[AmericanInTokyo]

I can guarantee everything you said in your post just now (post #17) about the level and care and cleanliness and efficiency of service JAPAN!!

One often gets 'reverse culture shock' when returning to the States, particularly after maybe a year or two in Japan (where one gets spoiled) to get confronted immediately, even upon landing at the airport, with crappy attitudes, mistakes, and just plain unconcerned and disrespectful attitude toward the customer. It slaps you right in the face, you get angry, and after a few weeks and months though, you get use to the lowered level of service again. What else can you do? "Oh well, this is afterall America, after all", you kind of roll around in your head as you re-adjust to generally lower standards.

Not a sermon or harrangue here. Just the truth.

[Skooz]

The Netherlands is a schizo country when it comes to customer service. You either get treated like a king by outrageously kind and attentive service people, or you get treated like the servant's mangy dog who has scratched the door begging for scraps once too often.

A truly weird place.

[BadAndy]

"One often gets 'reverse culture shock' when returning to the States, particularly after maybe a year or two in Japan (where one gets spoiled) to get confronted immediately, even upon landing at the airport, with crappy attitudes, mistakes, and just plain unconcerned and disrespectful attitude toward the customer. It slaps you right in the face, you get angry, and after a few weeks and months though, you get use to the lowered level of service again"

Hmm, naybe that's why everyone hates us. I had a similar reverse culture shock returning to the US from a conference in South America (Pre 9/11). The treatment of visitors to the US by the police and immigration people at the US gate was horrendous (even by my standards).

[ThanhPhero]

particularly after maybe a year or two in Japan (where one gets spoiled)

It is like that in Korea and, though less formally, in Viet Nam. I suspect it is a characteristic of East Asia and of developing economies in entrepreneurial populations. Japan, though is special because the formality is a basic component of the culture.