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SSA is paranoid
Mobuck
Member Posts: 14,163 ✭✭✭✭
I hate going into the SSA office but am forced to occasionally and today was it.
I probably didn't make things better when asked by the armed guard if I had any guns, knives, tasers, mace, etc. I answered "No but if I did, you'd be the first to know".
Really?? Are they so afraid of a bunch of gimps and geezers? I sat there patiently while some indistinct figure behind the tinted glass gave the person at the counter an ambiguous answer to a simple question. When my "number" was called(geez, there were only two people in the room), I went to the window to ask my question and was told I'd have to make an appointment. Now, I could see at least 1/2 dozen office dweebs sitting in cubicles doing apparently nothing and was told the "appointment" would only take 5 minutes at most but absolutely couldn't happen "today". So simple it could be done by phone but since I'm hard of hearing(should have been obvious since it was one of the questions I had to answer at the armed guard's desk to get my "number"), I wanted to see things written down.
On second thought, with customer service like this, maybe they need TWO armed guards.
I go out in the country to find, meet, and question folks who have at least as much to be aggravated about as the average Social Security recipient and do so w/o any armed escort or expectation of assistance of any sort so I just don't see the need.
I probably didn't make things better when asked by the armed guard if I had any guns, knives, tasers, mace, etc. I answered "No but if I did, you'd be the first to know".
Really?? Are they so afraid of a bunch of gimps and geezers? I sat there patiently while some indistinct figure behind the tinted glass gave the person at the counter an ambiguous answer to a simple question. When my "number" was called(geez, there were only two people in the room), I went to the window to ask my question and was told I'd have to make an appointment. Now, I could see at least 1/2 dozen office dweebs sitting in cubicles doing apparently nothing and was told the "appointment" would only take 5 minutes at most but absolutely couldn't happen "today". So simple it could be done by phone but since I'm hard of hearing(should have been obvious since it was one of the questions I had to answer at the armed guard's desk to get my "number"), I wanted to see things written down.
On second thought, with customer service like this, maybe they need TWO armed guards.
I go out in the country to find, meet, and question folks who have at least as much to be aggravated about as the average Social Security recipient and do so w/o any armed escort or expectation of assistance of any sort so I just don't see the need.
Comments
...go to a smaller office...
not always an option, the closest office here is in east saint louis, next one is Springfield il which is even larger
as far as the op goes, yes gimps and geezers can be a handful, just ask any leo, and after 9-11 every federal building i have been in has metal detectors , i got kicked out for a fishing hook you clamp onto a baseball cap, but the second time they failed to notice my money clip with a knife in it
only SSA office within 50 miles and likely smaller than the ones more than 50 miles away
While there are some lower grade clerks in SSA offices, some tasks must be done by claims representatives with advanced training; their time is scheduled (by calls to the 800 number), & all of them may have had interviews scheduled. So, "walk ins" may not be able to see anyone able to take care of their problems.
In any case, the Draft Dodger has announced his intention to reduce the size of the federal workforce, so unfilled vacancies, pay freezes, & fear of layoffs may have some effect on service to the public.
Neal