Nowism: When Now Is the Only Time That Matters

I was just reading the November post at Trendwatching about a trend they're calling Nowism. Here's their definition:

NOWISM | Consumers’ ingrained lust for instant gratification is being satisfied by a host of novel, important (offline and online) real-time products, services and experiences. Consumers are also feverishly contributing to the real-time content avalanche that’s building as we speak.

So Nowism is not just about having everything now, but it also about the expectation of being a part of it as well. Watch HLN (CNN's Headline News) in the morning, and you'll see real-time viewer comments via e-mail and Facebook on breaking stories, becoming part of the story. With consumer electronics, consumers don't just want to have a new product the instant it's introduced, they expect to be a part of the interactive beta-test of the product.

This expectation emerging is that there should be a way to have any need, whether it's entertainment, food, shelter, or self expression, met instantly and with good relevance to the seeker. Just watch what flows through your Twitter stream for 15 minutes if you doubt this.

Isn't Nowism the conceptual manifestation of perfect speed? How can any business possibly meet these crazy expectations? Most probably can't really do it today, but that's not to say we can't align our businesses in that direction.

What we can all strive for today is demonstrations of connectivity and accessibility. Ever been surprised when you e-mail a complaint late at night and you get an almost-instant human response? Doesn't matter if they fixed anything, being human and fast scored points with you and your attitude. Your ability to access and connect with a real person mattered.

Each industry will see expectations change in response to Nowism at different paces. Where are you in yours relative to best (and worst!) in class? Tell me what you're seeing in your industry as Nowism starts to hits, and what you're doing about it to stay at the front of the pack.