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Joe can be found on the Internet website of Virtual GraphX, Inc., a 14-month-old company
founded by University of Arkansas student Will Louden. |
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Louden, a junior who's majoring in computer-information systems, said the Website
www.nwahotspots.com - is a survival guide for newcomers. |
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"Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods and the University of Arkansas relocate employees on a large
scale. There are also other companies in Northwest Arkansas that relocate on a smaller
scale," Louden said. "Many of them needed a guide on where the 'hot spots' are
in the area. Cavalier Joe guides them to those places." |
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Visitors to the Web site are greeted by Joe, book in hand, who is ready and able to point
out important information such as hours of operation, locations and phone numbers of area
restaurants, movie theaters, video |
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| stores and other entertainment, guaranteed to help them feel at home and
in tune with the unique features of Northwest Arkansas. |
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"Cavalier Joe, well, he's everybody. He's a faceless individual with no status or
particular age or race," Louden said. "He's someone everyone can relate to,
whether they're a mom, student or an executive who just wants to get away from the
pressures of work with his friends." |
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Website visitors can take part in a trivia contest by answering questions about local hot
spots. Movie passes, free dinners, bonus bucks and other prizes are awarded to winners on
a weekly basis. |
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Louden recently created Virtual GraphX Internet Systems, a division of Virtual GraphX
Inc., to accommodate a new fast-food on-line ordering system featuring Pizza Hut products. |
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First-time customers visiting the Website must establish an account which includes name,
address and phone number. They are then assigned a user-identification number and are
asked to input a six-digit pin number of their choosing. All personal information is
stored in a secured database and may be accessed only by Pizza Hut officials and Virtual
GraphX Internet Systems administrators, Louden said. |
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Once an account has been established, customers may click the on-line "order
food" button, followed by the "place an order" button.
"The customer enters their pin number and the system automatically knows who they
are," Louden said. "The customer can see Pizza Hut's full menu on-line, place
their order and have it delivered or pick it up."
Ordering on-line is more convenient than placing an order by phone for several reasons, he
said.
"First of all you have to find a phone book, then you have |
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| to look up the number and then call to see what they have and how long
they are open," Louden said. "On-line you have the advantage of seeing the menu
and the price of each item on screen." |
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The new system is particularly convenient for die-hard computer users. |
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"We are a computer-driven society," Louden said. "You may be logged
on-line, surfing the Net or using e-mail to conduct business, and you don't want to break
the connection. You can order food while staying connected. What could be better?" |
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Louden's new on-line ordering system should be up and running by Friday, Sept. 4. It can
be accessed through the Web at the www.nwahotspots.com site. |
Republished with the permission of the Morning News of
Northwest Arkansas.
© Copyright 1998, Donrey Media, Inc. |
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