(Accenture: New York) -- Services are increasingly the differentiator that can make or break a company, according to a recent Accenture survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers.

According to the study, “It’s more than just your product—how service and support influence buying decisions.” The service experience was most frequently identified by consumers as the “most important factor” when buying a product (26%), closely followed by brand reputation (25%). Quality, although important, was last, with 13 percent of consumers indicating that it was the most important factor.

Seventy-four percent of those surveyed said the degree to which they factor services into their buying decisions has “increased significantly” or “somewhat,” compared to 26 percent who said it decreased at least “somewhat” or “significantly” more.

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