The Etiquette Edge, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 21

When Meetings Go Virtual

New technology offers a low-cost alternative to face-to-face meetings. From check-ins with clients to regular staff meetings among different units of a company, “virtual” meetings help avoid the costs and wasted time of business travel. Of course, face-to-face meetings will never disappear: You will rarely make a real connection to colleagues or customers through electronic devices, no matter how sophisticated. While you may simulate walking into the meeting room and sitting down at the conference table in the virtual meetings offered by GoToMeeting.com, for example, your avatar won’t replicate your body language, the tone of your voice, or even the concern on your face.

In short, virtual meetings can replace ...