Is it about being nice?

Is service just something about being nice?
It's certainly true that people with a deep sense of service are usually really nice!
But from a business or organizational standpoint, simply being nice isn't enough.
Organizations need systems to help nice people do their jobs effectively. It's sad to go into a shop, restaurant, government office, etc. and see nice people struggling with cumbersome systems, or badly designed systems, or no system at all. You can tell they're trying, they're smiling through, they're doing their best, but they're swimming upstream. And if they're great at their jobs, mobile, or living in a town with more than one diner, they'll be moving on to a place that better supports their efforts.
So... If nice people can flourish in their work if they have a good system, can people who aren't so nice give good service if the system is really good?
I know my answer, but what do you think?