[Mr_P]

> unless you have some indication people are increasingly picking the competitor over you, or especially and more simply leaving you in favour of the competitor.

If this happens, you've already lost. Software development has long lead-times. By the time there is significant customer attrition, bending the curve will be immensely difficult.

Good engineering strategy requires over-reacting to the right signals, and trends in the broader ecosystem are a wonderful source of signals. Large tech companies know this, and there's a reason why they'll quickly throw billion-dollar budgets behind exploratory efforts in response to competitors.

That said, it certainly depends on the industry. Some sectors are more fast-paced and competitive than others.