact customer support and whether customers end up buying. The policy argues that longer service hours will boost sales because easier contact makes it more likely customers will reach help and complete purchases. The implicit belief here is that when contact is easier, customers are more inclined to buy, so purchases rise. That direct connection—ease of contact leading to higher sales—is why this option is the best fit.

Why the others don’t fit as the underlying assumption: if customers wouldn’t respond to support contact, making contact easier wouldn’t drive more sales. If extending hours wouldn’t affect sales, the argument wouldn’t stand. If the question were about costs being negligible, it would address feasibility, not the causal link between accessibility and purchasing behavior. The key idea the argument relies on is that easier access to support increases the likelihood of buying.