9 Benefits of In-Person Meetings

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed many things in our lives, including how we conduct business. For the past year, teleconferencing has become the norm for meetings and conducting many different types of business matters.

For the most part, businesses and employees have learned to accept video conferencing as the desired form of communication, but does this mean that there is no place for face-to-face meetings? Read on.

In today’s digital world, almost everyone is constantly staring at some type of screen (computer screen, smartphone screen, TV screen) to discuss all types of personal and professional business matters. 

Most people find that having an online video meeting is better than a physical meeting because it can save time and money, as well as being physically safer in today’s global pandemic world.

No longer do many people have to commute to the office to perform their jobs as they can easily do so from home, thanks to the wealth of current technology. 

Businesses can cut expenses by not keeping a traditional office, especially when such good solutions exist as the ability to rent private office space and conference rooms for needed in-person meetings for only a short period of time.

When you need to have in-person meetings, where to hold the meeting is often the first question asked.  In the Westshore Business District, in the heart of Tampa, properly organized meetings at a safe and sanitized private facility can help bring structure, stability, and efficiency to the company.

The fact of the matter is that video conferencing or teleconferencing, while offering several positives, also has some negatives and will never completely replace in-person meetings for the following reasons.

Advantages of in-person meetings:

1. Being physically present in a workplace is one of the best ways to build a long-term relationship.

   With teleconferencing, it is more difficult to make a solid connection with others at work and as soon the meeting is over, the faces of the participants can be quickly forgotten.
    

2. Meeting a client face-to-face reveals that you value their business and time. If you take the time to travel to an in-person meeting, that is a clear sign of dedication to the client’s business.
3. Without question, during a teleconference meeting, many people multi-task and, therefore, may not always give their full and undivided attention to the speaker or the issue at hand. With in-person meetings, there are certain rules to abide by and everyone has to pay attention to what is being communicated, which means there is less chance that an important message will be missed.
4. With an online meeting, some people may tend to be peruse other screens, check email, chat with someone else via skype, etc., not always giving the meeting at hand all the attention it deserves. With face-to-face meetings, there is a lower risk of distraction and people tend to engage more frequently because there is less opportunity to do other things at the same time.
5. In-person meetings, in general, help people connect more thoroughly than online zoom meetings. With teleconferencing, the individual may reveal his face on the screen but he/she may be dressed in pajamas, may have just gotten out of bed, may be doing several other things on the internet all at the same time, and may not even be paying full attention to the conversation. With a face-to-face meeting, the client will be able to see your attire, preparedness, attention, and your concentration, all of which are vital for building durable business relationships.
6. With online meetings, it is often more difficult to develop trust or loyalty with the other participants. The screen becomes a barrier and prevents emotional relationships from developing. With a face-to-face meeting, one can quickly gather some idea about the client’s sincerity, trust, and loyalty.
7. One of the traditional ways of making a business deal is with a handshake, which is not possible with teleconferencing. Within a few seconds of the handshake, one can sense the demeanor of the other person.
8. When a person is having a video conference, usually only the face is revealed. This prevents both parties from assessing the body language, which can also be used to assess intentions and feelings. Features like hand gestures and posture can reveal unspoken issues or negative feelings in others. For decades, body language has given both clients and those in business management some idea of what the other individual is feeling or thinking. This can be a major deficit when using video conferencing.
9. With face-to-face meetings, the goals are clearly communicated. The conversations are deemed to be more trustworthy and reliable compared to a conversation online. With face-to-face meetings, the communication is often to the point and direct, allowing both parties to be clear about the objectives and opportunities.

Conclusion

While video conferencing does allow people to communicate across geographic borders and can save money and time, it does have limitations.

Without in-person meetings, it is very easy to confuse or misinterpret a takeaway or action point. In addition, without being able to read the body language, one has no idea if the other party is uneasy, ambivalent, not interested, or simply bored.

There is no question that technology has benefits but there are some things in the business world that are best done with a face-to-face meeting.  When looking for where to hold a meeting in Tampa, look no further than Office Evolution.