LAHA, the news is here. Congrats longs. LAHA will be revolutionizing the Online Mortgage Industry.
Tuesday March 21, 6:29 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Lahaina Acquisitions and HelloNetwork.com Announce Strategic
Alliance
ALPHARETTA, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2000--Lahaina Acquisitions, Inc. (OTC BB:LAHA - news, www.accentmortgage.com - news; commonly known
as ``Accent'), a national mortgage brokerage services provider, and HelloNetwork.com (www.helloNetwork.com), a privately-held interactive technology-based service
provider, today announced a strategic alliance for the joining of HelloNetwork.com's unique streaming video technology and exceptional Internet marketing expertise with
Accent's extensive mortgage broker network and mortgage marketing expertise to produce what they believe will be the most powerful mortgage business strategy on the
worldwide web. Both parties believe this alliance will create enormous competitive advantages for Accent in the on-line mortgage brokerage industry by providing Accent's
customers with a more enjoyable, informative and personal experience in obtaining a mortgage loan through the Internet. Additionally, it is believed that the mortgage
lending community will want to be a part of this experience.
HelloNetwork.com (``Where the Web Comes Alive') offers on-line consumers a highly interactive toolkit of easy-to-use streaming media technologies that are the most
lightweight, cost-effective tools on the market today. Those tools are designed to empower Internet consumers and businesses with streaming video options, while
removing barriers to entry typically associated with streaming media solutions, such as software downloads and plug-ins. Accent will be employing HelloNetwork.com's
Hello Operator solution for offering online live customer support.
Web sites today lack the most basic element of good customer service - the personal attention of a live operator. Studies show that 90% of on-line shoppers prefer human
interaction when purchasing products or services over the Internet. This personal interaction is particularly important for major purchases such as a mortgage.
Accent, by utilizing Hello Operator live customer support solution will offer a level of personalized customer service unheard of in today's on-line mortgage industry. With
Hello Operator, a visitor to Accent's web site (which the parties are completely redesigning to incorporate and feature HelloNetwork.com's technology) will be able to
instantly access a live Accent customer service representative with just a click of the mouse. The Accent customer representative can then answer questions and provide
personalized information and direction to the mortgage client through an interactive chat window using live video with audio.
How It Works
Here's the simple, yet revolutionary Hello Operator scenario: on-line mortgage shoppers decide they need help. They click on a ``Live Help' link. An Accent customer care
agent automatically appears on the monitor to assist the shoppers. It's that easy. No software or plug-ins to download and install - just instant live, fast, friendly customer
service, the ease of modern technology coupled with the age-old appeal of personal service. Hello Operator offers click and watch live video with audio, bringing the human
touch to every conversation in the Internet mortgage process, from on-line application to on-line credit approval to on-line scheduling of the loan closing. Accent's alliance
with HelloNetwork.com should set a new standard for ``Clicks and Mortar' mortgage shopping. The Gartner Group, a highly respected Internet research firm, has stated
that the most successful Internet marketers in the future will be those who combine a traditional bricks and mortar presence (which Accent already offers) with a strong
on-line presence (which HelloNetwork.com's technology will provide). Furthermore, the strategic alliance will allow Accent to utilize the breakthrough technology of
HelloNetwork.com to offer mortgage customers a broad array of products and services that are related to the home buying and home improvement experiences, such as
home furnishings and appliances. In this way, Accent can parlay the Internet mortgage experience into an on-line one-stop shop for the major products and services that
homebuyers and home ``fixer-uppers' typically want or need.
L. Scott Demerau, Chairman and CEO of Accent, commented: ``This alliance with HelloNetwork represents a true turning point in the life of our company. It positions us to
become the premier Internet mortgage brokerage company and enhances tremendously management's ability to communicate in person, real time with our branch
operations. By using Hello Operator to streamline and personalize the on-line mortgage business, we believe we can make the on-line mortgage experience a truly
pleasurable one for the customer, resulting in more loan applications, but, more importantly, a greater volume of loan closings for our customers. Accent welcomes the
recent entry of Microsoft into the on-line mortgage business as a validation of the increasing importance of this business, and we consider ourselves very fortunate to be able
to partner with HelloNetwork to fully capitalize on this enormous opportunity.'
``Hello Network is thrilled to provide Accent Mortgage with its Hello Operator solution for online sales and support within the mortgage industry,' said Craig Ellins, CEO
of HelloNetwork.com. ``We're certain Accent Mortgage's new dot com strategy will revolutionize the online home buying process.'
According to Ellins, customers with inquiries today must rely on costly text chat solutions, e-mail requests or a telephone call. ``With Hello Operator, customers can get real
time answers from a live operator that they can see, hear and interact with, making the online experience an incredibly personal one, without any technological barriers.'
More About Accent
Accent operates a nationwide mortgage brokerage organization and has an on-line mortgage presence at www.accentmortgage.com. Accent's goal is to become the
recognized leader in the mortgage brokerage industry by continuing to open new branches at a rapid pace, acquiring existing mortgage operations and using new and
revolutionary Internet-based technology to significantly increase loan closing productivity.
More About HelloNetwork.com
HelloNetwork.com (``Where the Web Comes Alive'), which is privately held, offers a unique suite of interactive Web-based technology products. The company is rapidly
becoming a premier streaming video provider on the Internet by providing state-of-the-art, cost-effective and user-friendly streaming video solutions for retailers,
corporations, organizations and individuals. Visitors can view a demonstration of HelloNetwork.com's technology by visiting www.hellonetwork.com.
Statements made in this press release, other than those concerning historical information, should be considered forward-looking and subject to various risks and
uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are made based on management's belief as well as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to,
management pursuant to the `safe harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Lahaina Acquisitions, Inc. actual results may differ materially
from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those identified in Lahaina Acquisitions, Inc. Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1999 and it's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange.
SOURCE: Lahaina Acquisitions, Inc.(``Accent')
Contact:
Accent:
Betty M. Sullivan
Executive Vice President & Chief
Operating Officer
or
Frank Ketchum
Director of Investor Relations
Lahaina Acquisitions, Inc.
770-754-6140
or
HelloNetwork:
Craig Ellins
Chief Executive Officer
702-450-1255 ext. 222
Paul Henry
President
702 450-1255 ext. 247 |
