Traveling for business is not fun. We’re frequently rushed, we don’t eat correctly, and we have to deal with the hassle of airports and long-term parking. It is not surprising that many companies opt toward videoconferencing instead of traveling. As videoconferencing technology advances, many people wonder if business traveling may become a thing of the past.
The End of Business Travel?
Do we want to strive for the termination of business travel? Perhaps not, think about the differences between in-person meeting and videoconferencing.
Fluid conversation is often less common when videoconferencing. It’s tough to identify precisely why. It could be due, in part, to office distractions, and also to any lag that the videoconference has. These issues could be resolved with technological advancements. But in general, when people are videoconferencing they have a tendency to stick to the main task of the meeting rather then allow discussion to flow naturally, which can lead to creative ideas.
The Benefits of Face-to-Face Time
At in-person meetings, though, agendas have a way of falling by the wayside, and that is a good thing. Meetings may start only after a few minutes of personal chit chat and they might end with participants trading office stories. Again, this is good. Often, the best business ideas arise from these moments of off-topic conversation.
Business Travel is Here to Stay
Yes, business travel is an inconvenience and videoconferencing is convenient. However, there are occassions when meeting face-to-face is the best option for generating the most innovative business solutions. For this reason, don’t expect savvy business executives to ever entirely replace business travel with videoconferencing.
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