In today’s technologically-driven business world, speed is everything. To keep things moving as fast as possible, in-person meetings are taking the backseat in favour of the latest high-tech solutions. Arguably, this is because face-to-face meetings are considered time-consuming and expensive (especially if your business travellers need to go abroad).
Virtual communication has certainly streamlined company processes, but is it the best approach in every business encounter? According to the Harvard Business Review, human interaction is grossly underestimated in the business world. In fact, a face-to-face request is 34 times more successful than an email.
With that in mind, here are three advantages of face-to-face meetings, and why they’re essential in the digital age:
In-person interactions build trust and form relationships.
It’s easy to connect with clients and colleagues over social media or on communication apps like Skype, but relationships are not truly cemented until you meet face-to-face. Not all virtual communication is created equal. Unreliable connections and poor sound and picture quality can break or halt communication, making it difficult to “connect.”
You can pick up on nonverbal communication cues.
In-person meetings allow you to see a person’s body language and pick up on other nonverbal cues, and adjust your message accordingly. This is because you do business with people, not entities.
According to a study done by UCLA Professor Albert Mehrabian, communication is made up of three components: 55% body language, 38% tone of voice and 7% actual words. With these statistics in mind, it’s evident that if you’re not in the room with the person you are communicating with, you’re not getting the whole message.
You can sell yourself more confidently.
Want to show people who you are? Meeting someone in person gives you an excellent opportunity to sell your strong points, and show them what you can do to help them achieve their goals, and why they’re making the right decision by getting into business with you.
Is it time to meet face to face? Contact Thompsons Travel for seamless business travel solutions.
Leave a Reply