Social Security Revamp
—
Source: Fortune.com
Summary
Frank Bisignano, the leader of the Social Security Administration (SSA), has made significant changes to improve the agency’s services, including ensuring the My SSA.gov website is available 24/7, reducing phone wait times, and keeping field offices open during the government shutdown. According to an audit by the Office of the Inspector General, the SSA’s reported metrics on wait times were accurate, and the agency’s overall telephone performance improved during FY 2025.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story. Frank Bisignano, a banking veteran, took over the SSA in the spring and quickly made some significant changes. He got the My SSA.gov website running 24/7, reduced phone wait times, and kept field offices open during the government shutdown.
Bisignano’s first move was to fix the website, which was down 29 hours a week. He rallied his engineering team to get it running around the clock.
He also improved the automated phone system, allowing agents to handle more calls and reducing wait times. The average time people waited on hold before speaking to an agent dropped to 7 minutes in September, down from 20 minutes a year earlier.
Bisignano also kept field offices open during the government shutdown and even got staff to work on Christmas and New Year’s Day for overtime payments.
Despite Senator Warren’s initial skepticism, an audit by the Office of the Inspector General confirmed that the SSA’s reported metrics on wait times were accurate.
When you’re the leader of an agency in crisis, you can’t afford to waste any time. Bisignano’s moves show that he’s prioritizing efficiency and customer service, and it’s impressive to see the results.
Author: Evan Null
