Scenario:

Customer calls with a request for a change in service.
Boss stops by the desk with a new project or report.
Employee says, "How can I be of assistance?"
Employee says, "Of course. When do you want it?"

Not any more. More and more I have been hearing, "No problem." And it has degraded to, "I don't have a problem with that," from the employee.

Whatever happened to the willing attitude towards service, particularly when service is what your company does? And that's all it does?

It may not register consciously with the boss or the customer, but the message is, "I'm doing you a favor. If I had a problem with it, it would be your problem." It's a passive-aggressive response, the effort to keep the power balance with the service provider.

And, if you're the supervisor, just try explaining to these employees why you want to hear a smile in their voice when they talk to customers and observe a positive approach that says, "I'm here to help. What can I do for you?" Instead of a meta message that says, "You're interrupting my personal phone call/business. Whaddya want?"