In a world where we increasingly rely on emails, texts and various video conferencing applications, the face-to-face meeting is dying a slow and unfortunate death. A 2009 Forbes Insights survey of more than 750 business executives reported that 34% of these executives are traveling much less frequently for business as compared to the previous year. And while 42% reported their company’s use of technology for remote business meetings has significantly increased, more than 8 out of 10 said they prefer in-person meetings.
As a technology company, we certainly appreciate the value of innovation to improve upon a process, to solve a problem or to make something easier. However, when it comes to making a connection with your member, partner or customer, remote communications are not always ideal.
Some might argue that in-person meetings are inefficient, time consuming and costly. But according to a 2009 study by Oxford Economics, every $1 spent on business travel delivers a return of $12.50 in revenue and $3.80 in profit, a compelling argument that face-to-face meetings are a smart investment. Additionally, those companies surveyed reported that in-person meetings allowed them to convert 40 percent of prospects to customers, as opposed to just 16 percent without such a meeting.
In-person meetings provide a personal connection not afforded by email, phone or even video conferencing. Taking the time to know your member or customer as a person, and not just for their job description, is invaluable in building a relationship that offers mutual benefits. Subtle nuances can be observed when you meet in person that are otherwise lost from other communications. The atmosphere in the office – is it quiet and subdued, busy and hectic, or even frantic and stressed? How do team members interact with each other? What other projects or priorities is the organization undertaking – a new website, a move or site build out?
There is a creative energy found in a face-to-face meeting, as well as a level of team building and ‘bonding’ not found in an email string. This is why you’ll see creative agencies frequently make use of in-person brainstorming sessions with their clients. Dr. Richard Avery examined years of existing psychological research in his paper Why Face-to-Face Business Meetings Matter. He found that in-person meetings let participants develop transparency and trust, pick up nuances of organizational culture more easily, and better express feelings and coordinate tasks, all of which tend to result in a better process and end product.
At Dynamic Benchmarking, team members meet with our clients in-person whenever possible to drive creativity, build a connection and help us truly understand the goals and desired outcomes for a project. When this can’t be accomplished, we rely on frequent and detailed communications to keep everyone on the same page and ensure client satisfaction. We also take the time to get to know our clients personally so that we can build the best working relationship possible. We believe in attending industry events frequently, as it allows us to forge new relationships and rekindle old ones. We find more value can be gained from a chance meeting at an industry event than will ever result from a scheduled conference call.
The next time you’re thinking that trip isn’t worth your time and maybe a conference call would be just as good, consider all the evidence supporting the value of an in-person connection and put yourself out there. You may find, as we have, that the value of face time is immeasurable.
