Virtual work with colleagues is hard. Remote relationships with clients are harder

Travel restrictions and safety concerns irrevocably changed the ability for companies to bond with clients and customers. Many companies still are trying to figure out a good way to connect with clients over virtual platforms.

The lack of in-person interaction makes it much harder for seasoned salespeople and customer-relationship managers to "read the room." It results in missed opportunity and causes a loss in the ability to discover new and transformational ideas and products together.

There are certain personality archetypes in every business partnership.

• The decision-makers: In person, around a table, decision-makers are easy to identify. Virtually, it can be challenging to identify the decision-makers and to identify what they need to make those decisions.
• The skeptics: Skeptics could be engaged with one on one, often after a meeting to ensure their concerns were heard. In the remote world, it's more challenging to identify and share ideas with them.
• The trailblazers: Trailblazers often get what you're doing and may endorse a strategy and find a way to innovate and fund them. One could connect with trailblazers at coffee breaks or sidebar conversations. This has all but disappeared in the online world.