Social Security Achieves Key Milestones in Customer Service Transformation
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: July 8, 2025
The Social Security Administration (SSA) today announced significant progress in its ongoing efforts to improve customer service while handling record transaction volumes. Key milestones include:
- Completing over 3.1 million payments to all who were entitled under the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA) five months ahead of schedule
- Continuing to upgrade SSA’s telephone technology nationwide, deploying the platform to 841 field offices, representing 70 percent of field offices nationwide
- Reducing the average speed of answer (ASA) on the 800 Number to 13 minutes, a 35 percent reduction compared to this time last year and over a 50 percent reduction compared to last year’s annual average
- Optimizing technology on the 800 Number so that 90 percent of calls handled are now served via automated self-service options or convenient callbacks, minimizing hold times
- Implementing a new service model in field offices that has reduced wait times about 10 percent for all customers year-over-year
- Decreasing the initial disability claims backlog by 25 percent, from a record high of 1.2 million cases pending last summer to 950,000 cases pending today
- Achieving a historic low of approximately 276,000 disability hearings pending, with customers experiencing wait times 60 days shorter than last summer
- Upgrading the my Social Security online portal to provide uninterrupted, 24/7 access to customers starting mid-July
These milestones come just two months after Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano was sworn in as SSA’s 18th Senate-confirmed leader, with a vision to transform the agency into a premier service organization. Since his appointment, Commissioner Bisignano has engaged directly with employees across the country to understand their challenges and drive immediate improvements.
“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 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.”
SSA has faced significant challenges in recent years, including service backlogs, long wait times, and low employee morale. The agency has ranked last among large federal agencies in employee satisfaction for three consecutive years. Under Commissioner Bisignano’s leadership, SSA is working to reverse this trend by equipping employees with the tools and resources they need to improve performance across all operations. Central to this transformation is SSA’s commitment to becoming a digital-first, technology-driven organization.
For more information, please read our fact sheet on SSA accomplishments.
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Belinda A.
I was taxed too much for my ssdi
Donna J.
I have found over the last several years. Social Security does not hold up its promises and the letters that are sent to people that are handicap are bogus most of what they say on the paperwork never proceeds to the amount that it says they’re gonna give you also you can never reach them by phone. It takes hours to sit on a phone that is either busy or just keeps ringing and no one picks up and you can’t leave a voicemail and they will never call you back this government of whatever’s going on with the SSINSSDI problems are escalating and have exacerbated to a level of un communication out of control company of the government that is let go because they can’t keep up the demand so we are suffering by not getting the proper amount of our payments. Nothing gets done. No one picks up the phone or the line is constantly busy. Try to go to the office of a Social Security brick and mortar. There’s a line up the door or the sign on the door will say they can’t take any more service for the day and try calling it is either just keeps ringing or the line is constantly busy please President Trump get this company straightened out get rid of these losers who are sitting and doing nothing at the brick and mortar outlets and then trying to call Social Security is barely alive person there that ever picks up the phone. This system is so flawed and broken that we the people that need the system to work and how we are handled on a daily basis for our medical needs our emergencies our lifestyle of senior life is like sitting in a jail cell with a slice of white bread no butter and a glass of lukewarm water come on people of America. Please stand up for the Social Security that you’ll get someday and also fix the system that is so broken and weak and nourished with entitling people that are only there for profit. The ones that are doing. This is the government agency to the people that have physical and mental problems are not being dealt with correctly. It’s in an impossible cycle and circle that is consistent with this government. System is flawed, broken and unmanageable for whoever is running the Social Security of this country called the United States of America please people stand up for your right please listen to what I’m saying as a senior woman I can’t get through to these channels anymore nor do they call you back nor do they stop having a busy line they just simply gave up also their workforce is untrained not prepared missing many employees and the outcome for people that are handicap is shameful. It’s wrong. It’s inhumane the way, this government of the Social Security is being run. There’s no constant movement of any kind of content for us to be able to do this on our own. If you are not tech savvy like me I don’t like computers. I don’t know really how to use a computer but to get a real Live Prrson on the phone or at a brick and order Social Security office is so flawed they won’t even let you in the door anymore what’s wrong with this country? What they’ve done to the senior citizen and handicap in this country is disgusting. We left behind we left without help and what little help we get. Most of these people were just added onto the payroll and they really don’t even know what they’re doing. There’s no book to read about Social Security benefits, and being with a live agent is so flawed the phone just constantly is busy or they just don’t answer. Shame on you and shame on you for being so lame and lost and lame over and over of nothingness that proceeds on a daily basis at the SSI, brick and mortar and on the conversation which never exists to be able to reach a live representative from the Social Security phone line. I am so upset and I can’t do a lot of this stuff on my own because I am not tech savvy. I’m an older handicap woman, but I can’t get through to the services anymore and they ignore us so many of us I left behind as I have been and forgotten. Shame on you Social Security. Shame on you you’re weak unorganized profession and also not up to the challenge of helping handicap people most of you don’t even know what you’re doing there and how to do it right I hope President Trump sees this message and does something about you people that are doing nothing for people like us that come to the brick and Morter and also called the 800 number . which by the way very rarely gets answered in either Will ring or tell you to leave a message how cruel is that to handicap people like me which depends on this Service should be ashamed of this part of the government that’s left the people like me behind because they can’t keep up with the amount of work that is given to them every single day. Shame on you Social Security shame on you.
Bo
THANK YOU Donna J . Will you look into asking your subconscious what your job is with Boa and help myself figure out who needs to be hired , thank you
Bo
JoAnn H.
It is now July 12 and I still have not received my retroactive payments or increased monthly benefits from Social Security. I have been receiving reduced benefits (70 percent) for 19 years since my husband passed away, also his pension from PBG (as he worked at Bethlehem Steel for 40 years before he died) was reduced. I know I am eligible for 100 percent payments due me and for the retroactive payment. Every time I have called Social Security (3 times), I get someone who says that they are just in customer service and don’t even know if I am qualified and have no answers whatsoever. Its always the same “they have no way of knowing if it is being processed”….It would be a little more tolerable, if I knew it was coming and when they thought, this, as now most of the claims have been paid. Why is this such a problem for me. I would appreciate anyone being able to tell me something. Supposedly, my local office has a 3 month back up for appointments. This is so ridiculous.
Eugene K.
Pretty sure my award was more than I received from the start and still got inflation do to that payed amount child support services took payment out of my SSDI to pay it at first and I had to beg his mother to file paperwork with social security so he received his own yet I was never refunded money I never had a chance to correct myself sooner due to repeated pleas to his mother to file paperwork for after my brain injury she had custodial of out son obviously yet why haven’t I have refunded what acoording to what I learned by help of others do to my memory lapses
SJ H.
I pray that each one of you employed through the Social Security Agency actually learns, and realizes where and when and why social security benefits became and mandated for the needy, the overly worked elderly and the unfortunate disabled. Our Great Great and Great Grand Parents suffered horribly fighting for these benefits and they nit only fought for theirselves but for us, their Grandchildren. These are benefits we should never, never, never slander. I’m grateful that I am saved. Too bad, such a crying sin that today’s prices and greed is hurting these heritages. There was a time that a monthly SSA check actually paid rent, utilities and bought food. Today it only covers one of these expenses.
Donna-Marie E.
I have been in contact with Social Security four times in the last few months. Each phone call my wait time has been over two hours, this milestone you claim with the ASA is 13 minutes is completely bogus. The last phone call I chose to have them call me back and I was called back in four hours.
I am currently awaiting a decision for SSI for my grandchildren, I went into an office to drop off paperwork and the line there was two hours! To drop off paperwork! Again, your claims here are bogus! Where are you getting this information? To me these are complete lies.
While on the phone one time, just to update one piece of information, it took 30 minutes, and with that I refute your claim that you have updated the system because the agent was unable to access the system or enter into the system for those 30 minutes.
These are lies
Paula B.
You didn’t read it carefully… it said two months ago the new man has these things in his plan to get done. “its ongoing efforts to improve customer service while handling record transaction volumes. Key milestones include: ….. Key word “ongoing”. Our whole government system has been broken for years and it will take years to fix. Won’t happen overnight!
Juris D.
I have been receiving Social Security payments reduced by the Windfall profit elimination act since 2003. In January 2025 I received my last regular payment. In February, the lump sum retroactive payment for 2024. since then,nothing. I read in your website, that some payments will be made as late as august this year. This would be fine, but whatsoever I do if even then nothing comes through? Could it be that my uncovered earnings were covered under the German Social Security System?
Dr D.
My wife is bed fast for the past 16 years and I am her sole caregiver. We relyon our Direct deposit checks for Med and food. All of a sudden no money when we need it the most and we get the runaround trying to get help.
buca
First of all, thank you for your efforts in communication. It would be better with some easier communication. I hope there’s a program involved. Buca
ilmiosposopaisano
Thanks, Commissioner Frank. I do hope we will see Youtube weekly videos again. I miss those because it allowed us to see operations meetings.
Margaret C.
I don’t believe you. This is politicized lies. Please bring back the old blog and truthful advice