Since both pest control companies charge the same price per visit, the vice president’s logic implies that we should choose the company whose service does the least damage. However, this is not necessarily true. Pest control companies operate under different conditions, and the effects of their service on different types of food can vary. The fact that similar amounts of food have accumulated damage in warehouses operated by the two companies suggests that Fly-Away’s service has caused a greater amount of damage. Moreover, the vice president’s company has not investigated the possibility that the pest control service provided by Buzzoff was less effective than Fly-Away’s, and thus, the company could have paid more than necessary. Even if it did, the company’s customers could pay a higher price for food, resulting in lower profit. If the vice president’s company were to investigate both companies’ services and adopt the one that performs the best, it could save money as well as its reputation among its customers. Another factor to consider is whether the expenses associated with the services that each company provides are worth it. If the food in warehouses managed by Fly-Away is more susceptible to pest damage than food in warehouses managed by Buzzoff, the company may have to spend more of its resources protecting that food. If the food in warehouses managed by Fly-Away is not particularly susceptible to pest damage, the company may have to pay Fly-Away to perform services that do not improve its efficiency, which could result in lower profits.

Similarly, the price of pest control services does not measure the quality of the service. Some pest control services may damage more food than necessary, but they may also be more efficient. For example, the Buzzoff Pest Control Company may employ weapons or techniques that reduce damage to food, such as using natural predators to control pests. On the other hand, the Fly-Away Pest Control Company may use weapons or techniques that increase damage to food, such as using fire. Fly-Away’s services may also include additional costs, such as extra trips or use of additional personnel. The vice president’s company would have to compare the expenses associated with each company’s services and weigh them against the costs of obtaining food damaged by pest damage in order to determine which company provides the better service.

The recommendation and the argument on which it is based do not take into account the conditions in which each warehouse operates. The warehouses managed by Fly-Away and Buzzoff are located in different cities within the same state. Pest control services may differ from one location to another, and the same services in one city may be less effective than the same services in a different city. For example, a building that is surrounded by vegetation and located in a city with a tropical climate may have a different pest problem than a warehouse located in a city on a more arid climate. If the warehouses managed by Fly-Away and Buzzoff are located in different cities, the company would have to compare the conditions under which the businesses in each city function in order to determine which is the better option for the company. If the warehouses managed by Fly-Away and Buzzoff are located in the same city, the company would have to compare the conditions under which the warehouses function and weigh the effectiveness of the pest control services in each warehouse against the cost of those services.

In summary, neither the costs of the services that each company provides, nor the cost of pest control services, measure the quality of those services. Each company would have to conduct independent investigations to determine which company provides the better service.