It’s no secret that business travel drives business growth and that face-to-face interactions help get business done. A strong majority of millennials (57 percent), who represent the largest segment of the U.S. workforce, believe technology can never replace face-to-face meetings to get business done. This should come as no surprise. No amount of video chatting, conference calls, text messages, and emails will ever replace the true value of meeting a client or a colleague in person.
Limits of technology
As beneficial as these technological advancements are, there are still limitations, as technology just can’t compensate for certain things. The tangible benefits of face-to-face meetings far outweigh the cost-savings achieved through online or technology-enabled meetings. Meeting someone in person allows for the opportunity to truly build a relationship, while online meetings present myriad challenges. Technological or connectivity issues can affect the client experience and set a negative tone for the conference call.
Value of in-person
Companies understand that face-to-face meetings help strengthen business ties and create new relationships. Meeting in person allows individuals to read and decipher non-verbal, visual cues such as facial expressions, hand gestures, and body language. While virtual communication succeeds in connecting individuals around the country or around the globe, it lacks the personal connection that can be established in person.
Emotional connection
According to Harvard Business Review, an emotional connection matters more than customer satisfaction. Its research shows that emotionally connected customers are more than twice as valuable as highly satisfied customers. The emotionally connected customers “buy more of your products and services, visit you more often, exhibit less price sensitivity, pay more attention to your communications, follow your advice, and recommend you more.” Time and time again, we continue to see the value of face-to-face, human interaction. Regardless of the advances in technology, people and relationship-building are the key factors to an organization’s growth and success.
Scott Solombrino, COO and Executive Director, Global Business Travel Association, [email protected]
