Final answer:
Explicit service promises are false because they refer to clear commitments like guarantees, warranties, and service contracts, not non-personal communications. These promises provide customers with a formal assurance of service quality and recourse if standards are not met.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement about explicit service promises being defined as "any non-personal, paid-for communication between the customer and the seller" is false. Explicit service promises refer to clear and specific commitments made by a firm to the consumer, which generally include service elements such as guarantees, warranties, and service contracts. These explicit assurances act as a form of contractual agreement about the level of service the customer can expect and provide a basis for customer recourse if the service does not meet the promised standards. An example of this would be a money-back guarantee provided by a seller, offering reassurance to the buyer about the quality of the product and a clear remedy if the product fails to satisfy.