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When it comes to running a business, both online or off, much of our profits and time will be spent on our customers needs. It is in this area that a great deal of our time and profits are spent.

Personally answering the phone and replying to emails, will cost you valuable time that could be spent in more profitable ways. If you offer an 800 number, every minute spent on the phone decreases the profits you generated per sale regardless of whether you are talking to those who have made a purchase or not.

It goes without saying that if you have to pay someone else to provide customer service by phone or email, your profits are reduced even further.

So, the question is' how do we utilize the technological advances available on the internet to decrease our time spent on customer support both on the phone and in email?

The simple answer: By providing your customers with the solutions to their problems directly on your website.

Wait, perhaps your thinking, 'I do this already. Tell me something I don't know.'

Okay, so you have a FAQ section, and you have all the information on your website that your customers could possible want. You have even included the most user friendly instructional manual with the products you sell. What more can you do?

The first thing we need to understand is that most people have become rather lazy when it comes to reading. Although, the internet is full of information, the main way to absorb this information is by reading. Many people, if given the opportunity to do so, will take the easy route and call the 800 number, or email for help. These visitors and or paying customers will have no problem taking advantage of your valuable time. Time you could use to increase other areas of your business.

If the customer has actually paid for your product, they have the right to receive customer support by email or the phone.

Given a choice of reading instructions on a website verses, emailing or picking up the phone, many will chose to email or phone customer support over hunting for the answer in a manual or in the FAQ's.

For these time-wasting, profit-eating problems, there are two solutions. 1. Audio 2. Video. By adding audio to your site, you can help the lazy browser gain a better understanding of your products without having to read. Many people skim read and miss important point. With the use of audio and video you can make sure that doesn't happen.

An introduction to your sales letter by use of audio can help to increase interest in your product, which could be missed by those lazy browsers who need more incentive than a good headline to read what your product is about.

Many webmasters are using audio testimonials to sell their products and it is very effective. Hearing a personal testimonial offers greater validation than reading about one.

You can use audio to answer the most common FAQ's and prompt your readers to use your FAQ's section before submitting an email to support.

Next, add the visual aids, either through images, power point demonstrations, or video. Video is now incredible easy to create. All you need is a headset with a microphone and PC video recording program to begin. The money and time saved easily out weigh the cost of purchasing a headset and PC video recorder software program.

With video, you can show your customers exactly what they are going to receive. If it's software, you can provide a video demonstration of how the software works. For those who have purchased a product, you can provide video tutorials on both installation and use of your product. This will save you countless hours in customer support.

You can even offer a video tutorial of your ebook or membership site. For instance, you can use video to entice your readers by offering a walkthrough of the chapters in your ebook, or a video tour of your membership site, using audio to bring out the benefits and main points.

Basically, you're doing the same thing as you would in a sales letter, but by offering it visually, you are able to attract even the laziest customers to listen. It's far easier to listen and watch, then it is to read and think. (Video should be in addition to the written sales letters and manuals)

Use video and audio to show and tell your customers exactly what they want to know. This will decrease the time you spend in email and on the phone, thus greatly increasing your time, and profits as well as decreasing your expenses.

Copyright 2006 Christine Darrington