I remember one day in a different job than this one, I learned a trick that will truly drive any pompous customer into a incredible rage. You don't have to cuss, or even do anything particulary rude.
My former boss called a trucking company to complain about a missing shipment. He was well known by this trucking company and knew alot of people there by their first names. So a dispatcher picks up the phone, my boss proceeds to scream and rant about why this important shipment has not got there yet. After five minutes of this, the dispatcher calmly asks, "Now, who is this? What company do you work for? What is your position there?" .
My boss was speechless, then slammed the phone down in rage. Later on, he realized how funny it was and we all laughed-He was a pretty good sport.
As near as I can figure out, people in authority start taking themselves so seriously that they see the very mention of their name as some sort of powerful token that should make the lowly employees all cower and kneel. But those three questions essentially say, "You are just another person to me, and your name strikes no fear in my heart, and you need to justify why I should show you any deference or do what you say."
