Social Security's online portal going 24/7 in major customer service upgrade for Americans
The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced its efforts to transform customer service for beneficiaries and will allow them to access the program's online portal around the clock.
SSA said earlier this month that its customer service improvement push includes an upgrade of the My Social Security online portal, which will be available to beneficiaries with "uninterrupted, 24/7 access to customers starting mid-July." Currently, there are times during the week and on weekends when the portal is unavailable.
SSA's My Social Security online portal is a crucial resource for retired beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries to access documents and other information related to their Social Security account.
Users can request a replacement Social Security card on the portal, upload documents, or submit online forms related to their account.
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Beneficiaries can set up or change their direct deposit account, get tax forms related to their Social Security benefits, print benefit verification letters and change the address associated with their SSA account.
Non-beneficiaries can also use the My Social Security portal to get personalized estimates of their or their spouse's Social Security benefits. They may also check the status of their application, access their Social Security Statement and, if needed, get proof that they're not currently receiving benefits.
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"My top priority is to transform SSA into a model of excellence — an organization that operates at peak efficiency and delivers outstanding service to every American," said Commissioner Frank Bisignano.
"The American people have waited long enough for better service, and they deserve the absolute best from their government. I am deeply grateful to our dedicated employees who are already making this turnaround a reality," Bisignano added.
SSA's customer service overhaul comes as the system has been strained in recent years amid an influx of new retirees due to the aging of the Baby Boomer generation.
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That has led to service backlogs and long wait times for beneficiaries, as well as low morale among the SSA workforce, which has ranked last among large federal agencies in terms of employee satisfaction for three consecutive years.
The agency views the broader customer service overhaul as a means of reversing that trend, as the agency looks to use digital services and technology to address challenges facing the program.
Additionally, SSA's announcement noted that the agency has upgraded the phone technology at 70% of its field offices around the country, reduced the answering speed on the agency's 800 number by 35% compared with the same time a year ago, and optimized the 800 number to handle 90% of calls with self-service or convenient callbacks to reduce hold times.
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It also implemented a new service model at SSA field offices to cut wait times by 10% for all customers compared with a year ago.