Do you miss face to face meetings? And is this creating another problem...

Let's put this in context. I was talking today with an adviser who is based in Bristol and he said before Covid he used to really enjoy meeting clients who were based in London, Birmingham and Manchester.

But he says that most of them are now more than happy with Zoom meetings and that he rarely gets out of the office these days which he misses a lot.

I have to sympathise with him, as my own UK travel has dropped off a cliff since Covid. I infinitely prefer running half day and full day in person workshops but very few advisers will travel now that everyone has got used to Zoom and Teams. Literally every week I could fill a training room somewhere round the UK with a group of IFAs.

However, this shift to virtual meetings and online training sessions raises an important question: how effective are these online interactions compared to face-to-face engagements?

There’s no doubt that Zoom and Teams have their place, especially in terms of convenience and efficiency. But when it comes to training, particularly in our industry, the data suggests that something might be lost in the transition.

Research indicates that attention spans tend to be shorter in online settings. For instance, studies show that during online training sessions, attention can wane significantly after just 10-20 minutes, particularly if the content isn't interactive or engaging. This contrasts with face-to-face workshops, where participants can stay focused for longer periods - typically around 20-30 minutes - especially when the session includes discussions or group activities.

But it’s not just about attention. Comprehension and retention of information also appear to be affected. While online training can match face-to-face learning in terms of comprehension, this often requires a more disciplined approach from participants and relies heavily on the quality of the training design.

When it comes to retention, face-to-face training generally comes out on top, particularly for complex topics that benefit from immediate feedback and practical exercises.

For financial advisers, these differences are significant. Our work often involves complex concepts and nuanced advice, which clients need to fully understand and remember. While the convenience of online meetings can't be denied, we must also consider how these sessions are impacting our ability to convey seriously important information effectively.

So, while Zoom and Teams meetings have their place, I think there’s still a strong case for in-person workshops and meetings - especially when the stakes are high. As we continue to navigate this new normal, is it worth rethinking our approach to ensure that we are still delivering the best possible outcomes for our clients?

3 comments

Adviser Growth Community

skool.com/adviser-growth-community

For IFAs, financial advisers & financial planners exploring new ideas, new models, new income streams and how AI fits into their advice business

Your Adviser Momentum Score

Get more Referrals!

Your Lead Generation score