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While the age of social media has provided us a number of luxuries, it has also watered down a number of those communication skills we held dear a few years ago. While we have embraced social media as important business tools—be it Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or some other new invention in the social space—these tools have reduced the use of the communication skills that are essential to good customer service.

I have personally tried Twitter to communicate with a company—expressing my distaste with an order I made through the online store of a national big-box retailer—and am still awaiting a response. This example breaks the first rule of good customer service—respond. But true customer communication success comes in the form that response takes.

A recent report from Ross Dawson, an international strategy leader who focuses on the future of business and technology, provides a good background of the three key areas of customer communication. He states that companies want low costs and to have systems that can be scaled to work effectively for as many customers as they wish. But, companies also need to nurture the strongest possible relationships with their customers. So there is a large chasm between communicating face-to-face with your customers and going the automated route.

Three approaches to customer communication
There are three main approaches to customer communication, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

1. Face-to-face
Even today, you will find that most people will say that the most effective customer service is delivered face-to-face. There is no better tool in customer service than to have a physical presence with your customers that allows for in-depth conversation and discussion. But, the world is large, and the opportunities for these face-to-face interactions have been reduced dramatically, so companies must integrate other forms of communication in order to provide a well-rounded customer relations experience.

2. Connected through technology
Technology has made our lives easier and has created new avenues with which organizations can interact with customers. The majority of companies interact with their customers through some form of telecommunications. This can take many forms in today's world, including Skype, video, online chat, email, and the most common—the phone (home phones, for those who still have one of those, and their mobile counterparts). Some of these types of communication tools can still provide a rich customer service experience.

3. Automation
Everyone knows the feeling you have when a computerized voice comes on the line as you try to solve a problem. It’s usually something along the lines of “If you still want to talk to someone, press 9.” Automated systems are at the opposite end of the spectrum from face-to-face interaction. Technology has allowed automation to become a more effective tool, but it continues to affect the quality of the interaction companies can have with their customers.

Companies need to choose which customer communication mechanism is best for them. And “best” is a complex word, as you need to identify what is best in relation to what touch points you have with the customer, your budget, your workforce and your corporate culture.

But, I am not going to leave you to decide that without some tips and recommendations to help with the decision.

1. Start with human interaction.
As our world becomes more technology-driven, human interaction begins to decrease and automation becomes the easy fix. Building relationships is all about creating that personal connection with your company, brand and products. Machines make things easier, but they dilute your ability to make true, one-on-one connections with your customers. “Don’t take the easy way out and shoot off an email; instead pick up the phone and make immediate contact and get resolution,” says Mark Francis, vice president of sales and marketing for Emeritus, one of the largest providers of senior living services in the U.S. “It saves time, money, emotions and retains customers.”

To be successful in the world of customer service, you must start with the maximum amount of human interaction that can be part of the process. Determine what your organization can handle in terms of human capital, financial capital and access to the customer. If you start there, then you know that you are approaching the situation with the best intentions and developing a win-win situation that is best for you and your customers.

2. Don’t forget your internal audience.
Customer service programs will not be successful if your internal team is not knowledgeable of your company and the customer communication process. “We often take our own employees and staff for granted when it comes to customer service,” adds Francis. Training is an integral part of the process to equip your internal team with the skills to interact and engage with customers. In a highly competitive business environment, the importance of training cannot be overstated.

3. Know the difference between low costs and high levels of customer interaction.
When companies cut their customer service budget, the result is reduced customer happiness with the customer service process. This is explained in one over-simplified statement: Good customer service is going to cost good money. Customers that perceive a high-value interaction often search out more information about your company, brand and products, become valued third-party spokespeople and purchase more of what you are offering. You do not need to invest all of your revenue in customer service, but you must balance providing customers with valuable interaction in comparison to the dollars available for customer relations efforts.

4. Customers can direct the process.
As we learned in our introductory communication classes, communication is a two-way process. And customers can provide a wealth of information during the customer service process. Many companies analyze their customer service channels by the numbers, such as: How many calls were received? How many complaints? How many gift cards did we have to give out? While this data is good content, companies should also be reviewing “the tapes.” Comments and feedback provided can improve your customer service process, but also provide ideas to enhance your products and services. As you approach your customer service process, make sure you can gather both the numbers and the qualitative feedback to improve the system and make course corrections.

Ultimately, organizations should assess their customer service situation and come up with a balance that works best for them. What is the right balance between human connection (meaning a substantial investment of money) and automation (meaning limited interactivity with your customers, resulting in possibly poor customer satisfaction)?

That is for you to strategically think through, but the most valued customer relationships are ones that have identified that strategic balance between human interaction and technology. And with that I am headed back to Twitter to see if I got an answer yet. I doubt it.