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FY 16-17: Agency Priority Goal
Increase customer satisfaction with our services
Priority Goal
Goal Overview
Customer relationships with Social Security span a lifetime and are supported by access to accurate, real-time, and secure information and services. Our vision is that enabled by technology and our employees, our customers have real-time access and customer engagement when and where they need us. Customer choice of where and how they receive service is important. Wage earners, retirees, survivors, and individuals with disabilities and their loved ones come to our agency seeking immediate assistance, care, and help. Other customers, including employers, businesses, non-profits, advocates, oversight groups and other stakeholders, also require our attention and support.
We have a long history of exemplary customer service with high customer satisfaction ratings. In surveys and anecdotally through social media and other forums, many of our customers have praised the service we provide. Our goal is to achieve even greater success in customer service and satisfaction through innovative online self-service options.
The strategies and milestones in this plan are designed to ensure our customers are highly satisfied, and that we solicit and incorporate feedback from our customers to improve customer satisfaction.
Strategies
We routinely evaluate how customers choose to conduct their business and the customers' satisfaction with our service. We employ tools including real-time surveys of our Internet users, rigorous annual surveys, and recently implemented post-call surveys of our telephone customers. Additionally, pending receipt of the equipment, we are participants in the Federal Feedback Button Pilot, with kiosks placed in Card Centers. We evaluate the information collected to implement a range of improvements to meet our customers' diverse needs and preferences.
Customer satisfaction scores for our top internet services consistently range between 88-91, putting them at the top of the ForeSee eGovernment Satisfaction Index, and often exceeding the best private sector sites. Scores above 80 are considered excellent, with highly satisfied customers. Because customer expectations for internet services increase over time, maintaining a consistent score requires regular improvements in a site's information, navigation, and functionality. Improving scores requires a more significant investment in making the right changes. We will leverage the analysis from our surveys and target the changes expected to have the most significant impact on customer satisfaction. Additionally, we will evaluate our internet services with the lowest two scores to determine and evaluate actions needed to increase customer satisfaction for those services.
In order to increase customer satisfaction, we will employ the following strategies:
Regularly review the results of our ForeSee internet customer satisfaction surveys (per the quarterly milestones identified below), identify improvements that should improve customer satisfaction and take appropriate actions.
Review analysis from prior ForeSee surveys to identify additional actions for implementation.
Review results from the Field and Hearing Office Visitor Survey, 800 Number Caller Survey, Field Office Caller Survey, and Social Security Card Center Visitor Survey and take appropriate actions.
Conduct Post-Call Surveys for customers of our National 800 Number, collect and analyze customer feedback, and take appropriate actions.
After receipt of the equipment, implement the Federal Feedback Button Pilot in Card Centers.
Progress Update
We have two primary indicators to measure customer satisfaction:
- Customer Satisfaction with Online Services
- Customer Satisfaction with Office and Telephone Services.
We provide the opportunity for our customers to respond to our online survey and the field and telephone survey so we may gain vital feedback about all the services we offer and make enhancements where necessary. We review the responses from both surveys throughout the year, and we try to incorporate updates continually to improve customer satisfaction.
Online service satisfaction rating comes from ForeSee's e-Government report card. The Customer Satisfaction rating is calculated by averaging the scores of our eight online services. All eight online service scores are equally weighted in determining the overall average.
The Overall SSA Customer Satisfaction Score for fourth quarter FY 2016 was 84.1. The FY 2016 FYTD score was 84.9, which exceeds the FY 2016 goal of 84.5.
For FY 2016 fiscal year to date, five of the eight online applications continue to score an 85 or above and seven applications exceeded the ForeSee Customer Satisfaction Excellence threshold with scores of 80 or higher. While Business Services Online increased by one point, Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Costs, iClaim and my Social Security continue to maintain their Q3 scores. Retirement Estimator, Disability and iAppeals dropped by one point. The eight individual application scores are:
|
91 |
Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Costs |
|
90 |
iClaim |
|
90 |
Retirement Estimator |
|
89 |
my Social Security |
|
86 |
Business Services Online |
|
83 |
iClaim - Disability |
|
81 |
SSA iAppeals |
|
70 |
Main Pages |
The Office of Communications is continuing improvements to the SSA Main Page. However, the page took a dive to 63 in August because of the release (and subsequent rollback) of multifactor authentication. Following the rollback, Main Page scores returned to low 70's, ending FY 2016 with a score of 70.
Customer Satisfaction with Office and Telephone Services has a preliminary overall score of 80%, which meets the FY 2016 target. The scores for All Telephone Contacts was 75% Excellent, Very Good, Good (E/VG/G), and for All Office Visitors was 90% E/VG/G.
Individual survey results are as follows:
|
Type of Contact |
Percent E/VG/G |
Percent Excellent |
|
All Telephone Contacts |
75 |
31 |
|
800 Number Callers |
72 |
26 |
|
Field Office Callers |
78 |
35 |
|
All Office Visitors |
90 |
39 |
|
Field Office Visitors |
90 |
39 |
|
Social Security Card Center Visitors |
92 |
48 |
|
Hearing Office Visitors |
91 |
41 |
|
All Contacts |
80 |
34 |
We calculated the combined rating from our office and telephone customers and produced a draft report analyzing the results and providing trends across fiscal years. The final report will be available at the end of the first quarter of FY 2017.
As of the fourth quarter, we have completed Satisfaction Inquiry Reviews (SIRs) for all of our online applications. We inventoried the findings and recommendations for each SIR, and are currently analyzing the recommendations for cross-application impact to identify improvements for inclusion in FY 2017 or FY 2018.
During FY 2016, we worked to identify additional improvements from the survey results outside of the ForeSee SIR recommendations. We will continue to review these recommendations to determine if they can be included in either FY 2017 or FY 2018.
According to our National 800 Number Network fourth quarter Post-Call Survey Results, 75% of our customers are Satisfied or Very Satisfied. Based on survey results, we conducted informational sessions with the regions on how to use Post-Call Survey and related data to tailor agent specific training. We also added two new questions in the fourth quarter to determine the service provided by National 800 Number Network Customer Service Employees.
For fourth quarter of FY 2016, 89% of all visitors to the 14 Social Security Card Centers rated SSA with a Very Positive or Positive rating. For all of FY 2016, 89% of all visitors to the 14 Social Security Card Centers rated SSA with a Very Positive or Positive rating.
FY 2016 Fourth Quarter Milestones
Q4 - Conduct a review of customer feedback from the remaining two internet services included in the ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index
We conducted Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Costs and SSA Main pages SIRs. We are currently analyzing the customer feedback and recommendations to identify improvements for inclusion in FY 2017 or FY 2018.
Q4 - Report Satisfaction Rate for Field Office Caller Survey and Social Security Card Center Visitor Survey.
The FY 2016 overall satisfaction rating from field office callers was 78% excellent, very good, or good (E/VG/G). The FY 2016 overall satisfaction rating from social security card center visitors was 92% E/VG/G.
Q4 - Report results of Post-Call Surveys for customers of our National 800 Number and take appropriate actions.
Based on analysis throughout the fiscal year, two questions pertaining to service our employees provide were added and several questions that showed consistent results over a prolonged period were removed. We shared information with our regions to assist them in planning supplemental and refresher training for employees, as needed.
Q3 - Conduct a review of customer feedback from two of the remaining four internet services included in the ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index, and take appropriate actions to increase customer satisfaction.
The iClaim and iClaim-Disability Satisfaction Inquiry Requests (SIRs) were conducted in the third quarter of FY 2016. The iClaim analysis found that users are confused when applying for Medicare Parts A and B. To assist our users, we are exploring additional ways of providing general Medicare information as well as links to Medicare.gov to ensure clarity and ease of the application process. Based on the analysis of iClaim-Disability we have decided to improve a future release by allowing the claimant to retrieve information by signing into their my Social Security account.
We will continue to find ways to improve the overall customer satisfaction experience with each new release of the online applications.
Q3 - Report Satisfaction Rate for 800 Number Caller Survey
The FY 2016 overall satisfaction rating from 800 number callers was 72% excellent, very good, or good (E/VG/G), which is an improvement from 71% in FY 2015.
Q3 - Evaluation of data from the Federal Feedback Button Pilot and take appropriate action
Social Security Administration's Analytics Center of Excellence conducted some initial analysis with regards to Feedback USA from 8/3/2015 - 7/19/2016. We are currently evaluating the results.
Q2 - Conduct a review of customer feedback from two of the remaining six internet services included in the ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index, and take appropriate actions to increase customer satisfaction.
The my Social Security and iAppeals Satisfaction Inquiry Requests (SIRs) were conducted in the second quarter of FY 2016. We received valuable information and recommendations for both applications, which will be analyzed and evaluated for inclusion in FY 2017 project planning.
iAppeals made improvements providing clarity and ease to the online application questions in March 2015 that made a significant contribution to greatly enhance customer satisfaction scores from May through the end of FY 2015(76 to 81). Those scores have continued into the second quarter FY 2016.
We continue to monitor applications and their results to identify target areas for future enhancements. Additionally, we hold regular meetings with ForeSee representatives to discuss application performance and evaluate goals.
Q2 - Report Satisfaction Rate for Field and Hearing Office Visitor Survey.
The FY 2016 overall satisfaction rating from field office visitors was 90% excellent, very good, or good (E/VG/G). The FY 2016 overall satisfaction rating from hearing office visitors was 91% excellent, very good, or good (E/VG/G).
Q1 - Conduct a review of customer feedback from two of the eight internet services included in the ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index, and take appropriate actions to increase customer satisfaction.
The Retirement Estimator and Business Services Online Satisfaction Insight Reviews (SIRS) were conducted in the first quarter of FY 2016. Although we received valuable recommendations for both applications, budgetary constraints in FY 2016 prohibit the inclusion of these recommendations for FY 2016 implementation. We will revisit these recommendations in preparation for the FY 2017 budget.
Q1 - Evaluate effectiveness of dynamic help and 'click-to-callback' technology implemented late FY 2015.
Customers using the Get Help (dynamic help) and Click-to-Callback features are satisfied with the service they receive. More than half (58%) of customers using the Get Help button found it helpful. The Call Back button is even more successful, with 76% of customers finding it helpful.
Q1 - Review results of analyses from the past 12 months of ForeSee surveys to identify additional actions for implementation.
In the first quarter of FY 2016, the FY 2015 ForeSee survey reviews were analyzed and the recommendations were categorized. Individual and overall issues are becoming apparent but conclusive results are not yet available. We are about 75% completed with the review process and will complete it before the end of the second quarter.Q3 - Conduct a review of customer feedback from two of the remaining four internet services included in the ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index, and take appropriate actions to increase customer satisfaction.Q3 - Conduct a review of customer feedback from two of the remaining four internet services included in the ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index, and take appropriate actions to increase customer satisfaction.
Next Steps
FY 2017 Quarterly Milestones
Q1 - Conduct a review of customer feedback from two of the eight internet services included in ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index, and take appropriate actions to increase customer satisfaction.
Q2 - Conduct a review of customer feedback from two of the remaining six internet services included in the ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index, and take appropriate actions to increase customer satisfaction.
Q2 - Report Satisfaction Rate for Field and Hearing Office Visitor Survey.
Q3 - Conduct a review of customer feedback from two of the remaining four internet services included in the ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index, and take appropriate actions to increase customer satisfaction.
Q3 - Report Satisfaction Rate for 800 Number Caller Survey.
Q4 - Conduct a review of customer feedback from the remaining two internet services included in the ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index, and take appropriate actions to increase customer satisfaction.
Q4 - Report Satisfaction Rate for Field Office Caller Survey and Social Security Card Center Visitor Survey.
Q4 - Report results of Post-Call Surveys for customers of our National 800 Number and take appropriate actions.
Expand All
Performance Indicators
ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index
Other Indicators
Customer ratings for office and telephone services
Contributing Programs & Other Factors
Important influencing factors for this goal are information security and ease of use. Executive Order (EO) 13681, 'Improving the Security of Consumer Financial Transactions,' has established requirements that will increase security but may have an adverse impact on ease of use. As of July 8, 2015, OMB had not published guidance for the EO, but implementation of a second factor, regardless of the guidance, will require additional steps in both the registration process and for each login. While the additional security could have a positive impact on customer satisfaction, the additional complexity in the registration and login processes might have the opposite impact.
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