I never thought that was an "American obsession". If it is, you might want to borrow from those Americans. Customer Support is not only a way to help users better use your product, it's also a chance to know your customer better. It's an opportunity to see through the eyes of a layman. If it's as simple as telling someone what button to push, use it as a chance to humanize your product. If it's really that simple, you both look like a genius (ok...not really) and really need to build a better FAQ.