You can blame part of the poor service on the security measures taken within the past 20 years. Before US Diplomats were targets, people who went to the US consulate sections would sit/stand face to face with a consular officer. face to face contact is much more intimate. These days you have to talk to them through wall to wall bullet/bomb proof glass. It takes away the "human" interaction with these encounters.

I never understood why it was neccessary to install these barriers since everyone is searched head to toe and bags xrayed before they are allowed into the consular section--I guess it is an indication of the security people going for the overkill.