Basically, we're talking about Twitter. At 140 characters, the limitations on content are severe. But the speed and reach of the microblog create an almost real-time context for conversing with your followers. Better yet, handy search tools make microblogs an excellent thermometer for checking hot issues and emerging concerns.
Remember, your customers are already talking about you on Twitter. The question is, are you able to hear what they have to say? Give up the illusion of being in control. You're not, so why invest time and money pursuing it? There's a wealth of excellent tools to help you manage Twitter more effectively, including TweetDeck and HootSuite