The value of a service is not measured by how much effort we put into it – it is measured by how much benefit the customer gains from it.

Honestly, after years of working in the IT field, one thing becomes very clear: sometimes we look at our work so much from the “inside” that we forget to see it through the customer’s eyes.

We build new systems, implement updates, enhance security. Among ourselves, we say: “That was an excellent job!”

But on the other hand, the customer says:
“I used to complete this task in 3 minutes, now it takes me 10.”
“The new system does not fit my daily workflow.”

And at that moment, a question arises:
Are we providing a service, or are we just doing technical work?

What does ITIL v4 tell us?

ITIL v4 summarizes it in one sentence:

“Value is co-created and is only defined through the eyes of the customer.”

This means that the success of a service is not only measured by its technical quality, but by how well it meets the customer’s real, everyday needs.

Let us take a simple example from daily life:

Imagine you bring a new printer to an office. It works via Wi-Fi, it is fast, and it consumes less energy. Technically, you think you have done a “great job.”

But the user says:
“The old printer in the front office was more convenient because it worked via a direct cable.”
“We are having trouble connecting to the new printer.”
“Technology has improved, but convenience has decreased.”

So what happened here?
There was technical progress, but the value of the service decreased – because user convenience was not considered.

The conclusion is very simple:

We are providing a service – and the central focus of that service is the customer.
It is not us who decide whether the service is good – it is the user who uses it.

How can we apply this approach?

• In the design phase, involve the customer.
• Measure success not by technical elegance, but by ease of use.
• Treat feedback not as “complaints,” but as “value signals.”

And finally, a question:

What do you think defines the “excellence” of a service?
Technical stability? Or delivering real value to the user?