SSA Customer Service

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will be challenged to maintain a high level of service to the public in the next decade and beyond. Demand for services is expected to grow significantly. At the same time, the expectations and needs of SSA's customers are changing. Some want faster, more convenient service, while others, such as non-English speakers and the many beneficiaries with mental impairments, may require additional help from SSA staff. SSA's ability to respond to these challenges will be difficult because the number of SSA employees who retire is expected to peak at the same time that large increases will occur in applications for benefits. Although GAO has recommended since 1993 that SSA prepare a service delivery plan, the agency is only now beginning to develop a broad vision for customer service for 2010. In the meantime, SSA is counting on efficiencies from technology to help it cope with its rising workload. SSA has had mixed success with its information technology initiatives, however, and the benefits from its technology investments have largely been unclear. On the other hand, SSA's efforts to prepare for the rising number of retirements among its among its own workforce and changing customer needs and expectations have shown more promise, although many initiatives are still in the early stages and much work remains. SSA needs to fully assess the skills that its workforce will need to serve its customers in the future. SSA also needs to ensure continuity in leadership through ongoing succession planning efforts. Without a vision for future service followed by a more detailed service delivery plan, SSA cannot be sure that its investments in technology and human capital--that is, its workforce--are consistent with and fully support its future approach to delivering services.

GAO noted that: (1) SSA will be challenged to maintain a high level of service to the public in the next decade and beyond; (2) demand for services is expected to grow significantly, with applications for one of SSA's already-burdened disability programs projected to increase by 54 percent by 2010; (3) moreover, the expectations and needs of SSA's customers are changing; (4) some are expecting faster, more convenient service, while others may require additional assistance from staff with more diverse skills; (5) at the same time, SSA's ability to cope with these changes will be challenged, since the number of SSA employees retiring is expected to peak at the same time that large increases will occur in applications for benefits, according to SSA's Actuary's estimates; (6) SSA is only now beginning to develop a broad vision for customer service for 2010; (7) this broad vision, as well as a more detailed plan spelling out who in the future will be providing what service and where, is needed to help the agency focus its efforts to meet its future challenges; (8) in the meantime, to cope with pending workload increases, the agency is relying in large part on technology to achieve increased efficiencies; (9) however, SSA has had mixed success in implementing information technology initiatives, and the benefits from its technology investments have largely been unclear; (10) on the other hand, SSA's efforts to prepare for the increasing number of retirements from its own workforce and changing customer needs and expectations have shown more promise, although many initiatives are still in their early stages and much work remains; (11) SSA will need to fully assess the skills its workforce will need to serve its future customers, particularly its growing population of disabled beneficiaries and the high proportion of those with mental impairments; (12) SSA will also need to ensure continuity in leadership through ongoing succession planning efforts; (13) finally, without a vision for future service followed by a more detailed service delivery plan, SSA cannot be sure that its investments in technology and human capital--that is, its workforce--are consistent with and fully support its future approach to service delivery; and (14) it will be important for the agency to complete this plan to guide its investments and better position itself to cope with its future challenges.