How are you doing?

Let's face it, it is one of the most annoying questions in all of the English language. It's way overused, especially in IT, Customer Service, Sales, and other public related occupations. In a day, I quickly lose track of the mindless small talk that ensues as a result of being asked this pointless question. Do you 'really' want to know how I'm doing? Ask me again, I'll punch you in the face. I'm so utterly tired of hearing, "Hey! How are you!" That I could quite literally slit my own throat.
Why is it that our societal response to getting things done in this information rich-age is to kick off the request for action with 'How are you?" Is it polite? Is it congenial? No, it's neither, it's insidious, it's irritating, and it's incredibly inefficient.
As an IT worker, I'd much rather just be given the details of the request, leave me the sanctity of small talk for the girls at the grocery store, or some random person that I meet along the road. If you want me to fix your printer, for godsake, don't ask me how I'm doing because I'd much rather tell you how much I'd like to take your printer out in the parking lot and break it with a sledgehammer.