Will technology obliterate the need for business travel within 5 years?

That's the big idea Fast Company floated on Friday, anyway. It wasn't a very popular idea. In fact, only about 20% of commenters agreed with the statement.

I've had many conversations with event planners who agree with the majority and it's usually for the same reasons: handshake, eye contact, etc. Nothing, they say, can replace the experience of meeting in person. These are compelling reasons for face-to-face meetings. But are they compelling enough in the face of rising travel prices, growing environmental concerns, and improving technology?

I love in-person connections and even I'm not so sure. Especially as online social networking becomes more intimate. If you you spend a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and other networks, you probably have many virtual contacts you trust--many of them more than people you met on your last corporate trip. These contacts recommend the books you read, the products you buy, and the career moves you make... all without so much as a handshake. Don't spend much time online social networking? Give it five years.

Sue Pelletier over at Face2Face (who also alerted me to this "big idea" from Fast Company) thinks that if we can make meetings really, really good, people will still come.

What do you think? And if you agree, what do you think can tip us over into that "really, really good" category?

Comments

[Taisha Rucker]

First, I don't think that it has to be all or nothing. Perhaps fewer in-person meetings will curb costs; and then the expectations for in-person meetings will rise. The really, really good standard should involve 1) more opportunities for people to network and share ideas; 2) fewer powerpoint presentations; 3) specific agendas with measurable outcomes (ideally sent out way ahead of time); 4) variety of ways to involve attendees (e.g. no bystanders); and 5) a cool city in which to hang out and have some fun!

[AlliG]

Thanks for your comments, Taisha. You are so right--the events are really going to need to emphasize the human element and use their "in person" status to deliver a superior experience with everything from the agenda to the presentations.

As a fellow attorney, I wonder if you think CLE programs can rise to this challenge?