BuitenLand

The story of BuitenLand began 10 years ago. Three friends were looking for a place where they could grow old together, while still being able to be creative and welcome people. It didn’t necessarily have to be a campsite, but that is what it turned out to be. The friends built BuitenLand campsite on 10 hectares of land in south-east Drenthe, in the Netherlands. Nowadays, there are 150 camping pitches, 23 of which have an OSSO bell tent. There are also more than 30 cottages, each of which is unique and, in most cases, built by their creators themselves.

We spoke to Mare van Oosterhout, who works at BuitenLand as general manager since 2023. She tells us about the partnership with OSSO and what she values so much about it.

10 hectares of land
150 camping pitches
23 bell tents

Good service makes all the difference

After joining BuitenLand, Mare decided to look for new tents because she wasn’t happy with the ones they had at the time: “I saw a tent with ‘OSSO’ written on it. So, I started searching and calling, and got in contact with the owner, Henk. From that moment on, I’ve been ordering my tents from OSSO.”

Since then, she’s not only been happy with the tents, but above all with the customer service: “I love how easy it is to get in touch. You always get a reply quite quickly, also via the app. I like being able to come to arrangements easily, and with OSSO, that’s exactly how it goes. I’m sure there are other suppliers who offer the same products, but for me it’s the service that really matters. I’ve had good experiences with OSSO, so I keep coming back to them.”

Thinking proactively and adapting quickly

Almost all of the 23 bell tents at BuitenLand measure 6 x 6 metres and, with one exception, have a single door. To ensure they last longer, they have fitted roof covers over them. This slows down wear and tear and means the tents do not need to be washed. That saves a lot of work and money, Mare points out. “It doesn’t look quite as nice, but that doesn’t matter. For now, it’s working very well.”

What Mare also really appreciates about OSSO is the flexibility: “At one point, I was faced with the problem of having to replace six tents within a single day because they’d gone mouldy. I really needed them, as we were fully booked. I called Henk and asked if it was possible. He immediately said it was, as he had them in stock. I collected them the next morning and they were set up by the evening. Things like this are why I keep going back to a supplier.”

Personal and human contact

Speaking about her contact with OSSO, Mare says: “You can just tell they’re old-school entrepreneurs who aren’t into making hugely glamorous promises. Ultimately, it’s about whether you can help each other. We treat each other as fellow entrepreneurs. They understand my situation perfectly, and I understand theirs. We don’t try to pull the wool over each other’s eyes. We make arrangements based on a kind of old-fashioned handshake, and I really appreciate that.”