Seriously. Good service? Which one of the below is paramount to be considered good service to you? Meaning if you had to choose 1?
a) Efficiency?
b) Smile?
c) Courteous?
d) Cheap price/Discounts/Value for money/Freebies?
e) Flexibility?
f) Personalised?
g) Quality?
h) Others
Different products/services against different buying powers mean different expectations to what constitutes as "good service" to different people.
An affluent person buying a luxury item may prefer Efficiency and Personalisation while a less affluent buying the same luxury item may prefer quality and price/discount/freebie. Same item, different expectations, different yard-sticks.
A less fussy buyer of noodles may rate quality highest. (nice taste, consistency etc)
A more fussy buyer of noodles may rate personalisation highest (no tau geh, more vinegar etc)
If we get what we want, do we applaud or compliment? Or do we just say "it's expected", like its our god-given right?
Why must it be "beyond the call of duty" to be considered "good service", like in P.M. Lee's examples? You mean not going beyond means not good enough?
Until we, as a society, learn to recognise, remark and reward good service, forget about receiving/demanding for it.