Why Presence Matters

In a world full of clicks, some things still land better in person. These days, you can book a meeting in seconds and jump into a call from anywhere. Conversations are quick, efficient, and often just a click away; still, they seldom carry the quiet aura of a well-timed wink.

That’s because we don’t just remember words or images. We remember moments tied to places, people, and physical experiences. When we meet someone in person, we take in so much more than what’s said. All of it leaves a stronger imprint than any screen ever could.

Over the phone or on a video call, it’s easy to miss all of that. One conversation blends into the next. You forget who you spoke to, what you agreed on, or even how the conversation felt. It becomes flat. According to a laboratory experiment conducted at Stanford, teams that worked together in person generated 15% to 20% more ideas than those that collaborated online.

Call it chemistry, energy, or just timing. In person, a wink can shift the entire direction of a conversation. And it’s not just about memory, it’s also about performance. Being there in person helps us notice subtle cues that enhance collaboration, deepen understanding, and drive better outcomes. Here are three examples:

• Advisory conversation over coffee – Sitting across from a client at a quiet table, you notice the hesitation in their voice when they mention next steps. They nod at your suggestions, but their tone shifts slightly when certain issues come up, or their gaze lingers elsewhere. In professional services, where stakes are high and discretion matters, these small signals offer essential context. They help you shape your advice more precisely, probe gently, and build trust in a way that rarely happens over a call. Just by choosing to meet in person, you signal effort and commitment. The client sees that you’ve made time, travelled, and shown up not just with answers, but with presence. That extra step often says more than the pitch itself.
• Product feedback session – A product manager visiting a customer’s workspace can spot things that wouldn’t surface on a video call. They might notice the user’s finger dancing uncertainly around the iPad screen, tapping out a hesitant rhythm while searching for a button that should be obvious. That small, quiet moment can say more than any comment or survey ever would. These subtle cues reveal where the user experience breaks down. Being there allows the product manager to respond in real time, ask the right questions, and make the interface feel simpler and more intuitive.
• Media production meeting – In a creative pitch or editorial brainstorm, being in the same room changes everything. You can sense excitement when someone lights up with an idea or hesitation when a suggestion lands flat. People add to each other’s thoughts, building momentum like musicians riffing off a shared rhythm. There might be a whiteboard in the middle of it all, half-sketched, messy, magnetic, pulling people into shared focus. They laugh, scribble things down, and build off each other's energy. That natural flow of collaboration is hard to replicate in a video call where turn-taking and muting disrupt the rhythm.

The Case for Digital Tools

This doesn’t mean we should ditch digital life. Video calls, messages, and remote tools are here to stay, and they have their place, especially when they allow cross-country collaboration, reduce travel costs, and make it easier for teams to pitch for investment or sell to clients abroad. These tools, open doors that were once closed by geography or budget.

Concluding Remarks

Digital tools can never replace the depth of being in the same room. You notice the warmth in someone’s voice when they greet you, the unspoken energy in a handshake, the laughter that spreads more freely around a shared table. It’s how trust is built, tension released, and real relationships formed. Whether you're closing a deal, resolving tension, or simply getting to know someone better, there’s something about being there that makes everything click into place.