Indians rate customer care service as the top factor while choosing a business and are willing to reward outstanding service by spending more as well as spreading a positive word, says a survey.

According to the findings of the American Express 2017 Global Customer Service Barometer released today, a great service experience can have a positive impact on brands.

Businesses in India should not just focus on providing a good value for money product, but also an equally excellent customer service experience to attract and retain customers.

The survey noted around 84 per cent of Indian consumers say the quality of customer service is very important when they are deciding to become or remain a customer.

Moreover, 86 per cent of Indians are also willing to spend more for a company providing excellent customer service experience; much ahead of United States (70 per cent), UK (59 per cent), Singapore (72 per cent) and Japan (33 per cent).

In addition, Indian customers talk much more about their positive experience, than any other country.

"Companies across the country pay a lot of emphasis on product value proposition but it is time for them to give an equal or more importance to customer service for a real competitive advantage.

Putting customers' needs first to deliver great service experience is not just the right thing to do, it also makes great business sense," said Pradeep Kapur, Senior Vice President, American Express Global Servicing Network Japan and Asia Pacific.

Besides, Indians are way ahead of their market counterparts when it comes to sharing their good customer service experience on social media.

Not only have they used social media for sharing their feedback, 64 per cent of Indians have also used social channel for availing customer care services, yet again the highest compared to Mexico, United States, Hong Kong and Japan.

On the other hand, 63 per cent of Indians chose not to complete a business transaction or make a purchase because of poor customer service; second highest amongst markets.

"Customer care is a real competitive differentiator.

Because of the growing importance of word of mouth about consumers' interactions with companies, creating an excellent service experience can be a game changer," Kapur said.

The American Express 2017 Global Customer Service Barometer survey has been conducted across nine countries – India, United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Italy, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore.