<USS Avalon> Rule of Acquisition #194: It?s Always Good Business To Know Your Customers Before They Walk In The Door

Rule of Acquisition #194: It?s Always Good Business To Know Your Customers 
Before They Walk In The Door. 

By Lieutenant First Class Alder Shimbrodus

"I don?t get this. How is someone as new as Torien become senior so quickly and 
at the same time get half the company on her side? Granted, they do have a 
point- about me and my lack of experience, but isn?t the group also seasoned 
enough to know when to take the risk?" Alder said frustrated, looking back at 
the computer terminal as he paced back and forth.

Capelan smiled, "I understand your... confusion. Torien is- if anything- a very 
astute business woman. She?s ruthless when it comes to her job, which was why 
she was immediately placed as a second senior to this... council of business 
partners. As for the rest, my half is of course veterans of the company- except 
for one. But Torien?s side is made up of new people who recently advanced to 
this spot after their predecessors retired."

"How long have they been with the company then?"

"Torien? She?s been with the company for seven years- and has done a damn good 
job. But she?s still new considering the years people are actually here. 
Considering she was originally just a manager in one of her company?s far flung 
places in Deneva- she really has risen up. The rest have been in this group 
about two to three years." 

Alder stopped, looking at Capelan. He wasn?t concentrating on the specifics, 
and Capelan was surprised he was patient enough to deal with the young man. 
Torien was almost right, he was just a boy. Almost. But he was inquisitive, 
which was good in the business world. "How did Torien manage to become the 
leader of her company?"

"Maybe you?re not paying attention, Alder, but I said she was ruthless. She 
knows how to get things done, and if it meant making more enemies than she 
could chew off in her wake, then so be it. Frankly, she doesn?t care how many 
enemies she has, look at it her way- she got what she?s been wanting for years. 
A position to enforce group policy- can?t get much higher than that."

"And her predecessor? What happened to him... or her?"

"Easy, she died- old age. Ever since the spot was open, Torien maneuvered her 
way to fill that spot. She made some incredible deals and exploited enough to 
get her here."

"So you?re saying she plays dirty."

Capelan laughed, "oh no, Alder. She doesn?t, and saying she does will only make 
her irate. If anything, her... exploitations, and her deals were all quite 
legal. She?s just good," Capelan sighed, "Alder, what the hell does this have 
anything to do with the company? I can go on about Torien and it wouldn?t do a 
damn thing but lead back to the point that she?s trying to take over what?s 
left of your company."

Alder shook his head, "I want to know who I?m dealing with. If my father taught 
me anything, it was to know who you deal with. This Torien- you?ve talked about 
her quite vaguely. Granted, you mentioned her being ruthless, plotting, 
inner-business-politicking sound, and ?quite the dealer? but what else? A 
little more specifics would help. If I?m going to be ?present? for the 
negotiations or whatever the hell it is now, I want to know."

Capelan went quiet for a few moments. Alder was slowly reminding him of David. 
The father had obviously passed on his success to his family. "Alright. Torien- 
her company now known as Avtek Inc., has been- for a long time until she 
joined- a small player in the group. Their products- medical and genetic 
engineering technology; legal I might add under approval of the Federation- has 
been an inconsequential item, since every other medical based company had them 
already and were firmly set. Not to mention with their ties to Starfleet 
Medical, it wasn?t hard for these companies to become successful. 

"At any rate, David took the company in. By then, it was led by Ziterix, she 
was the one that died. Nothing much happened with the company. They will still 
a small player and didn?t have much say in group matters. But during the 
Dominion War, that changed. By the time Ziterix died, Torien had already 
established herself as the logical choice to take the seat- that maneuvering I 
mentioned earlier. Also about that time, Avtek Inc. was going under. They 
didn?t have many buyers, but then Starfleet Medical need anyone. Their business 
partners were losing ground with the demands Starfleet needed from them. That?s 
where Avtek Inc. came to it?s fruition. By Torien?s navigating in the business 
side and quite a clever negotiation with Starfleet Medical, she guaranteed that 
Avtek would deliver the necessary parts or medical equipment."

Alder frowned, "so she saw a sale, you see that everyday."

"Hold on. The companies by then had lost a lot of their own suppliers. Avtek 
still had it?s suppliers. A lot of them were small time players themselves. She 
step all over Starfleet Medical?s main partners and pronounced Avtek as the 
predominant. The others of course challenged this claim, but eventually two of 
the companies went bankrupt, or worse- I think one went completely under. 
Needless to say, the rest of the partners didn?t challenge her claim. Starfleet 
no doubt was impressed by this small company?s... ?spunk,? so after the war 
ended, Starfleet did the natural and most obvious thing, they made Avtek one of 
the main manufacturers of medical equipment. Torien set in motion a plan, and 
since then has made Avtek quite big. Not only Avtek of course, but her 
suppliers to. Business boomed from there. Now you see why she?s good? I admit, 
I?m giving you a still very brief summary of it, but the deals and waltzing 
around is enough to even make my head spin."

Alder nodded, "alright. That would mean I have to give her a deal she can?t 
refuse."

Capelan shook his head, "that?s where you?re wrong. She already has in sight 
what she wants. You can?t give her anything she might consider."

Alder smiled, "I received two hours ago a message with several interesting 
things on it."

"Who sent it to you?"

"My father. It was one of those things that confused me until I realized that 
he actually had his business in order just in case anything happened to him. 
But don?t you worry about that for now. Torien is a tough woman, I may have to 
even talk to her soon."

"You do that, Alder, you make sure I?m there with you. Torien has a way to 
be... intimidating."

"I?ll consider it. Now that I- in some small way- know how she operates, my 
dealing will- if anything- give me an advantage."

"And what is that?"

"I get to know more of her. And when we do this meeting, I will be ready."

Capelan chuckled, "you have your father?s thinking. Alright, be quick about it. 
As you know, time is dwindling."

Alder quickly thought of something, "about those holo-projectors..."

Capelan shook his head, "I got it covered," he then looked up, "something?s 
coming up. No, it?s just for me. So don?t look too worried. Good luck." The 
screen went blank.

Alder looked at the message that was sent to him. They were access codes. Codes 
that his father no doubt had delicate information to. He checked it. Linking 
the Avalon to Deneva?s accounts of his fathers... Alder?s... company via 
subspace, he went quickly to skimming the details. But he stopped, there was an 
indicator- blinking- and begging for attention. 

There was certainly an advantage now.


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