Webinars and online conferencing are incredibly efficient for running meetings and seminars. They work incredibly well for team meetings, sales presentations, and training, to mention a few applications. Despite all the financial and operational benefits of web conferencing, the most important element of communication is still lacking. Human contact is that component.
Our intrinsic desire for human touch is the main argument against adopting online conferencing, which I shall refer to as including all forms and techniques of meeting via the web for the sake of conciseness. We all have a need to engage with people in person, and by doing so, relationships can be formed, developed, and cemented.
When you personally meet someone, you may look into their eyes and get a feel of who they are. Over time, trust will be earned or lost, even with the antiseptic use of web conferencing. However, a face-to-face meeting will speed up the connection and get it closer to one of those goals. Personal interactions foster familiarity, and increased familiarity prompts a choice for everyone concerned. The eventual consequence is nearer, whether favorable or not. When the choice is taken to continue the connection, the outcome may be beneficial, or it may result in its end. In either case, you make progress toward moving in the chosen direction.
The establishment of context, which is crucial in the same way that context is crucial to language, is the second reason to meet in person. The setting in which the person works provides hints. Are there any signs that the discussions or presentations you’ve seen thus far may have contained untruths? Does it seem like your perceptions don’t match up with how you feel when you’re speaking to someone in person and in context? The greatest advantage of meeting in person might be this verification by itself.
The third justification is the advantage of friendship. A sense of trust is created when you enjoy entertainment, dine together, or learn from one another. The relationship may enter other advantageous domains as a result of that confidence. New possibilities can be investigated, fresh perspectives can emerge, and constructive evaluation of accomplishments and faults can be handled. There are ways to strengthen or mend relationships that a voice over the phone cannot.
Going beyond the status quo makes it possible to enjoy the benefits of interpersonal interaction, obtain knowledge about the context of your counterpart’s words, and reap the rewards of better relationships. When compared to the advantages of meeting in person, conversing with people over the phone or the Internet will leave you wanting.
