I have read the article on cultural behaviour with great interest, but in my opinion your conclusion does not entirely complies with reality.
First of all, in my opinion the manner in which someone is adressed is not a minor issue.
Furthermore, as the research mentioned in the article illustrates smiling is important in making a good first impression.
So, although your conclusion is that general awareness of differences between cultures is more important than the usual cultural clichés, in reality the latter have a larger influence on people's behaviour towards each other.