The lady who sits next to me at work makes many phone calls. I can't help to notice that she always starts with the following when she calls someone: "Hello _____, how are you doing?" Right after that she continues on with why she REALLY called.

I find that people do this to me as well:
[ring ring, pick up]
client: hello susan, how are you doing?
me: i am doing well, yourself?
client: good. I have a small problem....

I mean i know that is courtesy and its just small chit chat to soften the conversation, but why do people ask how you are doing when they don't really care. hmm...