Nobody told me about that!

For sure, it's possible for engineers to invent things that customers wouldn't have imagined. But those innovations are still going to have to produce business value for the customers, or else the innovations are of no use (or nobody will pay for them, which is just as bad for the engineers).

It's still possible to say to the customer "We can make exactly what you do a little easier, for $X, or we can provide you with the following extra benefits to your business for $Y - which would you like?". Ultimately, it's the customers' decision.