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By Suzanne Blake
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The Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, visited an agency field office in Charleston, West Virginia, to observe what the agency described as improvements in customer service driven by new technology and process changes, according to a news release from the agency.
"We serve more than 300 million Americans with Social Security numbers, and when any one of them visits or calls an SSA office, they deserve world-class customer service," Bisignano said in a statement on Thursday.
"The SSA customer service transformation is exactly what I saw today in West Virginia. Since my confirmation, I have visited field offices each week and the feedback I've received directly from employees has been instrumental to the progress Social Security has made to serve more people at faster speeds," he added.
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Newsweek has contacted the SSA for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The SSA framed the visit as evidence that operational changes implemented during Bisignano's first 100 days produced measurable reductions in phone and field-office wait times, expanded online availability and cut the initial disability claims backlog.
Almost 72 million beneficiaries access benefits and services each month.
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What To Know
The White House has lauded similar improvements and asserted broader policy gains, including a claim that most beneficiaries would no longer pay taxes on Social Security under recent legislation.
However, the exact wording of the law stipulates a $6,000 tax deduction for individuals aged 65 and older, likely raising the number of seniors who won't pay taxes on Social Security to 88 percent. Currently, 64 percent of seniors already don't pay taxes on Social Security benefits.
The SSA said on Thursday that field-office wait times fell about 30 percent, from 30 minutes last year to just over 20 minutes this year, with West Virginia averaging under 20 minutes.
The agency also reported the average speed of answer on its national 800 number dropped from 24 minutes in July 2024 to an average of 8 minutes in July 2025 and that West Virginia's average call wait time was under 6 minutes.
The SSA said it removed scheduled downtime for its "my Social Security" portal, eliminating 29 hours of weekly downtime and providing 24/7 online access. It also said it reduced the initial disability claims backlog by 26 percent to the lowest levels in four years.
However, Social Security advocates have raised concerns about staffing reductions and other policy changes under the Trump administration amid the program's long-term financing challenges.
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9Innings podcast, said call times had been inconsistent in his experience when calling the SSA for help.
"What the SSA says and what's actually happening are two different stories," Thompson told Newsweek. "Sure, they may have cut down on portal downtime, but call times are still a mess. To be fair, I called back Friday morning around 8:48 and was quoted a 10-minute hold, which is a far cry from the 50 minutes I got earlier in the week. So there's improvement, but it's inconsistent."
The SSA is projected to run out of funding for full payments by 2034.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for the SSA told Newsweek: "SSA's dedicated workforce is delivering a significantly improved customer experience for the American people. Under Commissioner Bisignano's leadership, there has been a transformation at SSA that all Americans can be proud of."
"SSA regularly shares timely performance data, which is prepared by SSA's dedicated career workforce using long-standing agency methodology. Additionally, we publish our performance metrics on our website for public awareness to provide a snapshot of the real experiences of the people we serve and highlight the optimal ways our customers can get service."
Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said in a statement: "I was thrilled to welcome Commissioner Bisignano to West Virginia and show him firsthand the dedication of our Social Security staff. During our visit, we were able to see how recent improvements are helping to strengthen customer service and better meet the needs of West Virginians. I will continue working with Commissioner Bisignano and the Social Security Administration to ensure our field offices have the resources and support they need to provide timely, high-quality service to those who rely on them."
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group, told Newsweek: "It's tough to take political appointees at face value when they've got agendas of their own. Anytime these issues get politicized, it's hard to know what to believe. That said, it does seem like technology is helping improve the online experience."
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "Over the past few weeks, the Social Security Administration and several members of Congress have been having a back-and-forth pertaining to whether the touted reduced wait times and improved customer service the SSA is claiming is reflecting what's actually occurring. We know the program has leaned more into online services to handle more basic questions and procedures, while also pushing more calls onto their field offices to answer."
What Happens Next
The SSA said Bisignano intended to continue visiting field offices to monitor service changes and collect employee feedback as part of an ongoing customer-service transformation.
Beene said, "Recent stops by the program's leadership to places like field offices in West Virginia are being done to reassure some who are concerned the boasted improvements are a reality, but it remains to be seen if such efforts will convince members of the House and Senate to reduce their investigation of how substantial the improvements actually are."
Update 8/22/25, 3:51 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from a spokesperson for the SSA.
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