How Personal can Customer Service Get?

I love this World Cup, but I love the Spanish team a lot more. It's been long I saw a team play with so much consistence from start to finish- and their fluidity is unmatched. To my brother, Cesc Fabregas, please stay with Arsenal. I do not have a favourite team/club, but judging from your exploits at the World Cup so far, I have a strong feeling that God is actually showing you what the future holds for you at the Nou Camp! That's my 2 cents.
Enough said. Let's move on to today's issue. I work in a customer service environment, and recently participated in a forum where the personalization of customer service was extensively discussed. We were advised to get personal with customers in order to exceed their expectations. So, I ask you: how personal can you get with your customers? Where does official business end and personal relationship begin?
Personally, there's a thin line between official and personal business as far as customer service is concerned. Gone are the days when deals and interactions end in the office, because stiff competitions have made businesses start thinking outside the box. However, the wiser businesses already believe that there's no box in the first place! Getting personal with customers is the best method of securing their loyalty, as long as the personal relationship is within the business policy. The goal of such personal relationships is not to court favours from customers, or accept Greek gift from them. Issues that could undermine the integrity and/or security of the business should be avoided, while necessary approvals must be sought from relevant authorities before customers' requests are treated. Matters that border on conflict of interest should not even be given a thought, talk more of weighing the possibility.
And in order to ensure that your privacy is not violated as well, it is advisable that you let the customers know the mode and time of communication be spelt out, so that they do not feel offended when you are unable to attend to them.
In summary, excellent customer service is proving to be the mainstay of every organization, but personalized customer service gives customers that branded experience every organization craves for.