Why I Stopped Taking Notes in Client Meetings

Voice AI's Human Touch in Team Collaboration

Twenty-two years of financial advising has taught me that the most expensive mistakes happen in the gaps between what clients say and what we remember. But it wasn't until I spoke with Christian Villeneuve, a content writer at seoplus+ , that I realized this problem extends far beyond my industry—and discovered how one world-class digital marketing agency is solving it.

You know the feeling. You're deep in conversation about someone's project goals, their brand concerns, their vision for connecting with their audience. Your pen is moving across the page, trying to capture the important details.

But you're missing something crucial.

The pause when they mention their company's "specific rules." The slight change in tone when they talk about what they really want to avoid. The moment when their real concerns surface between your scripted questions.

Christian, who specializes in research and writing industry-level content for clients while balancing Google rankings, AI overviews, and value for audiences, experienced this friction firsthand. His story reveals something fascinating about the intersection of AI tools and human connection in professional settings.

The seoplus+ Case Study: When Note-Taking Breaks Down

Based in Ottawa, Canada, seoplus+ is a data-driven marketing agency with a mission to make life better through strategic digital partnerships. When I asked Christian about the specific moment that traditional meeting documentation failed him, his response was immediate and telling:

"When I didn't write down the right information, missing key details following a client meeting can lead to unsatisfactory work and risk upsetting the client. Let's say they asked for a very particular request. I'm busy focusing on discussing the details with them and asking questions. During the discussion, I'm writing down notes that aren't fully organized and not reflective of what the client and I discussed."

This challenge wasn't unique to Christian—it was affecting client relationships across the agency. That's when seoplus+ made a strategic decision to implement Fireflies.ai not just for individual use, but as a company-wide solution for client meetings, campaign reviews, and cross-departmental collaboration.

As Christian explained, "At seoplus+, we utilize Fireflies to capture client meetings, recordings, and key takeaways across various departments. These campaigns' reviews involve discussing key updates and actionable steps while also collaborating with client on what they would like to approve, including new SEO strategies, paid ad campaigns, or PR opportunities. This tool helps team members fully engage with the client during the meeting and have the recording along with an AI-generated summary of key steps and takeaways sent for future reference. This helps with an accountable and transparent workflow."

Christian's initial hesitation was revealing: "I was mainly hesitant that it wouldn't capture all the information I needed. The first time I used it, I continued to take notes as I discussed during the client meeting. But after the first meeting, it recapped everything I needed, so I was able to take my notes from the recap, without unnecessary fluff."

This transition from backup mode to complete trust represents something deeper than just better note-taking technology.

From Presentation Mode to Collaboration Mode

The transformation that followed was immediate and profound. As Christian explained:

"I was more engaged with the client and had more meaningful conversations with them. I usually came into meetings with questions to ask on content I was writing for them and any updates on future pieces. I was writing down the client's answers while asking them the following question on my list. With Fireflies, I was able to ask more engaging follow-up questions and gain a deeper understanding of the client's feelings about what I was asking, now that I was more focused on the discussion than on ensuring I wrote everything down."

This shift from scripted question lists to organic conversation flow reveals something crucial about how we structure professional interactions. When we're not divided between capturing and connecting, we start catching insights that would otherwise slip away.

The practical impact was striking: "The client would mention specific rules for their company, making me realize they may have more information regarding their business that I'm missing, which could be crucial to my writing. Along with specific interests in topics they'd like more focus on, I can now present suggestions with a better understanding of what they want and what to avoid in the content pieces."

The Technology Paradox: Christian's Insight

Most people assume AI tools create distance between humans. What I discovered through my conversation with Christian was exactly the opposite—when used correctly.

Christian's key insight came through this distinction: "I believe that, depending on the use of AI, it could create a distance between humans. If I used it to write the content, it wouldn't be as thoughtful as when I write it myself, even if I gave the AI all the instructions. But with Fireflies, it seamlessly removes a tedious step in note-taking during client meetings."

This reveals the critical difference between AI that replaces human thinking and AI that removes friction so humans can think better.

The transformation in meeting dynamics at seoplus+ was remarkable: "Fireflies eliminates the need for multitasking during meetings, allowing us to focus entirely on our discussions and collaborative efforts. This enables us to ensure that the content accurately reflects the client and provides valuable insights to readers."

What Changes When You're Fully Present

The ripple effects extended far beyond better documentation. Christian noticed the content itself transformed: "Content now is much more reflective of the client's brand and tone, which is building better trust between us and streamlining the process as there is less back and forth and a need for edits."

But perhaps the most significant change was in meeting culture itself. As Christian observed: "It's allowed for a less structured meeting, which isn't always a bad thing. Now, when ideas emerge from the discussion, I can easily jump at the chance to ask the client as they come to mind. It does change the dynamic to feel less like a presentation and more like a casual conversation, making it easier for creative thinking."

This shift from structured presentations to creative collaborations represents a fundamental change in how professional relationships develop. When clients feel heard at a deeper level, they share information they wouldn't reveal in more formal settings.

At seoplus+, this transformation has implications beyond individual client relationships. With Fireflies generating AI summaries of key steps and takeaways across departments, the entire agency benefits from more accountable and transparent workflows.

The Trust Factor

Here's something counterintuitive that emerged from my conversation with Christian: better documentation actually creates more authentic relationships.

When people know everything is being captured accurately, they worry less about whether their key points are being heard. They can focus on sharing what really matters instead of repeating important details to ensure understanding.

This creates a positive feedback loop. More trust leads to more openness. More openness leads to better insights. Better insights lead to better outcomes. Better outcomes lead to stronger relationships.

For a content writer like Christian, who must balance SEO rankings with genuine audience value, this deeper client understanding translates directly into more effective content that serves both search algorithms and human readers.

Making the Transition: Lessons from seoplus+

For professionals considering this approach, Christian's experience at seoplus+ offers a clear roadmap. Start with one meeting type where note-taking feels particularly burdensome—client discovery sessions, creative brainstorming meetings, or strategic planning discussions.

Use AI transcription as backup initially. Take your normal notes but review the transcript afterward. You'll quickly see which method captures more valuable information and notice how your presence changes when you're not worried about writing everything down.

Pay attention to whether you ask different questions or explore topics more deeply. The goal isn't to eliminate all structure from meetings—it's to eliminate the friction that prevents genuine connection and creative thinking.

Beyond Note-Taking: Universal Applications

Christian's experience at seoplus+ demonstrates principles that work for any professional who needs to balance information capture with human connection. Therapists, consultants, coaches, sales professionals, financial advisors—all face the same fundamental challenge.

The principle is universal: when you remove the cognitive load of documentation, you free up mental resources for the work that actually matters.

In my own practice working with state employees, educators, and healthcare workers approaching retirement, these conversations require presence, not just process. Retirement planning isn't just about numbers—it's about dreams, fears, family dynamics, and life transitions. You can't capture those nuances while frantically scribbling notes.

What Christian discovered in content creation applies equally to financial planning: the deeper insights emerge when you're fully engaged with the person, not the paperwork.

The Bigger Picture

We're at an interesting moment with AI tools. The temptation is to automate everything, to let technology handle more and more of our thinking.

But Christian's experience at seoplus+ points to a more subtle opportunity. It's about identifying the friction points that prevent us from doing our best human work, then using technology to eliminate those specific barriers.

Note-taking during important conversations is one of those friction points. It forces multitasking when single-tasking would serve clients better.

When you remove that friction, something beautiful happens. Meetings become conversations. Presentations become collaborations. Clients become partners in creating something meaningful together.

As Christian Villeneuve and the team at seoplus+ have discovered, the technology disappears into the background, and the human connection moves to the foreground.

That's exactly where it should be.

Chris Hensley is a financial advisor, podcast host, and creator of the upcoming book Digital Kaizen: Small Loops, Big Shifts in an AI World. With over two decades of experience guiding clients through complex financial decisions, Chris now blends his expertise in retirement planning with cutting-edge tools like AI, voice-first thinking, and behavioral science. Digital Kaizen is a philosophy for those who want to grow sustainably in a world that moves fast—combining human wisdom, technology, and tiny, honest loops of improvement. This article is a preview of the ideas explored in Digital Kaizen, due out later this year.

Christian Villeneuve, a content writer at seoplus+, a world-class digital marketing agency located in Ottawa, Canada. A data-growth marketing partner with a mission to make life better. Christian specializes in research and writing to deliver industry-level content for our clients, improving their brand and increasing their authority in their respective fields. Christian is passionate about writing thoughtful content that balances ranking well in Google searches with creating content that benefits a client's target audience.