Digital technology has made it easier than ever before to conduct business from the comfort of the office. Email, video conferencing and of course the use of phones all play a crucial role when it comes to operating in the global economy, but with around 8 million business trips being made every year from the UK alone it would seem that many businessmen and women still like to meet face to face in order to seal the deal.

Arrive on Time

Organising a business trip can be a complicated affair and mistakes made in the booking of flights, transfers and accommodation can end up being very costly. It is for this reason that many in the business world are turning to the professionals for help. The London based Statesman Travel Group are a company that offer bespoke packages for both short and long haul business trips and the service they provide is broad ranging and of an extremely high standard. Since taking over the business in 2007, Joint-Managing Directors, Mervyn Williamson and Jon Langley have catapulted the company to major success and in the last three years the company has tripled in size. As well as booking flights and accommodation they offer many other services such as a 24-hour emergency service and VIP support for key personnel.

Get Up Close and Personal

It has long since been recognised that doing business face to face has many benefits that can’t be gained from digital communication. Getting up close and personal with clients and business partners is the best way to build trust, particularly at the start of a relationship. Meeting to discuss business over lunch or some other type of social activity relieves stress and this can make for a much more mutually productive encounter. It is also much easier to read someone’s body language of you are in the same room as them and this can be a big advantage if you are trying to strike an important deal with them.

So although the convenience of modern communication technology may be beneficial in a number of scenarios and is useful for “checking in” and “catching up” with people, it doesn’t always make the grade. When it comes to first encounters or important negotiations, a face-to-face meeting, in whatever guise it takes, is more likely to get you the results you want. That is of course if you arrive on time!