NEW YORK – A new Accenture survey reveals that retailers and consumer goods companies aren’t living up to consumers needs in two areas: product selection and customer service.

According to a press release, the global consulting firm says that those two key areas are the most influential factors in determining where consumer shop and what products they purchase.

“It's significant that the two chief factors influencing purchase decisions are the same ones that shoppers complain about most," said Keith Barringer, Accenture’s consumer goods and service practice global managing director, in the release. “Manufacturers and retailers that bridge this gap to offer better product selection and customer service can reap the rewards – improved sales and margins, for example – of turning shoppers into loyal customers. Bridging the gap, however, takes a dedication to innovation and the ability to be truly customer-centric.”

Accenture’s survey of 575 U.S. consumers found that almost three-quarters of respondents said customer service had a significant influence on whether they make a purchase. More than half said helpful customer service was lacking inside stores. Nearly all of those surveyed (98 percent) said they need product information prior to purchasing a product.

“[A]s a sign of the gap that exists between what shoppers want and what they get,” about 48 percent of respondents said they obtain product information most of the time, notes the release.