If you want to confuse the verbal attacker long enough to use other techniques, and get the attacker to start responding to you use,  unexpected, surprising and novel statements and questions.  When you do this, it causes the attacker to stop and think......they stop talking or ranting long enough for you to gain control.

As an example the customer suggested the employee could "take his forms and stick them where the sun don't shine".  The employee responded with "I would love to oblige you on that, but unfortunately, I have five file folders, six other forms and a large filing cabinet up there, and quite honestly, I dont' think that there is room for much more".   The customer was surprised, paused, and then begain laughing.  The employee was able to regain control.......in this real life example, this humor/surprise tactic worked effectively.  However, it could have easily escalated the situation if it hadn't been said in an appropriate tone of voice.

This is an excerpt from the Defusing Hostile Customers Workbook.  For more detailed help on defusing customer hostility, click here.