Most of the gate agents I have dealt with were/are fabulous with the crews. Not as much with the paying passengers. They often seem dismissive, short and annoyed by common inquiries.

Just this week in Chicago there was a gate return/cancellation. As the passengers were approaching the gate podium after deplaning to ask what they should do, the gate agent started yelling at them. It seems quite simple to me that if the passengers were made aware of what their options were and how to exercise them before they got off the plane they wouldn't be approaching the podium at the gate. And even so, there is no excuse for yelling at a passenger, humiliating them.

The whole thing in Chicago was embarrassing. We can do so much better than that.