When I first ran my agency, we'd all gather in a room with the client for the first meeting. You could read the room and catch little cues that don't come through on a call. Now we start everything with a calendar invite and a link. I feel like we lost some of that team spirit before the work even begins. Still, setting up is a lot simpler these days.
You're spot on about reading the room. I remember catching a client's hesitant look across the table that changed how we pitched. Video calls just don't capture that subtle energy. Setting up is easier now, but we traded away some real connection.
Actually see some of that subtle stuff on video calls too, just differently. People lean forward when interested, their voice gets tight when stressed. Watched a client's shoulders drop when we changed numbers last week, clear relief. It's not the same as a room, but you learn to read the pixels and the pauses instead. We traded one skill for another.
Video meetings cut out body language noise that can distract from the actual message. People focus better on the content without those subtle, often misread, signals.