Today's post is an interview with Todd Mera of AwardWallet.com, a very useful website that can track your award points and remind you of their impending expiration. Launched in 2004, Award Wallet it is gaining a following of dedicated users

So tell us a bit about your background, AwardWallet, and what motivated you to start it?
AwardWallet was started out of a need for me and my business partner to track our miles more efficiently. There were a couple apps out there that helped with this but they did not meet our needs. I was looking for something that was easy to use and available from anywhere, anytime. More and more people were using web based application and it made sense to build AwardWallet as a web application.

Sounds like you're a jetsetter. Do you workshift a lot? What are your necessary gadgets?
I like to think of myself as 'An Office of One'.  Meetings in a hotel lobby connected to the Wi-Fi doing a web demonstration with a global audience is not uncommon. My newest favorite gadget is my new Sony eReader.  I used to carry about 10 lbs of books with me everywhere I traveled.  I also remember ripping out the first 100 or so pages of a large technical book to read on a flight.  I just couldn't bring that 1500 page technical magna carta with me.  Now, I carry 1000s of digital books with me all the time.

What's the largest benefit you see AwardWallet offering workshifters?
If you are a workshifter, you are probably on the road a bit. AwardWallet will help you track and take advantage of the miles you are accumulating.  AwardWallet will allow you to see all of your frequent flyer miles, hotel points, car rental points and many more from a single screen.  AwardWallet will automatically update the balances and let you view all of your travel equity from a single screen.

Another great feature...AutoLogin.  From AwardWallet.com click on the program name, ie Delta, and we will take you to their site and automatically log you in allowing you to check in for you flight and do any other necessary business. All in all - Huge time saver!

What do you think is the single most important thing for the workshifter to keep in mind when using their award points?
DON'T LET THEM EXPIRE.  Frequent Flyer miles can expire in 12-18 month of no activity depending on the program.  You spent all this time earning those miles flying from here to there.  Don't waste them. AwardWallet will let you know if any of your miles are due to expire. With this info the workshifter can now create some activity on the account where the miles are about to expire and reset the clock.

What advice can you offer workshifters on account management?
Know what you have Get points for everything.  Example, I only buy stuff with credit cards that allow me to earn points.  I then pay off the credit card every month.  I even buy all of my groceries with a credit card.

Use them. You earned them. Take a trip. They do not earn interest and they are not getting more valuable.  So go have some fun.


Photo Credit: Bob the Lomond

Earlier this week I interviewed Greg Matthews, Director of Innovation at Humana, while he was in Boston to speak at the Enterprise 2.0 conference.  A title such as "Director of Innovation" is not one that we're used to seeing in the health industry.  This interview provides a glimpse into all of the innovative things that Greg and his team are working on. 

Many of these innovations apply to the mobile and distributed workforce by encouraging people to get out from behind their desks and become more active.

Note: Don't mind that the video is a little shaky.  I forgot to bring along the tripod :)

While searching through the photos on the CrumpleItUp's Flickr account, I thought these few were particularly interesting.  Why?  Because even though Greg and his team don't usually work from airports, coffee shops, bookstores or other workshifting locations, they have taken the time to make their office a fun, active and inspiring place to work. 

By making this investment into their work space, the Innovation Center shows it's employees that they want them to be active, have fun, and not be stuck at their cubicle or in their office all day.




To learn more about Greg and Humana's Innovation Center, you can find them on the very fun website CrumpleItUp.  You can also check out recent posts by Chris Brogan ("More Fun Then Talking About Insurance") and Amber Rae Lambke ("Social Business from the Inside Out").

You can connect with Greg on Twitter and LinkedIn.

What are some ways that you stay active as a workshifter?