Sometimes service is poor, and sometimes it is excellent. In every business, though, going the extra mile is considered the ideal. Our language reflects this. Pleasing your customers, especially if it can be done at little or no cost, is always a top priority in American business. In Japan, following the rules as precisely as possible seems to be the top priority.
American service is dynamic.
Japanese service is dependable. Usually, the rules work. The standard level of service is probably a bit higher in Japan than it is in America. But if Japanese service never falls below a certain level, it never rises above it either. In an ideal world, somewhere between Japan and the US, rules are rules, and the customer is king.