> “People want to deal with someone who is smarter than they are and who will fix their problem,”

This is exactly the worst kind IMHO. I once had a support person telling me to listen to him telling me what my problem was as I was describing it to him.

  Me: "The device doesn't work..."
  Him: "Listen. Listen! LISTEN! Your device isn't connected."
  Me: "Uhm, no it's ..."
  Him: "Listen. Listen! LISTEN! You haven't plugged the cable in."
  Me: "If you would please LISTEN to me maybe we can get somewhere?"