[INTERVIEW] Plastiq’s Landon Howell, Industry Relations

Plastiq recently partnered with MasterCard, so this was a great opportunity to hear more from Plastiq directly. Today, we are interviewing Landon Howell, Industry Relations, from Plastiq to learn more!

1) Please tell us about yourself. What is your role with Plastiq?

I’m Landon Howell, and I oversee Industry Relations at Plastiq. I guess the simplest way to describe my role is that I’m the voice of the company to the community and the voice of the community back into the company.

2) What is Plastiq about?

Plastiq is bill pay with benefits. We make it possible for business owners and savvy consumers to use a credit card for virtually any expense, even ones like rent or business expenses, that normally require a check. With Plastiq, it’s easier to earn credit card rewards, tap early-payment discounts, and use your cash in the ways that make the most sense for you.

3) Please tell us more about this new promotion with MasterCard?

The Masterpass promotion with Plastiq is quite exciting. Cardholders can use Masterpass on Plastiq, paying no Plastiq fee on individual payments of up to $250 on a Mastercard. This promotion runs through September 30, 2018. For more information see Plastiq’s help center article here.

4) I hear a lot of concerns about the fees with Plastiq, what is your response to that?

Good question and questions about the fee are common. I have three thoughts.

First, signup for Plastiq and take part in the Masterpass promotion.

Second, you can earn fee-free payments on Plastiq by referring friends! The referral program is quite popular. Just log into your Plastiq account and click ‘Rewards & Referrals’ in the upper right-hand menu. There you will find your personal referral code, which you can share with anyone.

Third, speak with your accountant about the ability to write-off the Plastiq fee. Fee write-off is an option for many expenses, and an option often used by small businesses.

5) What else can we look forward to in the short and medium term future?

If there’s a Plastiq feature you’ve thought about, it’s likely that we’ve thought about it as well. 2018 has already been a fun year for new Plastiq features and partnerships, but there are still a couple of things that I’m particularly excited about to share in the near future. 2018 is about solving and improving some of the most common requests we receive related to topics like the speed of payment, and payment options.

6) What advice do you have for Canadians specifically on how to maximize using Plastiq?

Plastiq launched in Canada, so we’re well-versed in the needs of our Canadian clients. While you can pay virtually any bill on your card using Plastiq, many Canadian businesses and organizations have signed up to receive custom links and accounts whereby you can pay them using Plastiq. The Canada Revenue Agency, the University of Alberta, among hundreds of thousands of others all have a Plastiq link. This means that people know Plastiq, so you’re using a service already trusted by many Canadians.

7) What advice would you give points collectors and “Pointshoggers” out there?

When it comes to your credit cards, don’t just think about hitting minimum spend. Points are just many of the benefits afforded by cards. Find a card you love, spend with it, stick with it. Before working in this industry, I wasn’t fully aware of the myriad of benefits provided to cardholders; events, access to account experts, new and unique features not open to all. Commit to a card and tap into all it has to offer. The card brands love rewarding loyalty.

8) Any closing thoughts?

I have a question for your readers, in addition to a limited giveaway: What is one bill you wish you could pay with your credit card?

For the first 100 people to sign up for Plastiq and email me with an answer (landon@plastiq.com), I’ll give you $100 in fee-free Plastiq payments. I’m always curious about the bills people seek to pay with a card, and the reasons people are given when told “no” to card acceptance people are given when told “no” to card acceptance.