Coffee Chat with Eric #11: The Power of In-Person Connection

April 14, 2025: ☕ In this week's Coffee Chat, I'm sharing the biggest takeaway from being 📍on location with a client in Mumbai, India.

Last week Geoff Miller from NeoCurrency and I had the opportunity to visit clients and partners in Mumbai (for a loyalty conference) and Dubai. It reminded me just how valuable it is to connect with business partners in person. There’s something irreplaceable about getting out from behind the screen to meet face-to-face. Real conversations, shared meals, learning best practices—it all helps strengthen relationships.

And the data backs it up:

• 2024 Accor study found that 85% of professionals expect a 36% revenue boost when prioritizing important in-person meetings.

• Face-to-face client meetings are seen as 3x more impactful than virtual ones.

• A survey by Forbes found 84% of execs say in-person strategic meetings with partners are essential for lasting relationships.

Those are some powerful stats—but honestly, what struck me most was how fun it was to laugh, collaborate, and plan the future—together, in the same room.

My call to action for this week: If you’ve been thinking about visiting a client or partner, do it. Book the flight, grab the coffee, show up. It might just be the most productive thing you do this month. ✈️

And a thank you to the folks who made this trip so memorable—a shout-out for the warm welcome, inspiring loyalty content, and real conversations: Alan Zrado, Katie Dalton, Eileen Peacock, Terry McMullen, J. Donald Smith, Francesco Onorato, Jim Sturm, Aneesh Reddy, Paula Thomas, Ryan Mitchell, Nitin Bawankule, Swapnil Gaurshettiwar, Shaikh Imran, John Pedini, Megan Fiorendino, Melody Mitchem, Nate Steffan, Anna Khomukha, and so many others.

India 🇮🇳 and UAE 🇦🇪 are a must-visit. I’ve included outtakes from Mumbai in this week’s Coffee Chat if you watch past the first minute. 😀