Introducing Ruben van der Graaf, Founder of ServiceChanger BV. Ruben is a hands-on automation expert, and helps organisations transform service desk operations with practical solutions that boost efficiency and user experience. His focus on intelligent automation enables support teams to scale, and reclaim time for real, human-like support.
Ruben is taking to the stage to deliver the seminar ‘Vision 2030: Hyperautomation‘. Attendees will explore how AI, low-code platforms, and end-to-end automation are transforming service desks, delivering unprecedented speed, resilience, and user experience.
What inspired you to start Servicechanger.com?
I’ve been passionate about automation for over a decade, ever since I became an IT Manager at 25 (now, ugh, 35). Today I lead multiple teams across Europe, working at the crossroads of ITSM and ESM. Along the way I noticed a troubling pattern: many companies “optimize” their business units by pushing more work onto end users through self-service portals. It can look efficient on paper, but it often results in frustrated employees and hidden inefficiencies. I remember one person telling me, “This new portal just means I have to do IT’s job myself” and that really stuck with me. That’s why I founded Servicechanger.com, to cut service desk admin work without simply passing the burden to the people we are meant to help. It’s about smarter automation, not shifting the problem.
What has been your career highlight?
One that stands out is leading a multi-country ITSM transformation that saved hundreds of service desk hours every year without offloading the work onto end users. It brought together automation, process redesign, and a team effort. Seeing those teams go from firefighting to providing more human-like support was hugely rewarding. It proved that automation, done right, can give people better jobs, not take them away.
What advice would you give someone starting out their career in this industry?
Learn the tech, but also learn the business. The best ITSM and automation professionals are not just tool experts, they understand how the organization works and where technology can make a real impact. Be curious, ask why processes exist, and don’t be afraid to challenge “we’ve always done it this way”. And remember, automation is powerful, but empathy is irreplaceable. The human side of service is what separates great IT from “good enough” IT.
What are the key points you’ll be covering in your seminar session, Vision 2030: Hyperautomation?
A hands-on look at how AI, low-code tools, and automation are already reshaping service desks, and where it is heading by 2030. Real examples, practical tips, and how humans and digital agents can work side by side to make service faster, smarter, and easier.
What are you looking forward to most at the SITS NL?
Fresh ideas and real conversations, and those hallway chats where someone shares a clever fix or a hard-learned lesson you would never find in a slide deck.
SITS – Service Desk and IT Support Show Netherlands, is taking place on 16 September 2025 at Beatrix Theatre, Jaarbeurs.