In the age of Teams, Zoom, and a never-ending scroll of social media, it’s easy to believe that we can build every business relationship online. It’s fast, it’s efficient, and in many cases, it works.

But communication, real communication, isn’t just about speed or convenience, especially in business. It’s about building trust, clarity and connection, and the strongest of those connections still happen face-to-face.

At Understood, we embrace both digital and in-person training. We never underestimate the power of being in the room, even if it means going out of our way to get there. Because if we, as communication experts, can’t model strong, empathic, real-world interaction, how can we expect our clients or their teams to deliver it?

Trust is built in person: why it matters in business communication

There are countless studies on communication and as the way we live and work evolves, so too does the research. Harvard Business Review found that face-to-face requests are 34 times more effective than emails. Why? Because presence matters. When you’re in the room, your body language, your tone, and your energy all work together to build trust. It’s hard to replicate that through a screen.

That’s why we make time to ensure that we are physically present as much as possible. At conferences. At networking events. At gatherings where industries evolve, and partnerships begin. Being part of the conversation is different to watching it unfold from behind a screen or a keyboard.

For clients like First Bus or Translink, whose customer experience is fundamentally face-to-face, our role is to equip their people to be clear, confident, and human in how they engage, and that starts with us showing up. If we don’t demonstrate the behaviours we teach and model our values in action, our training doesn’t hold up.

A deeper understanding leads to deeper relationships

When you attend events, meet partners in person, or visit clients, you pick up on nuance. You hear what’s not being said just as much as what’s being said. You spot emerging challenges and unspoken frustrations. You witness behaviour, culture and context, and from that comes better solutions for business growth, your customers, and your team.

Face-to-face networking also creates space for healthy confrontation, those necessary, sometimes tough conversations where issues are addressed before they escalate. As Brené Brown puts it, “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”

Being able to navigate those moments with confidence and empathy takes practice. You need to exercise those muscles regularly to embed the behaviour and do it well.

Good for business, and good for people

There’s also another layer to this, too. Getting out of the office is good for us. Countless studies show that real-world human contact improves mental health, reduces anxiety, and even strengthens your immune system.

According to the World Health Organisation, social connection lowers the risk of an early death. Remote work has its place, and we embrace that, but we shouldn’t forget that isolation is a quiet risk, especially in leadership. Attending real-world events isn’t just strategic, it’s healthy. It keeps you grounded, mentally refreshed, and more attuned to the wider business ecosystem. Depression hates a moving target.

Blending online and in-person training for better business outcomes

We’re not here to knock online training. We use it. We deliver it. We believe in its power, particularly for scaling and consistency. In our experience, the best results come when digital training is backed by real-world expertise and delivered by people who live and breathe what they teach. Presence will always be powerful and that’s why at Understood, we walk the talk.

Our trainers don’t just present from behind screens, they step into the room. They ask the difficult questions, handle tension with grace, and model clear, human-centred communication that your teams can learn from and apply.

So, whether we’re training your people in person or online, our approach is grounded in reality because in business, in-person relationships still matter.

If you need to upskill your teams, support frontline staff, or navigate challenging conversations with confidence, we’ll meet you where you are. Communication isn’t just a skill, it’s a presence, and presence changes everything.

Let’s talk about how your teams can communicate with more clarity, presence, and purpose. Make sure you explore our website, read our blog, and follow us on LinkedIn to learn more and discover ways to grow a more successful business.