Throughout 2025, the Social Security Administration (SSA) made a commitment to frequently highlight how they viewed its efforts were positively transforming the agency and benefiting the American people. Customer service was at the center of most communications, whether referring to new technologies being introduced or wait time reductions, their efforts were consistently described as improvements.

With the first-year anniversary of Commissioner Bisignano being officially sworn in passed on May 7, 2026, the agency remained consistent with last year’s communications patterns, taking the opportunity to reiterate and highlight those affirmed improvements in a press release.

Summary of Points:

Wait Time Reductions

The agency listed several key customer service performance areas in which wait times were reduced during the year. SSA recorded decreased wait times for:

• National 800 Number average speed of answer
• Field office visits
• Disability hearings
• SSA also emphasized a decrease in the initial disability claims backlog

Digital Focus

Another major focus that SSA reiterated in the press release is their commitment to a digital-centered vision. Enforcing new technology certainly contributes to the wait time reductions previously mentioned.

Between promoting online usage to implementing artificial intelligence and other technologies, the agency also noted outcomes from last year in reference to its digital focus:

• Increasing the total amount of online transactions
• Implementing new phone technology to assist with callbacks
• Surpassing 100 million users of the My Social Security online portal

Last year, disability representatives also saw various SSA performance metrics exchanged with data relating to online service transactions, presenting positive statistics to encourage individuals to use online services.

Customer Service: Where it Stands

Since the beginning of Commissioner Bisignano’s time in this role, customer service has claimed to be the agency’s top priority. While recapping his first year, the agency uses terms such as “historic” and “best overall improvements” to describe those efforts, however there is still much work to be done.

A major takeaway is how SSA connects technology to improved customer experience. Reductions in wait time or implementing artificial intelligence to assist in callbacks indicate positive performance and quicker processes, but that does not directly correlate with customer satisfaction. Many individuals dependent on the agency’s services have limited technology available, or struggle navigating technology altogether, and have continued to find themselves at a loss when trying to obtain human assistance. As 2026 continues, Olinsky Law Group will continue to analyze the agency’s performance metrics, but most notably, see how the agency communicates if they are able to improve upon the points listed from their “historic year,” and if so, how customer service develops. To read the agency’s press release: click here