Can I help you? On Twitter, the answer is no.

Objective: Order a replacement keyboard for an Inspiron M101z laptop.

Twitter: Tweeted @DellOutlet at 12:15 a.m. No response.
Time: Indefinite
Problem solved? No

Phone: A real live Dell receptionist answered the phone and connected me quickly to another representative. Slightly less impressive: It took the representative about 10 minutes to look up the price and availability of the part.
Time: 15 minutes
Problem solved? Yes

Website: After two tries at getting the live chat to work properly after a glitch, I was connected with a rep, who told me to call the Spare Parts Division.
Time: Less than 5 minutes
Problem solved? No

Verdict: The non-response from Twitter was expected, considering @DellOutlet takes questions, but usually only about coupons and sales. It's gained verified account status and 1.5 million followers by tweeting about Dell deals, many of them Twitter-only. Customer service though, was best directed through the hotline.