We all know a video call can put Tokyo, Toronto and Atlanta in the same “room” in mere seconds. Cellular and satellite phone service connects us to virtually anybody, anywhere in the world. And we’re all quickly learning that AI can draft a report before lunch.
So, here’s something to ponder: Why do millions of people still pack bags, endure long TSA lines, spend hours and hours in the air and many days away from loved ones to simply sit across a table from someone? Spend five minutes in an airport concourse people-watching and you’ll have your answer …
If you’ve been in the meetings and events world as a vendor or a client for a while, you’ve heard these dooms-day predictions more than once:
- eMail will eventually eliminate F2F meetings.
- Video services like TEAMS and Zoom will render conferences obsolete.
- Following the pandemic, virtual trade shows were supposed to become the new normal.
- And, of course, if it doesn’t do us all in first, AI will be the next big disruptor in business communication.
Using that logic, convention centers and business hotels should be half-empty by now. Amazingly, the opposite has happened. Venues keep expanding, trade shows keep drawing big crowds, and face-to-face meetings keep bringing people together from around the world. All those virtual meetings and hybrid meetings, well, they’re slowly fading and traditional corporate meetings and events have never been more robust. If you don’t believe that, try finding venues and securing room blocks for an upcoming event. It’s a virtual Rubik’s Cube these days.
WHY IS THIS …?
Sit in any major airport and you’ll see a CEO clicking through Powerpoint slides on his laptop before boarding a flight to a sales conference. Nearby, a hopeful, cash-strapped entrepreneur quietly rehearses the pitch that could secure her first big investor. A medical researcher carries years of work to present at a faraway global congress. And a buyer headed to a trade show already knows which booths he will visit even before doors to the hall open on Day 1.
Different industries, different time zones, different languages, different goals. But there’s one common connection: Their technology is wonderful and productive for most things but they all realize certain conversations are far too important to have over the internet, a phone line, or on a screen. I ask again, why is this?
Plain and simple, technology has changed how we communicate, not why. That’s the key distinction. Tech has transformed the tools we use, but the fundamental reason people want to meet hasn’t changed. They want to look another person in the eye then shake hands on an agreement. Some things simply endure.
Having said that, technology has changed the purpose of these trips to shake hands and meet across a conference table or a dinner table, or a hotel hallway. For generations, people have traveled to events because information was scarce without hearing it in-person. A trade show was where you saw products you couldn’t find at home. A sales and marketing conference was the only place to learn about new consumer research, new strategies, upcoming product launches and those demanding sales quotas. Franchisee conventions were where knowledge and new-news could be found.
That world has evolved. No, it’s actually gone because product demos are merely a click away, research papers download in seconds, keynotes are livestreamed, and AI can summarize an entire conference before some attendees have even cleared airport security. Because information has never been easier to get, these F2F meetings matter more than ever for a new reason: the confirmation of trust.
Every meaningful business relationship starts with questions:
- Can this company actually deliver what it promises?
- Will this supplier be a reliable partner for the long haul?
- Is this destination suitable for our upcoming event?
- Is this person someone I can trust with an investment?
Technology can expedite business tasks but it can’t measure confidence because confidence is built differently. It happens when two people sit together and discover they see things the same way. It grows in the hallway after a session, over coffee between appointments, or in a conversation that keeps going long after the agenda says it’s over. Above all, people still choose to do business with people they believe and trust. That’s why some of the most valuable moments at an event occur on the walk through the hotel, in a networking lounge, a hotel lobby, or over dinner. That’s where casual introductions can quietly turn into working relationships.
Ask any seasoned business leader about the one big opportunity that changed their career. Odds are they won’t mention a keynote or a slide deck. They’ll tell you about a person they met on a flight or at a conference, a five-minute conversation, or an unexpected introduction that grew into a partnership. The event created the chance to meet. The relationship is what made it memorable.
The corporate meetings and events industry is often judged by what it produces — meetings, conferences, trade shows, incentive trips, executive retreats, etc. But the real job is bigger than that.
The goal of any planner or client is to create places where trust can develop faster. Ideas find people who can bring them to life, and companies find partners. Conversations that might take months or years to happen on their own get compressed into a few days. That’s why the true measure of a great event isn’t just attendance or a post-event survey. It’s the relationships it sparks, the partnerships it forms, and the confidence it builds long after adjournment and load-out.
YOU CAN’T LIVESTREAM PRESENCE
Being physically present in the same room with other human beings is irreplaceable. Simply showing up makes a statement, too. When someone fights crosstown traffic to meet with you, or an ocean to spend one hour together, they’re telling you that you and the relationship are worth their time, effort, and expense.
And that’s why the good ol’ fashion, firm handshake made with direct eye contact still matters. It isn’t a formality. It’s a signal of intent and respect. It says, “This isn’t just another transaction, this could be the start of something special.” Technology cannot render that obsolete, it is enduring … and I venture to say, always will be.
That’s why we do what we do at dynami. We’re here to help create those magical moments where trust is created and nurtured, relationships form, and partnerships yield results for all parties involved.
Cheers,
Kenneth Jones
