I have found the call button works best too.

However, I agree with the general thrust of what the OP is saying. To be honest, who hasn't had a flight in J on CX and noticed/experienced some of what he/she is talking about in regards to cabin service/passenger contact, etc? I do find that a lot depends on the crew. I have had great crews in J but have increasingly found that the situation described by the OP is becoming more frequent than it used to be. I suspect part of the problem is the new seats, it doesn't make service easy for the FA's.

That said, flying SQ in Business Class or above is an interesting comparison in 'syles' of service. While a little robotic, they have something that CX has lost in my own opinion.