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Why face-to-face meetings still matter

Posted by Oliver Corrigan on Dec 13, 2016 8:30:00 AM
Oliver Corrigan
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In recent years, the business world has enjoyed a digital revolution. The internet has provided us with virtual tools for just about everything, from processing payments to accessing training.

Video conferencing tools such as Skype, FaceTime and Google Hangouts have also had a big impact on the business world. It’s no longer necessary for business contacts to be in the same room to hold a meeting. Individuals from all over the world can now come together through their computer or mobile devices with just a few clicks of a button.

These virtual meeting spaces can be extremely convenient, especially if you want to have a quick catch up chat with a colleague or associate who’s based in a different location to you. However, there are many occasions where face-to-face meetings are still a necessity.

A study by Cornell University titled The Future of Meetings: The Case for Face-to-Face has shown that different types of meeting can make very different impressions on their delegates. Though virtual and telephone conferences can be a very convenient way to bring people together quickly, they just aren’t as effective as face-to-face meetings in three crucial areas.

Those areas are:

 

1. Relationship building

In-person meetings promote a level of friendship and intimacy that just can’t be replicated through a screen. The Cornell research formalised something most of us already knew: that the relationships we build in person are much stronger than those we build virtually.                    

It’s so much easier to quickly build a rapport with someone you are in the same room as than it is when you’re having a conversation through a computer screen. This kind of relationship building is so important in business, as generally we only choose to work with or buy from people we trust.

If none of your business meetings take place face-to-face, the networks you are building may be missing that vital extra layer, and you could find that your business begins to suffer as a result.
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2. Capturing attention

When you are using a computer or device to log into a meeting, it can be more difficult to give that meeting your full attention. For one thing, it can be easy to use that computer or device to multi-task while you’re ‘in’ the meeting. You may also find that as you’re in your own space, you might be more likely to be distracted by your surroundings, such as a to do list, other people or practical tasks that need to be done.

Conversely, professional meeting rooms are typically set up to minimise distraction and avoid multi-tasking. In this type of environment, it’s far more likely that everyone in attendance will be fully focused on what’s going on inside the room!

 

3. Inspiring positive emotional responses

Conversations that take place ‘virtually’ tend to be far less emotionally ‘warm’ than those that happen in person. Just as it’s much easier to build a real trusting relationship in person, it is far easier to create a positive atmosphere when all meeting attendees are in the same room.

It’s also worth noting that most business professionals simply feel more comfortable with face-to-face meetings. In fact, a Forbes study found that 8 out of 10 of us would prefer to meet in person than over video conferencing software. With these figures, it’s hard to believe that people actually have several misconceptions about the traditional meeting room.

 

If you’d like to experience the benefits of a face-to-face meeting yourself, why not take a look at some of the available meeting venues Leeds has to offer? We have a full range of business meeting rooms and conferencing facilities to offer here at Carrwood Park.

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Topics: Meetings, business, meeting rooms

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