Originally Posted by
purplestraw
Agreed. I get the sense that many people who knee-jerk claim that the service is better in Asia enjoy the feeling of hierarchy of being a master amongst staff (which personally makes me uncomfortable) whereas in Europe and North America, it's more like being a guest in someone's home.
Your analogy with being a guest in someone's home doesn't work when front-line employees make it plainly clear in front of me that (i) they hate their job, (ii) they are going to do the absolute bare minimum, (iii) breaking into the faintest of smiles is just too much effort, and (iv) no, they couldn't care less what you think about all that.
If that was supposed be like visiting someone's home as a guest, it's usually time to leave.
I also find the whole hierarchy thing uncomfortable, but that doesn't mean I'm also ready to concede that I prefer open hostility. In practice, though, I treat front-line employees all over the world with the same respect I would give to any of my friends, and rarely perceive the hierarchy issue.