her mom answered, Jenny said, “Thank you so much for the offer, Mom, but no thanks. I know what I need to do. And please tell Dad thanks, too.” She hung up filled with a new determination.
But twenty minutes later as she pulled into the underground parking garage, she wasn’t feeling nearly as confident. Her stomach ached, and perspiration dampened her underarms. The large glass and steel building that housed North American Timber, LLC, was imposing to say the least. Scanning the directory, she found the name she was looking for. She took the elevator to the twenty-fifth floor.
After much persuasion and nearly an hour wait, she was escorted in to see the president and CEO, Mr. Kragen. She was tired of trying to get in through the bottom end. This time, straight to the top. She was so nervous she barely took in her surroundings except to note the large desk and bank of floor-to-ceiling windows.
“I have only ten minutes, Ms. Beckinsale.” Mr. Kragen said after his secretary had led Jenny into his office. “Please don’t waste my time.”
Sweat trickled down her back, and what little courage she had all but deserted her. She wanted nothing more than to get up and run, but the thought of another failure kept her firmly in place. “I would like to discuss your air travel needs.”
“We already have a service.”
“Yes,” Jenny began, taking one of the seats in front of him. “But I believe Blue Sky Air could serve your needs more efficiently.”
The older man leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over the front of his opened suit jacket. “And how is that?”
“I am aware that you and several of your executives commute to British Columbia three times a week.”
“Correct.”
“Unlike the current charter you are using, Blue Sky has a more scenic route. We circle over Snoqualmie Falls and go up the Cascades.”
Mr. Kragen unlocked his hands and sat forward. “If we wanted scenic, Ms. Beckinsale, we’d go on a vacation.”
Jenny felt herself floundering. She could feel his growing impatience and knew he was moments away from asking her to leave. Once more, failure seemed imminent. Then she saw Jared’s face and heard his words.
You’re a businesswoman, figure it out.
This time, his tone wasn’t biting but encouraging. As if he was challenging her to stretch her wings and find her way. “You’re exactly right, Mr. Kragen. I jumped the gun by starting to explain a few of our vacation packages. Our company would like to offer one to you free of charge so you can experience all Blue Sky Air has to offer. But first, let me tell you how we can be of benefit to your business.”
“Go on.”
Those two little words gave her more courage than she thought possible. “As we are both aware, the current charter business you use is in the heart of downtown Seattle.”
“A fact we find very convenient.”
Her confidence took a little nosedive. “Convenient, yes. Except during weekdays and rush hour traffic. Exactly the same time you are commuting. And as we both know, the congestion on I-5 causes major delays. I’m sure you have experienced them.”
“More often than I like.”
She shifted her weight in the chair. “That is the reason I believe Blue Sky would be a more convenient choice for your company, as we are located off of I-90. You would be traveling opposite of congestion. Also, if my research is correct, and I believe it is, two of your corporate officers live closer to Blue Sky Air than the current company you are using.”
Mr. Kragen braced his elbows on the desk. “You have done your homework, Ms. Beckinsale. I’m impressed. But while you have made some valid points, we have had a long and successful relationship with Emerald City Charters. We will be continuing to use their services.”
The familiar heavy weight of failure pressed down on her. Mr. Kragen scooted his chair back, and she knew it would only be mere moments before he dismissed her. Business is about the bottom line. Period. “Wait.” Her voice seemed loud in the room. “Please.”
“Ms. Beckinsale—”
She didn’t stop. “With the current rise in fuel costs, I am also aware that Emerald City Charters is charging your company a fuel surcharge. Our company has no such surcharge in effect. Additionally, to prove to you our heartfelt belief that Blue Sky Air is the only charter company that can fully and most conveniently meet your needs, we are prepared to offer you a twenty percent discount