Yes and no. You have to do the big things right before you can do the small things right. For instance, every flight I've taken on United in the past 5 years (about 10 or so) has been delayed by a mechanical or scheduling issue. Two of them were delayed to the point where I missed a connection.

I do not fly United anymore.

I my mind (and it's likely largely affected by which airports I frequently fly into) it's Delta, American and Alaska competing for my business. Even though I fly to/through DFW frequently, I try to avoid American because of how enshittified their frequent flyer program has become. How the mighty have fallen.

It is a little thing (the enshittified frequent flyer program), but it keeps me from seriously considering flying American unless there's no alternative.

So yes... small things matter (American) but only because big things have already eliminated potential service providers (United.)