Consultation, whether it’s about web development or staff training, has its place in the world and needs to happen. Nowadays, business owners use Skype or Slack to instantly message one another, and these platforms have their perks (Slack for its messaging, Skype for its audio/video features).
As handy as they can be though, there are still business owners out there who are still reluctant to use them. We get why; we really do. At V3 Media, not only do we provide professional web development and design, but also we take our consultations to the next level. We’re actually willing to travel and meet with business owners who don’t want to talk on Skype, even if they’re out of our way somewhere else on Vancouver Island, or anywhere else in BC or Alberta or wherever circumstances dictate. Whether you are in Spruce Grove, Kamloops, or Campbell River, we can come to you!
This post goes out to the people who’d rather see someone across the desk or table from them. Here are four other reasons it’s well worth consulting face-to-face, rather than strictly online.
Reason 1: It’s Meaningful
There’s something about meeting someone in person that makes for a very different experience compared to meeting them online. It gives you the sensation that progress is being made in real time. It’s one thing to attend a meeting virtually when you’re the only one in the room. It’s another to have a meeting where the people are physically present in real time. Add in the factor of not only being able but also willing to travel a long ways to meet up in person, and the meeting has just become even more meaningful.
Reason 2: You Don’t Need the Tech – Just Yourself
The thing about Skype and Slack is you need a computer to use them properly. And in Skype’s case, you need a mic, a webcam, and so on just to make a quick phone call. These platforms also tend to update their systems (as they should), but sometimes that feels like adding an extra step to what is essentially a 5-minute phone call.
A one on one meeting only needs two things—yourself, and the other person you need to meet with. Add in the factor that the other person is willing to travel to you rather than you to them, and you’ve got yourself a constructive consultation without any more extra steps added that you don’t have time for.
Reason 3: It’s Better Suited to Some Personalities
Using computers to talk to one another may always have its place. Those staff and business owners who are more introverted may find it more comfortable and even preferable to use Skype and Slack for meetings and consultations, as it caters more to their personalities.
Not everyone is like that though, and indeed there are business owners we’ve met who know the worth and value of a meeting where people are physically present. Those who are extroverted and love meeting new people in real life will benefit greatly from consultation that takes place outside of the computer—something we at V3 Media can certainly offer!
Reason 4: Some Things Just Can’t be Explained Online
Demos and instructions done online are fine if your learning ability relies on text and visual presentations—to each their own. However, there are some things you can’t just tell someone online to do; they need to be shown with a physical presence involved. For example, how-to blog posts on SEO are everywhere online for reading, but to be shown how to maintain SEO practices in real time can really help make SEO less of a concept and more of a concrete, continual strategy to those learning.
Think of consultations like practical effects in movies: the more practical the effect, the more real the movie will feel and the more magical the experience will be. Sure, some effects look cheesy compared to CGI and we’re not knocking CGI at all; when done right, it works great. But practical effects, much like face-to-face consultation, will never stop being awesome regardless of technology’s advancements.
If you’re the type of business owner who prefers seeing someone across the desk or table, you’re looking at the right people for the job. Contact us at V3 Media and we’ll travel if necessary to your office for any consultation needed for your website, branding, web development/design…you name it, we’re up for it!