‘That was the game changer for us,” Clatterbuck said about the role of video in the tax season initiative.

Customers taking advantage of TurboTax Live were able to click a button within TurboTax to secure services of a tax professional. Intuit’s reasoning for the program was that customers who otherwise were willing to prepare their own taxes may have a question or two about the impact of a change in their lives, such as a marriage or purchase of a house, on their taxes.

Intuit was able to attract people “who are overpay8ing for a simple return,” Clatterbuck said. Taxpayers who might pay $250 for preparation at a tax return cold spend $150 through use of TurboTax Live.

“Video is definitely a key. “Some of the beauty is it you actual can do see a human on the other side,” Clatterbuck said. Intuit had several previous attempts at programs to enlist professionals in assisting consumers who use TurboTax.

“We did try a number of different versions and failed miserably at them,” she said.