Yet there is also a process.  Its impersonal by design. You are not even likely to talk to the same person twice. So the rules are different. If you pretend its a one-on-one relationship, you will be manipulated, lied to and frustrated.<p>Miss Manners reports trying to get her newspaper address changed. She called several times, but no result. Finally an agent told her that they are instructed to not do anything unless the customer was angry. She politely asked &quot;Would you put me down as having been livid?&quot; He politely agreed.<p>Did she lie? We all know we&#x27;re just trying to get the system to work for us. Today, when you can&#x27;t even begin to talk to a real person on the other end, you have less (no?) requirement to pretend you&#x27;re interacting with one.