“Don’t delete the negative stuff,” says Vuma’s Chelsea du Plessis

By Koketso Mamabolo

Chelsea du Plessis, HOD Sales Operations at Vuma

“More than the instant gratification people are looking to achieve through addressing brands on social media, like troubleshooting technical problems, people want to feel heard – that their concerns are being listened to,” says Chelsea du Plessis, the HOD Sales Operations of South Africa’s largest fibre-to-home provider, “and that what they have to say is important. Because at the end of the day it is.”

Chelsea believes that the feedback brands are receiving from customers on social media is invaluable. “Take it, and use it to make your offering better and give your customers what they want.”

At Vuma, Chelsea’s goal is to build an online community by genuinely engaging customers and increasing digital activity, something she encourages all brands to explore.

This is where marketing meets customer service and ultimately sales. If you’re able to engage with customers, get their thoughts and apply them to your business, you open opportunities for growth and set your business apart from the rest.

Chelsea, who holds an honours in Bcom Business and Marketing Management, had dreams of being the manager of the Springbok rugby team when she was still doing her undergraduate studies in Sports Management. 

Shortly after completing her honours, she joined SA Digital Villages, which merged with Vuma in 2020. “Today I look after all the digital marketing components for the business.”

Here Chelsea explains how you can build online communities, how you can foster two-engagement within those communities and why brands should be embracing the negative comments on social media.

Being consistent online helps readers know that they can interact with you in that space and that you’ll take what they say about your brand seriously to affect change. It also helps build trust.

How does one build online communities?

There is no silver bullet to building an online community, but you can start by creating authentic content that adds value to readers and engaging positively online by starting conversations, liking, sharing, replying to comments and DMs, etc. Being consistent online helps readers know that they can interact with you in that space and that you’ll take what they say about your brand seriously to affect change. It also helps build trust.

How do you foster two-way engagement within those online communities?

Showing up online consistently and engaging meaningfully with people you follow or that follow you helps build a relationship with readers. Once a relationship has been formed, people will be more inclined to engage with your brand by leaving reviews or liking and sharing your content. Creating content that addresses the readers’ needs will also make them more prone to engage because people want to solve problems and be entertained online. Creating content and engaging in a way to aid that will prompt them to engage with your brand.

How does one keep up with the changes and innovations in the telecoms industry?

I enjoy reading and believe learning does not stop once you have a certificate or a degree. I do my best to ensure that I am always connected to various digital channels to learn about new trends within the industry. For me, being a part of a more extensive digital community is essential to build connections, share, and elevate each other in the space. 

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What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?

One of my biggest challenges is being taken seriously as a young female in a male-dominated industry. However, I’ve found that when you work hard, understand your value, continuously learn, and expand on your knowledge and speak up when you feel relevant will help change those perceptions. It is also important to step up when called on and make an impact whenever you get the chance.

What inspired you to be a digital expert?

Digital marketing has been around for many years, but the features and practices are constantly evolving – which means it is a channel you can grow with. The impact and reach are also far greater than any other channel. So, for less budget, your impact can be more significant. It is also the one channel that allows you to track and measure everything you implement, which, for somebody who loves analytics and reporting as much as I do, is a dream!

Why do you feel brands need to change their approach to social media management?

Countless people join the digital world because they want to be entertained, informed, and keep connected to family, friends, and their communities or because they want to be heard. Therefore, brands or businesses need to look to create content that speaks to those specific outcomes. Many accounts post just to get content on their pages without thinking about how the content could add value. A carefully thought-out strategy online could add immense value in building a trusted online community, improving your brand awareness, and generating sales. 

Why do you feel brands shouldn’t be trying to limit negative comments from customers on social media?

People want to be heard – they want to know that what they say is essential and matters – because ultimately, it does – being online means taking the good with the bad and accepting all engagement. Blocking comments or reviews, like instances when brands try to block negative comments from appearing on their channels, means it bears repeating. Don’t delete the negative stuff – you must know people will engage with content online if you share it. And whether their feedback is positive or negative, there is still a lot of value to gain from it.