Last week in Basra, Iraq, our KROHNE customer workshop set a new benchmark for how businesses and clients engage in the oil and gas sector.
The event not only showcased the potential for industry advancements but also reaffirmed the irreplaceable value of face-to-face interactions.
Closer collaboration: the human touch
Studies have consistently shown that in-person meetings, as opposed to remote interactions, are far more effective in building trust and fostering collaboration.
According to a study by Harvard Business Review, 95 per cent of participants believed that face-to-face meetings are key to successful long-term business relationships.
The goal for our time in Basra was no exception. The tactile nature of the event – be it a handshake, eye contact, or shared laughter – went a long way in breaking down formal barriers, creating a conducive environment for real collaboration.
Beyond the screen
Online platforms can connect us, but they cannot capture the nuances of human emotions, a gap that becomes glaringly evident in complex negotiations and relationship-building.
The Journal of Experimental Social Psychology revealed that nonverbal cues, which make up a significant part of in-person conversations, are crucial for mutual understanding and trust.
The workshop allowed participants to establish connections that go beyond business, connections deeply rooted in mutual respect and understanding—qualities often lost in remote communication.
Also we were bolstered by further international expertise beaming in via Teams, so offered something of a high-quality hybrid version of the daylong session.
Two-way education
The interactive nature of in-person events like this workshop allows for immediate feedback, a crucial element for effective learning and adaptation.
According to Forbes, people are 43 per cent more likely to be persuaded by the ideas presented in an in-person meeting compared to a virtual one.
In Basra, real-time discussions facilitated more effective knowledge sharing. Customers gained insights into new technologies, and KROHNE could immediately gauge the response, a dynamic that is often less tangible in virtual settings.
The Power of presence
The workshop in Basra represented more than just a business event; it was an endorsement of the vital role that in-person interactions play in today’s increasingly digital world.
Studies consistently affirm the value of face-to-face meetings, and the success of this workshop serves as a real-world corroboration.
In an era where emails and video calls are becoming the norm, the workshop was a reminder that some aspects of business—and human interaction—are best experienced in person.
By facilitating closer collaboration, deepening relationships, and enabling a more effective form of knowledge sharing and education, the event made a compelling case for the enduring value of coming together, face to face, especially in an industry and region as critical as the oil and gas sector in Basra, Iraq.
By Jonathan Ashton, Head of Marketing and Communications at KROHNE
