The following article is a nice little case study demonstrating the value of using a user-centred approach to software development. The Return on Investment (ROI): 90% less calls to the support centre, and as the articles describes:
No matter how trivial, every support call has some costs associated with it. Installation should be easy, and initial use should be intuitive.”
The bottom line […] is straightforward: focusing on the design of the product had a significant impact on the cost of supporting the product.
Of course, there’s a very positive sales benefit to this, too: ProtectionPilot’s UI design has already generated favorable reviews in the U.S. and Europe, with ease of use a common theme.
Read the article: Clean, Cutting-edge UI Design Cuts McAfee’s Support Calls by 90%