Why Face-to-Face Meetings with Clients and Candidates Outweigh Virtual Interactions

When I first joined Collingwood back in November 2021, it was right in the middle of the COVID-19 Pandemic. As a result, virtual meetings via teams and phone calls were the only way in which we communicated with clients, candidates and even colleagues at times. For me, this then became the norm and going out to see clients and candidates in person was something foreign and a thing of the past!

Since the turn of the year, here at Collingwood we have made a conscious effort to meet with clients in person as much as possible. Sometimes due to workload, distance or other commitments, this may not be achievable, but we have certainly met with more in person that virtually over the last six months.

Even though most of these meeting tend to last only a couple of hours, they feel far more productive and powerful than meetings that we hold virtually. This is for several reasons which I will discuss below:

Building Stronger Relationships: Meeting in person allows for more personal interactions and the opportunity to establish stronger connections. Face-to-face interactions often lead to more meaningful conversations and better rapport building. Should both consultant and client build a good relationship, this can then turn into a partnership for years to come which helps both client and consultant. This in turn, leads to trust being built between both client and consultant which leads nicely onto the next point.

Trust and Credibility: Meeting in person can help establish trust and credibility more effectively. Clients may feel more confident in your business when they can meet you in real life and gauge your professionalism firsthand. Also, in recruitment it is crucial that the client can trust the consultant for two reasons.

Firstly, there may be times where the market conditions mean the type of candidate the client wants in out there. The client needs to be able to trust that what the consultant is saying is true so that they can look for alternatives and reach an appointment as soon as possible.

Secondly, the client will need to share sensitive information with the consultant for them to present the best candidate. Trust is hugely important when it comes to this as often that information will be crucial to the future success of the client’s business.

Non-verbal Communication: A significant portion of communication is nonverbal, including body language, facial expressions, and gestures. In-person meetings provide a more complete communication experience, allowing both parties to better understand each other's emotions and intentions. This will then lead to the consultant having a much clearer understanding of what exactly it is the client needs in this appointment, which such lead to a successful headhunt.

Complex Discussions and Negotiations: When dealing with complex topics, negotiations, or sensitive matters, face-to-face meetings can lead to clearer understanding and resolution. The ability to read and react to cues in real time can be crucial in such situations. In most cases when it comes to these types of discussions, clients which naturally lean towards having time to think about what is best when in most cases it turns out to be their initial idea in the first place. By getting to the heart of the issue as soon as possible, this allows for the consultant to get on with the headhunt sooner which is always a bonus in what is a extremely fast paced market.

Memorability: In-person meetings tend to be more memorable due to the personal connections made and the unique experiences shared. This can result in a longer-lasting impression on the client. For me, these were all the most impactful parts of going for a face-to-face meeting with our client.

However, that isn’t to say there isn’t a place for virtual meetings. A lot of our clients are based in the UK and meeting them in person would be both impractical and time-consuming. When done correctly and for the right reasons, virtual meetings are extremely effective but, in my opinion, if both time and location allow for an in-person meeting I would always opt for it for the reasons listed above!