Will there ever be biscuits again?

In my previous roles at major publishing companies there was a kind of unwritten protocol. If clients were coming in then you could order tea, coffee, biscuits and water for the meeting room, if you were holding an internal pow wow then these luxury items were strictly forbidden but if you were hosting suppliers then you entered, a whole different world of perilous judgement calls. Were they important suppliers? Did we need to impress them? Would we get a better deal if we treated them with the level of respect that comes with a cup of lukewarm Kenco and a platter of Foxes Chocolate Selection?

That was then, but this is now. I suspect that sales of Borders Biscuits (you know - the posh ones that come in twos in a fancy packet, previously a staple of UK boardrooms and conference venues) have been badly hit by Covid, but, like the scenes we have witnessed in the past week as swathes flock back to their local pub, will we also be whizzing around the country to get back to face to face meetings at some point this year? I think not.

Covid has accelerated the inevitable change in thinking when it comes to meetings. OK, accelerated may be underplaying it a bit. Covid has shifted the meeting mindset into the fast lane of the M1 in it's Ferrari 355 and floored it. What would have been seen as a lame substitute for pressing the flesh, exchanging small talk and fixing a steely gaze on your business colleagues as little as two years ago is now as natural to us as discussing the weather (this is a very British blog if you hadn't noticed).

It is also, more importantly, far more efficient and generally more effective to host virtual meetings. There is less of a need to discuss how people's weekend's were as you find out if it's one lump or two, meeting rooms are always free on time eliminating the awkward conversation with the IT team who have overrun as usual, travelling time or costs are no longer a consideration, more relevant people are able to attend no matter where they are in the world, key stakeholders can pop in and leave at their pleasure enabling better decision making......the list of benefits is endless.

So is this the end of the face to face business meeting? Will we ever traipse across the country, or the rest of the world, for hours burning fuel and destroying the planet while sitting in metal containers just so we can shake hands and decipher body language again? It's very difficult to say.

My sentimental heart yearns to go back to 'normal'. I loved going out and meeting clients, or hosting events, it's what I did for 30 years. It was always the best part of the job, biscuits or not. The meeting room was my stage, it's where I would perform to rapturous applause or, on some occasions, stank the place out. I would often get butterflies before entering the room, or on the way to the meeting, something like pre-match nerves I guess, but it was also where the magic happened. Is there a better high than coming out of a successful meeting where you have presented well and closed a deal? Maybe, but not in a work environment. That floating feeling as you glide back to HQ, excited to tell your peers that you not only fearlessly entered the lion's den but you have returned with all the spoils.

It's hard to imagine a world where we continue to conduct business in the way that we have over the past 14 months but the game has changed. We will always think twice before setting up a client visit, and so will they. The question from now will always be why rather than why not? Justifying on site get togethers will become the norm and the gregarious among us might not like the final decisions.

The next 12 months will define how Covid and the rise in meetings technology shape the way we do business. There will be a lot of tricky decisions to make and benefits to weigh up. None of us know how this will pan out but it's sure going to be an interesting time. Meanwhile, as we wait for the doors to open again, I merely consign myself to an Americano from my Tassimo machine and a lonely Hob Nob stranded in the middle of a large white plate as I prepare for my next virtual event. It's not the same but it might be as good as it gets.....