General, Online Services

Customer Service Is What We Do

October 3, 2016 • By

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Last Updated: August 19, 2021

customer-service

Social Security has been in the customer service business for more than 81 years, and with Customer Service Week, October 3-7, at hand, it is an exciting time to share the importance of this long-standing tradition.

“My experience with SSA has always been positive.”–Edward M.

This week focuses on commitment to excellence in service. Many of you rely on us for our programs and services. While much of the assistance we give is during the most critical times in your life, it is our belief that with every interaction with us you deserve professional, courteous, and compassionate service.

Times have progressed from 81 years ago, when most customer-to-employee interactions were in person. Today, part of your changing needs is the convenience of quick and secure online service options to conduct your Social Security business. Whether you are home or on the go, you can visit www.socialsecurity.gov to use our many online services.  And we are committed to customer choice, so you can always come see us in the office or call us on our 800 number.

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About the Author

Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications

Comments

  1. Jan

    Hmmm. Customer service is what you do? You may want to mention that to the woman I had the misfortune speaking with last I went to the office in Omaha,Ne. I was very polite and prepared, I had a few questions. I had no problem waiting over an hour to see someone. Yet I after I was seated I was told, several times by the rude employee that I “didn’t need to come there, I could have gotten my questions answered online or by phone”. True, those were my other options, but was it HER place to decide in which format I should get my questios answered? Absolutely not.

  2. Lex R.

    Does the social security offices take two days off for Columbus day?

    • J.Y.

      Hello Lex. Our offices were closed Monday, October 9 and reopened on Tuesday, October 10. You can always do business with us online even when our offices are closed.

  3. Lex R.

    People complain about waiting! I would camp outside the social security office for a weekif I could get action to direct deposit money for 4 checks (March and April of 2016) which were returned to social security because Indonesian banks stopped cashing all paper checks. Yesterday was my wife’s birthday and she was crying for about 20 minutes because the banks are demanding payment for money that we borrowed for living expenses. When you return social security checks it takes social security more than 5 months to direct deposit the funds- because we are still waiting we do not know how long it will take. The scary thing is that no one in social security can provide a time estimate! No one knows!

  4. Sally

    If a disabled worker receiving an unreduced SS disability benefit dies before normal retirement age, how is the widow(er)’s benefit calculated. On the unreduced DBL benefit the worker was receiving, or on a reduced benefit based on workers age at death?

  5. tony

    Medicare is going broke, but the Medicare Advantage plans are getting billions in bonuses. Medicare increases our Part B premium again in 2017. If we get a Social Security COLA increase, then Medicare can increase the premium for those who got a COLA increase.

    • Medicare A.

      So true, patients are being changed from traditional Medicare without knowing it, it is the biggest scam and nothing can be done, nobody to protect our aging population.

  6. tony

    They should stop giving the Medicare Advantage plans bonuses and end the 5 stars rating program. There is no surplus money in Medicare and we shouldn’t have to pay for their bonuses with higher Medicare Part B premium cost.

    AARP is getting kick backs because they are also in the Medicare Advantage plans business. They aren’t watching out for seniors while their Medicare Part B cost goes up again by 22% this coming year in 2017.

  7. tony

    They can increase our Medicare Part B premium if we get a COLA increase for 2017. The Medicare Part B increase would wipe out the tiny 2017 COLA increase. Don’t get you hopes up.

    This is what happens when the Obama administration cooked the CPI numbers for 3 years and denied us 3 COLA raise. We might be heading for four more years with another Democrat president.

    The ACA suppose to lower medical insurance premium cost, but the medical insurance premiums are going up even faster than before.

    The Democrats are using Medicare as leverage for insurance companies to stay in the ACA.

    The Medicare Advantage plans are up coding patients medical records and charging more money. This gets past down to us with higher premiums.

    The Obama administration also pays the Medicare Advantage plans Billions in bonus since they came out with the star rating in 2012. Then they have to charge us higher premiums to pay for the bonuses. Now they expect to raise the premium again in 2017.

    • tony

      There is no surplus money to be giving the Medicare Advantage plans bonuses every year and passing the cost down to us with higher Medicare Part B premiums.

  8. Jani

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  9. Rahel w.

    i appreciate social security disability benefit. Because if someone can’t help him self by working he has to have some way to have income and rule his life. So i need to have social security disability benifit.

  10. John G.

    My wife took here elderly nearly blind mother and law to the local Social Security office this morning to find out about recent over payments made to her account and to notify the officials of her husband’s death last week. After waiting 45 minutes in the waiting room, the security guard came out to tell everyone waiting to come back another day because the computer system was down. We live about a hour from the nearest SS office so this was half a day of wasted time and gasoline thanks to the SS Administration. What kind of Public Service is this? Ironically I see that this is “Customer Service Week” at the SS Administration!

    • R.F.

      We apologize for the inconvenience and we are sorry for your family’s loss John. Usually, the funeral director notifies us of an individual’s passing by contacting their local Social Security office. To verify this information was reported, you or your wife can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

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