Emails, text messages, tweets, group chats, messaging apps… digital communication seems to have removed every barrier that previously limited our connections to our clients, coworkers, and customers. Our networks have substantially expanded and our communication is instant thanks to countless digital messaging tools.

It’s fast, but is it effective?

Has online communication replaced face-to-face human connection? Here are 3 reasons why in-person customer service is not just important, it’s necessary for business.

Less room for error

Interacting with a client or coworker in person means better, more effective communication. You can read each other’s body language, facial expressions, and other non-verbal cues to fully understand the meaning behind the message.

How many times have you sent an email and the receiver only skimmed part of it, or missed your message completely? There’s less room for mixed signals or incorrect interpretation when you can see and hear the other person in the conversation.

Make the sale

People don’t buy what you’re selling, they buy why you’re selling it. Meet with your clients in person to make your pitch and let them see exactly why you’re the best solution to their problems. Being in the same room allows for an authentic, trust-building encounter with a certain personal warmth that a digital message just can’t replicate.

According to Harvard Business Review, face-to-face requests were 34 times more likely to be successful than email requests. Selling yourself, your company, or your cause in an email is far more difficult than having an engaging, in-person conversation. It’s hard to beat good ol’ fashioned face-to-face communication.

Keep customer relationships alive

You can prove to your clients how important they are when you visit them in person. Stop by their office or meet them for lunch and let them know, face-to-face, that their business is important to you.

It’s tempting to type up a text or an email and quickly send it off, but meeting with your clients in person can keep your business relationships happy and healthy.

Don’t get us wrong, our office at Condron Media takes full advantage of digital tools for both internal and external communication.

Who doesn’t appreciate the convenience of mobile communication while you’re on the go?

But when you get to the core of the customer relationship, nothing beats human connection.