Under what circumstances should one have a face to face meeting instead of communicating in writing or by telephone?

I recently had the privilege of traveling to a remote part of northern Nebraska to interview the chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska for a Lifesize case study. We first met over an audio-only conference call since the chairman was traveling between locations and couldn’t connect over video. Between the spotty connection and not being able to see the nonverbal cues, I finished the call feeling disconnected — like we were not on the same page. Contrast that to our second video conference call where we spoke face to face, and it felt like I was meeting the chairman for the first time. By being able to see him I had a better understanding of what he was trying to communicate, and it began to foster a relationship between us. This connection made the in-person interview more personal and helped me tell the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska’s story in a meaningful way.

What is face-to-face communication?

Face-to-face communication is the distinction of being able to see the other party or parties in a conversation. It allows for a better exchange of information since both speaker and listener are able to see and interpret body language and facial expressions. Face-to-face communication doesn’t have to be done by people in the same physical space; the benefits can also be achieved over a video conference call or a more informal video chat.

5 Benefits of face-to-face communication through video conferencing

When meeting in person isn’t an option, video conferencing provides a great alternative. The face-to-face connection allows you to be present and engaged in the meeting, regardless of your physical location.

1. Keep remote workers in the loop

It’s easy to feel left out when you work remotely, especially if most of your team works together in the same office. Video conferencing brings remote workers face to face with in-office employees to collaborate globally and ensure the entire team is working together as one unit. Video conferencing also has the unique ability to bring a human connection to every interaction so remote workers feel connected to the rest of their team.

2. Boost overall productivity

Gather remote and in-office employees together in the same virtual meeting room, at the same time for regularly scheduled meetings and quick, impromptu meetings for better communication. The face-to-face interaction helps build a collaborative environment that inspires and energizes employees to participate in meetings and be more productive.

3. Reduce travel expenses

Sometimes gathering everyone in one location just isn’t feasible. It can take a significant amount of time for attendees to get to a meeting, not to mention the cost of travel, food and hotel accommodations. Video conferencing is an effective way to meet face to face while saving time and travel costs.

4. Improve communication reliability

Video conferencing provides a fast and secure way to communicate with your entire team face to face. Many companies are even transitioning into video-first organizations, meaning they use video conferencing as the first line of communication and fall back to audio or email only when needed. The improved reliability of video conferencing ensures that your entire message is communicated as intended and not left to misunderstandings or misinterpretations.

5. Improve value and reduce redundancy

When researching the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a collaboration suite, many companies are unaware of just how much is being spent on all of the different collaboration tools across an organization. Lifesize offers an all-in-one video conferencing solution that includes video and audio conferencing, screen sharing, chat, meeting recording, whiteboarding and event live streaming to support all of the ways your teams communicate and connect.

How face-to-face communication improves business

In the digital age of smartphones, social media, texts, emails and instant messages, communicating has become faster and easier than ever, but for all the advancements in technology, nothing can quite replace the impact of face-to-face communications in the workplace.

Read nonverbal cues

Studies show that as much as 93% of communication is nonverbal. That’s why having the ability to see the people you are speaking to and interpret their reactions is so important. When presenting in a meeting you can gauge a person’s understanding and interest in your presentation by observing their facial expressions, posture and gestures. If they are fiddling with their pen or checking their phone, you may need to adjust your tone of voice to capture their attention. Likewise, if coworkers are actively nodding their heads and smiling, it is clear they are engaged and understand what you’re trying to communicate.

Enhance productivity

Miscommunication is one of the major causes of inefficiency in the workplace. Many of these issues can be attributed to digital communications and the various ways they can be interpreted. Imagine trying to explain an intricate project in an email and then spending the whole day fielding questions. Instead, you can clearly explain the entire project, get feedback and answer all questions in one face-to-face meeting. This ensures everyone is on the same page, allowing meeting participants to hear all instructions, feedback, questions and answers at the same time.

Increase credibility

Trust isn’t built over text messages or emails. It’s built through face to-face connections, making eye contact and interpreting body language. This is especially true when you’re meeting someone for the first time. Face-to-face communication allows the other person to see how your actions align with your words and enhances your credibility.

Build relationships

It’s far easier to build stronger relationships face to face. Cold calling on the phone or through email is not very personal. The best way to “warm up” a prospect and help build a relationship is to connect with them in a face to face conversation. It provides a feel of friendliness that, in turn, boosts the success of your business relationships.

How WP Engine improved face-to-face communication with Lifesize

WP Engine is the leading WordPress digital experience platform with over 500 employees located in the United States, Europe and Australia. As a company that makes their culture a top priority, they were faced with the challenge of bringing unity to teams spread out over three continents in six different offices. By having Lifesize in meeting spaces throughout each office and on every employee’s laptop, coworkers can instantly connect with one another and managers can effectively manage remote employees in one-on-one video calls. Human interaction helps employees have engaging conversations and personal connections with managers and team members thousands of miles away.

“By being able to jump on Lifesize, it just feels as though we are one team, one office working together seamlessly.”

— Sarah Jones, Sr., HR Business Partner at WP Engine

Conclusion

The importance of face-to-face communication is often undervalued in organizations because it’s difficult to measure, but its power in shaping company culture, team engagement and sales outcomes should not be underestimated. When meeting in person isn’t an option, video conferencing allows you to still be present and engaged in the meeting regardless of your physical location. Lifesize’s lifelike 4K video quality makes everyone in the meeting feel like they are in the same room. And the face-to-face interaction lets you see the other person to truly understand them and connect on a deeper level.

Every day we find ourselves bogged down by social media posts, email updates, long text chains. In an increasingly digital world, where communication is as easy as pressing a button, it’s easy to forget why it’s important to talk to people in person (this is even more important during trying times like the pandemic, than ever before).

But wait - I haven't seen most people in person in... many months!

Now, I’m not one of those anti-technology people. I don’t like to gripe about millennials and their phones; the way we interact with other people is changing, and that’s okay. There are benefits – business and personal – to texting, email, and even Facebook. After all, I’m communicating with you over the internet right now.

And it is easier to do this now than ever before. Now, I don't mean that Zoom fully takes the place of physical, in-person meetings. Rather, I mean that Zoom, Teams, etc. make human connection easier than ever before - and supplements - rather than replaces - that face-to-face meeting (BTW: here are some best practices for successful Zoom calls.)

The trend may be that some folks will find ever-improving video conferencing sufficient. Either way, these are the 5 benefits of connecting in an "as personal as possible" way with people you deal with - when talking to people face-to-face (even if via a screen) is the best way to get something accomplished.

1. Easier to convince people.

When you’re conversing with someone who disagrees with you, communication over text or email can be cumbersome and ineffective. You may not have their full attention, or they may just be skimming over the words you’ve written.

Swaying people to our point of view is an essential skill for business owners and leaders. And the vast majority of the time, it’s much easier to get people to see your perspective when they’re in the room with you - even if it's a virtual room!

You aren’t an email window that can just be closed and forgotten about. You can engage them, change tactics, and make your case – persuasively!

It’s a lot harder to say “no” to someone in person than over the phone.

2. Stronger Connections.

Trust isn’t built over a text message. A colleague or client who never sees your face is not likely to feel the same connection to you as someone whose hand you shake on a regular basis. They hear you. They read your words. But seeing you makes a connection that can't be substituted by any other method. Physical meetings can be the next step - but I have found that even the dynamic interaction of a Zoom call (with working mics and cameras!) can establish real relational foundations.

Getting to know someone, even if it’s just what kind of dog they have or where they like to go on vacation, can go a long way. It’s the personal touch. Face-to-face interaction and socialization lead to a sense of community and camaraderie, which leads to a stronger working relationship in the long term.

3. Better non-verbal understanding.

It’s not just about talking. There’s another important dimension of communication: body language. Non-verbal cues can tell you a lot about a person, and that’s information that you can’t get over email, over the phone, or even over video chat. So, don't be full facial on your next Zoom call - let people see your arms and hands - you know, let them feel they're having a meeting not just a phone call with video.

Body language can tell you how a person is feeling – and how they’re feeling about what you’re talking about. It can tell you if they’re not confident about a sale or a deal. If they’re inattentive to your pitch. If their friendliness is sincere or just an act.

Based on non-verbal cues, you can change tactics in a pitch, adjust what tone of voice or what language you’re using, and tell for sure when you have someone’s attention back.

4. Quicker and more effective.

Whether we’re talking with our own team or communicating with a client or investor, email can cause more problems than it solves. Problem-solving is done better face-to-face.

It might take ten emails to hash out a minor detail that could be handled in two minutes in person. You might go back and forth all day trying to find a solution to a problem that you could solve in a half-hour meeting. Instantaneous replies can build off each other. A question won’t sit in an inbox for three hours.

If you couple your Zoom presence with easy scheduling (something like https://acuityscheduling.com/), then you can easily connect and resolve more issues, more quickly than ever before.

5. More team participation.

Getting your team all in one room can be a hassle, but it’s worth it. People are more engaged and more collaborative in face-to-face settings. This seems especially true for millennials, the generation most known for being tech-reliant.

Though some members of your team might go out on a limb to send you an idea or a quick thought over email, others might only do so if prompted. A community setting like a meeting is a great space to invite participation from every member of your team.

Over the last year and a half, organizations of all sizes have found that the new conferencing technologies were the glue that held their teams together. Lean into it - use it more. And when you think it's safe to get into a (real) room again - do that. But don't wait for that perfect moment to connect your people.

Questions to consider:

How often do you hold team meetings? How engaged are people in these meetings?
Do you close more sales over the phone or in person?
How has Zoom/Teams,etc benefited your business building?
Do you have more team meetings now that you can schedule them in 30-minute segments?
How often do you just close out of emails that don’t interest you? How often do you just walk away from a conversation?

[NOTE This post is an update to our original post]