Welcome to the first Introducing article of 2020 where we’ll be chatting to Chantelle Herbst from Vaimo’s Dubai office.
Listen in to hear more about Chantelle’s journey with Vaimo, the changing nature of eCommerce and the power of never giving up!
Hi Chantelle, it’s a pleasure to welcome you to Vaimo Introducing! To kick things off, can you tell us about your journey at Vaimo, and how you’ve transitioned to new roles within the company?
My journey with Vaimo and eCommerce started about 9 years ago when we established Vaimo South Africa. During that period I was overseeing all projects and was responsible for client satisfaction. It was probably the biggest learning curve in my professional career, and I’m proud to have been part of the digital journeys that our South African clients embarked on over the last decade.
I relocated to Dubai with my husband and son to gain international exposure and to work on global projects. It was during this time that I reconnected with the Vaimo team and we saw a great opportunity to grow the business in the region. Now as Country Manager of Vaimo’s Dubai office, I look forward to helping more businesses grow their digital capabilities and succeed online.
And with your recent move to the role of Country Manager (Dubai), maybe you could tell us about your vision for the Dubai office and what you’re hoping to achieve?
My vision for Dubai is to cement our position as the leading digital commerce partner in the region. That’s through not only supporting clients from a day-to-day technical perspective but building lasting partnerships that drive their long-term commerce success.
With UAE celebrating its 50th year, and EXPO 2020 kicking off, there are so many opportunities for businesses in the region to establish and grow their digital footprints. The mission for Vaimo Dubai is to support the region in achieving this.
My main focus is to create an environment for my team to excel and flourish in what they do. Bringing out the best in them will create a positive ripple effect for our business and, therefore, our clients.
From your own experience, what’s the current state of eCommerce in the Middle East and what should businesses be focusing on?
Every day, more people are choosing to shop online, benefitting from the convenience that online stores can offer. So the world of eCommerce is alive and well in the Middle East. This means that there are countless opportunities for businesses across industries to increase their digital offerings and ultimately grow online revenue.
Over the past few years, consumer behaviour has changed—the expectation now is to have a seamless online purchasing experience, no matter the channel, device or location. As a result, more and more business are focusing their efforts into driving customer experience through their online stores, as opposed to only having a static online information system. And with our 10+ years’ experience and expertise in delivering global eCommerce solutions, that’s where Vaimo can help.
And now moving on to you… What’s your proudest achievement, be it at Vaimo or in your personal life?
I don’t think there’s one single event that stands out, but more a series of events and efforts that have led me on the journey that I’m currently on.
I’m proud of myself for never giving up. Things haven’t always gone according to plan, and there have been a few hurdles to overcome along the way. But I’ve learnt that it’s OK to fail sometimes and then learn and grow from these setbacks. These have really led me to where I am today. And my job excites me—driving change for the better, leading people to become the best versions of themselves and helping our clients to exceed their eCommerce goals.
Then, at the end of each day, I always get to go home to my beautiful family—my pride and joy!
Is there an app that you can’t live without?
I have a few apps that I frequently use, but the one I definitely can’t live without is Google Maps. I am the worst when it comes to directions!
Describe Vaimo in 4 words.
Our core values say it best: Excellence, Teamwork, Open and Fun
A huge thanks to Chantelle for sparing some time and sharing her thoughts with us from Vaimo’s Dubai Office. Stay tuned to our blog to hear more stories from Vaimoers across the world!
