Hitting the Service Value in a Hurricane From Miles Away

It’s a vivid, humbling way to capture the complexity of modern servitisation, and it makes one thing clear: achieving lasting value in service delivery is not a matter of luck but of precision, adaptability, and, above all, people.

In this article, we unpack Hudson’s metaphor and explore how organisations can embrace the challenges of complexity, data, disruption, and long-range service planning to optimise value.

The Target: Finding Value in the Ecosystem

Traditionally, service value is measured by how well a product performs or how efficiently a service is delivered. But Daniel encourages us to look beyond the bullseye of product-centric value. The real opportunity lies in the wider ecosystem, in the data, relationships, and extended services that form around the product.

For instance, placing a product in the market opens up access not only to immediate service opportunities but also to downstream data services, customer usage insights, and even engagement with competitors and partners. Why see competitors only as threats? In growing markets, collaboration may yield more mutual value than competition.

A mature approach to servitisation recognises this broader view. It doesn’t stop at time and material contracts but rather explores how to offer predictive maintenance, intelligent upgrades, and shared platforms that expand the value network beyond a single transaction.

The Distance: Designing for the Unknown

Delivering value isn’t just about knowing what your customer wants today. It’s about anticipating what they’ll need tomorrow. The problem? You’re designing and launching products based on a snapshot of a market that is already evolving.

Electric aircraft, for example, are fundamentally different from their gas turbine predecessors—not just in form but in how they generate value. With lower upfront and service costs, the opportunity lies not in maintenance contracts but in enabling data services, fleet insights, and operational efficiency tools.

Agile development becomes crucial because markets change faster than ever. As Hudson says, “Today is the slowest day of your life.” Service offerings must be flexible, iterative, and designed to evolve with customer needs.

It also means being realistic about the tools. As Rolls-Royce has discovered, even the best product doesn’t always win. Consider the iPhone, which is rarely the cheapest or leading in raw specs, but it still dominates because of user experience and brand perception. The same principle applies to service. Customers value ease, confidence, and outcomes over technical superiority alone.

The Hurricane: Navigating Disruption and Change

The hurricane in the metaphor symbolises the environmental factors beyond your control, such as market disruption, technological acceleration, regulatory shifts, and even global events like pandemics or geopolitical instability.

COVID-19 is a perfect example. It caused immense disruption but also accelerated service innovation across industries. Likewise, the internet transformed how we access information, yet it was initially dismissed. The point is that timing and market readiness are everything. Even the best ideas fail if the environment isn’t prepared to receive them.

Electric cars existed a century ago, but the infrastructure and societal mindset weren’t there. Today, they’re thriving, not only because the technology improved but because the value proposition aligned with public and policy priorities.

Companies must, therefore, develop the ability to sense and respond to these environmental signals. What’s gaining momentum? What weak signals indicate a coming shift? And, most importantly, how can your service model adapt to meet this new reality?

The Archer: Empowering the People Behind the Systems

While we often talk about platforms, AI, and data lakes, we can’t forget the human element, the archer aiming through the storm. Hudson reminds us that field engineers, customer support agents, and service managers are the real enablers of value. Their decisions, insights, and adaptability are what make or break the customer experience.

We can give them better tools, more training, and cleaner data, but it’s their tacit knowledge and their feel for customer needs that hits the mark. It’s easy to get lost in systems and strategy, but service excellence is still fundamentally about people.

Investing in this human capital is key. As products become smarter and service models more complex, the ability of teams to navigate ambiguity, build relationships, and deliver bespoke solutions becomes the ultimate differentiator.

The Bow and Arrow: Data, Tools, and Technology

To help the archers, we must equip them with the right tools. In a service context, these tools are data systems, digital twins, lifecycle cost models, and integrated logistics frameworks.

Lifecycle cost analysis, for instance, gives a fuller picture of the total cost of ownership, from acquisition to disposal. It allows companies to tailor service offerings that reflect actual usage, customer goals, and long-term value rather than short-term fixes.

Integrated logistics support frameworks foster cohesion by aligning maintenance, supply chains, and data flows. However, these systems provide value only when based on shared standards and a common language. Businesses frequently fall into the trap of believing their sector is “different.” In reality, the hardware is indifferent; it’s our organisational silos that introduce artificial complexity.

Shared frameworks across industries can unlock massive efficiencies and insights. As Hudson wryly notes, if Rolls-Royce knew even half of what Rolls-Royce knew, it would be dangerous. Breaking down internal barriers is as important as breaking into new markets.

Embracing the Chaos to Find Value

Hitting service value in a hurricane from miles away isn’t easy. But with the right approach, it’s possible. Start by expanding your definition of value and look beyond the product to the ecosystem. Accept the distance and design services that can evolve. Read the weather and be ready to pivot when the market shifts. And trust your archers by supporting them with data, tools, and trust.

Servitisation is no longer about selling maintenance contracts but about building flexible, adaptive systems that thrive in complexity. Rolls-Royce’s experience reminds us that the future of service lies in ecosystems, agility, human insight, and resilience. The target may be far away, and the wind may howl, but with the right preparation, you can still hit the mark.