Stu Downes

Verizon recently estimated that:

“a face-to-face meeting is between five and 35 times more expensive than a virtual meeting”.

Graham responded that by commenting on limitations of virtual meetings:

“With all of these limitations I wonder whether the value of many virtual meetings is so low as to make them more expensive than face-to-face meetings.”

Graham also gave the example that:

“In one particular occasion we were working on a technical problem for over three weeks before a face-to-face meeting resolved the problem in under 2 hours.”

I agree face-to-face has a place.  I estimate that I could reduce around 60% of the travel I perform by using:

• HD Video
• Whiteboarding
• Document interaction

The remaining 40% being initial first time meetings, customer meetings or staff sessions where nothing but face-to-face should be used.  I use one short haul return flight about  15 times per year – not counting my other flights and driving for meetings – and I’m not one of the heavier users.  It is about the same as a Manchester – Heathrow return.  The chart shows information from atmosfair.de and estimates 1 flight, the 15 flights I take, after reducing flights and compares the fact that effectively my flights today are equivalent to an additional car.

When considering the cost of a meeting, the value of a meeting, we should also consider the impact of a meeting.  I wonder how long it will be before there is a cultural tipping point, when will it be frowned upon to travel to a meeting?  Longer term will this lead to a reduction in travel?  I hope so because I’d much rather be sat here at home typing this than in an airport or on a flight.