After more than twenty years at ODS, Eugène de Raaff knows the organization inside and out. Following a long career in sales across the Benelux, he now leads the company’s service organization. His ambition is clear: to build a future-proof international service department where quality, customer focus and collaboration are at the heart of everything they do.

From Sales to Service

“I have now been with ODS for more than twenty years. Before joining ODS, I was already active in the oil and gas industry, so I know the market well. What has always motivated me is working closely with customers. It’s not just about delivering a product – it’s about building long-term relationships and genuinely helping customers move forward.”

That customer-focused approach also forms the foundation of his current role as Service Manager. Together with his team, Eugène is driving the continued development of ODS’s complete after-sales organization.

“My responsibilities include both managing the service team and maintaining close relationships with our customers. The market is constantly evolving, and so are our customers’ expectations. That’s why we continue to invest in expanding our services in the areas of maintenance, calibration, spare parts, and technical support. We see significant opportunities for growth in these areas.”

A Changing Market Requires a Different Approach

The energy market is undergoing significant change. Existing installations are remaining in operation for longer periods, while investments in new refineries are declining. At the same time, demand for maintenance, inspections, calibration, and technical support continues to grow.

According to Eugène, this presents an important opportunity for ODS.

“More and more customers are looking for a partner who not only delivers a metering system but also ensures that it continues to perform optimally for many years. That represents a tremendous opportunity for our service organization.”

To respond to these changing market demands, ODS has made a strategic investment in further professionalizing its After Sales & Service organization over the past few years. Where different disciplines previously operated independently, commissioning, calibration, maintenance, spare parts, and technical support have now been brought together into one integrated business unit within ODS Energy Solutions. This enables customers to benefit from short communication lines, faster response times and more efficient handling of service requests.

Worldwide Support

As an internationally operating organization, the ODS service department supports customers across the globe.

“Our commissioning engineers are active worldwide. In addition, together with our international offices, we provide maintenance, calibration, spare parts, and technical support around the world. Our customers expect us to respond quickly, regardless of where they are located.”

According to Eugène, this flexibility is one of ODS’s key differentiators.

What Makes ODS Unique?

For Eugène, three core values define the strength of the service organization.

“Speed, flexibility, and technical expertise form the foundation of our services. Customers don’t always expect an immediate solution, but they do expect a prompt response and clear communication. Building trust starts with maintaining good customer relationships.”

ODS also distinguishes itself through its combination of specialist expertise and independence.

“We have decades of experience in custody transfer and flow measurement. Combined with our independent position as a system integrator, this enables us to deliver the most comprehensive solution for every customer.”

More Than Just Solving Problems

Increasingly, the focus is shifting from resolving failures to preventing them.

“We see tremendous value in maintenance contracts and Service Level Agreements (SLAs). These allow us to perform preventive maintenance in a structured way, keep critical spare parts readily available, and minimize unplanned downtime. This increases the reliability of installations and benefits both our customers and our own organization.”

Ready for the Next Step

Looking ahead, Eugène’s vision is not solely focused on growth, it is equally about people.

“Of course, we are a commercial organization, but sustainable growth starts with our employees. When colleagues enjoy working together, take ownership, and strengthen one another, that directly translates into the quality our customers experience.”

With a growing service organization, new colleagues joining the team, and continued international ambitions, Eugène looks to the future with confidence.

“The opportunities are considerable. Step by step, we are building a service organization that customers can continue to rely on, ensuring we keep delivering the level of service ODS is known for; today and in the future.”