Jan 9, 2012

The Future?

From the Huron Daily Tribune of Michigan:
BAD AXE — The Social Security Administration’s real-time video conference system is set to officially go online next week. ...
It’s been about nine months since the SSA has had a representative available in Bad Axe to meet with local residents. ...
The county entered into an agreement letting SSA set up a real-time video conference system that will be available at the county building.
Social Security claimants will approach a screen featuring a SSA representative who will immediately help them with their business.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hope they expand this service to the homes of applicants/beneficiaries.

Nobbins said...

They tried something like this before. It's done as a "cost cutting" (read: job cutting) measure. Because of this, they don't hire the necessary tech support required to keep this running. I fully expect this story to fizzle out and nothing to come of it.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great idea, especially considering how much can be done online. It does not make much sense to have a Social Security employee located in or regularly visiting a town of 3000. If being helped in person is important enough, the person will make the trip to a sizeable city with an office.

Anonymous said...

Agree with the "no tech support" issue--the agency is woefully inadequate in terms of day to day IT support, and placing something offsite like this is just asking for trouble. What happens when the link goes down?