Alan complains about many ordinary business interactions, like this one with his doctor's office -- http://www.contrarianconsulting.com/dasm-the-doctors-office-dumb-ass-stupid-management/.
But when his own customers want some special service he calls them professional victims -- http://www.contrarianconsulting.com/sorry-im-a-professional-victim/
One of these days we'll get enough information in one of these stories for people to comment intelligently. What does "I had to file some papers...." mean? Does that mean he was filing a claim? If so, what kind of claim was he filing?
Also, if those are actual quotes of an SSA employee at the front desk, the employee is an idiot and needs a performance discussion today.
I do grant that most SSA local management operates on the premise of making problems go away rather than solving problems. However, with the limited personnel available together with the complexity of the work, there are limits on the things you can accomplish.
The problem with SSA is that it operates literally on a shoestring budget. 11 billion dollars sounds like a lot, but SSA is responsible for administering and paying about over 800 billion bucks each year. That 11b budget is thus less than 2% of outlays.
In private industry, the closest analogue you can find to SSA is the insurance companies that process short/long term disability insurance policies. The budget overhead for these companies is in the neighborhood of like 15-25% of outlays. Their outlays are also over a much shorter term than are SSA's as the average entitlement to short/long term policies is far shorter than are entitlements under social security. And, none of those companies have the additional crushing workloads that SSA faces (i.e. administration of the SSI welfare program, enumeration - issuance of social security cards, processing of 100,000,000+ W-2 forms yearly, maintenance of earnings records, etc (lots of things the public doesn't see but that SSA has to do).
Sure, SSA management makes bad choices. In the end, though, it wouldn't matter what they did.
Another problem in our area is that most of the field office employees have no more than a high school education or GED. It becomes exhausting to continue to work with people who lack formal education.
SSA is seriously hopeless...it's like trying to save the titanic. What is really sad is how many people are depending on it in the future. The second to last anonymously commenter said it spot on.
It's unclear whether the first 3 comments are from "trolls" or SSA employees. If from SSA employees, it speaks volumes about their attitudes. What is wrong with applying for disability if you are actually disabled? Congress originated the disability program. You cannot just look at a person and "know" whether or not they have a life-threatening illness or disability--you must examine the medical records.
It is the height of arrogant cynicism to conclude that young people in a field office are up to no good. They could be obtaining a SSA number for a child, they could be there to correct earnings record errors, or they could be assisting an elderly or disabled relative. You don't know! How about a modicum of human compassion!
I wonder if some of these "anonymous" are left-over Astrue trolls. I imagine they are located in the bowels of HQ... longing for the days of "privatization." BTW: The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.
If young people are truly disabled, then they are probably not "missing work" to visit the Social Security office. The point is that the author shouldn't make assumptions to fit his narrative that SSA is working hard to keep the hard-working folks down. Giving people the benefit of the doubt is a two-way street. Climb down from the pulpit.
Well he did get one thing right there is an awful lot of "Dumb Ass Stupid Management" these days.
As for the remarks that SSA employees may be making inappropriate and mean spirited comments about claimants: As an old timer I can tell you that this is not uncommon, especially in the DOs. It is disgusting.
There is no more thought to customer service. The claimant's are looked upon (in a lot of cases, not all) as PITAs. Again, it is disgusting.
The claimant's are not the enemy and it is our job to serve them, not make their life even more difficult. If it wasn't for those claimant's, a lot of you would not have jobs. But, I'm a dinosaur, what do I know.
I could care less about the claimants. The goverment pays me to do a job. I do my job...no matter who's in front of me. I'm a claims rep, I process claims, I'm NOT a social worker nor do I want to be one.
The sad truth is that those who make up Dumb Ass Stupid Management are the best and the brightest of those hired by and promoted by the previous and probably less dumber, less stupid managers. These acorns did not fall far from the tree.
I wonder if that individual understand that a POOR economy produce less tax revenue for government operations?
ReplyDelete"There were also younger people, no doubt missing work."
ReplyDelete========
I wouldn't bet the farm on that assumption, Mr. Weiss.
younger people - no doubt trying to get on disability.
ReplyDeleteAlan complains about many ordinary business interactions, like this one with his doctor's office -- http://www.contrarianconsulting.com/dasm-the-doctors-office-dumb-ass-stupid-management/.
ReplyDeleteBut when his own customers want some special service he calls them professional victims -- http://www.contrarianconsulting.com/sorry-im-a-professional-victim/
One of these days we'll get enough information in one of these stories for people to comment intelligently. What does "I had to file some papers...." mean? Does that mean he was filing a claim? If so, what kind of claim was he filing?
ReplyDeleteAlso, if those are actual quotes of an SSA employee at the front desk, the employee is an idiot and needs a performance discussion today.
I do grant that most SSA local management operates on the premise of making problems go away rather than solving problems. However, with the limited personnel available together with the complexity of the work, there are limits on the things you can accomplish.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with SSA is that it operates literally on a shoestring budget. 11 billion dollars sounds like a lot, but SSA is responsible for administering and paying about over 800 billion bucks each year. That 11b budget is thus less than 2% of outlays.
In private industry, the closest analogue you can find to SSA is the insurance companies that process short/long term disability insurance policies. The budget overhead for these companies is in the neighborhood of like 15-25% of outlays. Their outlays are also over a much shorter term than are SSA's as the average entitlement to short/long term policies is far shorter than are entitlements under social security. And, none of those companies have the additional crushing workloads that SSA faces (i.e. administration of the SSI welfare program, enumeration - issuance of social security cards, processing of 100,000,000+ W-2 forms yearly, maintenance of earnings records, etc (lots of things the public doesn't see but that SSA has to do).
Sure, SSA management makes bad choices. In the end, though, it wouldn't matter what they did.
Another problem in our area is that most of the field office employees have no more than a high school education or GED. It becomes exhausting to continue to work with people who lack formal education.
ReplyDeleteSSA is seriously hopeless...it's like trying to save the titanic. What is really sad is how many people are depending on it in the future. The second to last anonymously commenter said it spot on.
ReplyDeleteIt's unclear whether the first 3 comments are from "trolls" or SSA employees. If from SSA employees, it speaks volumes about their attitudes. What is wrong with applying for disability if you are actually disabled? Congress originated the disability program. You cannot just look at a person and "know" whether or not they have a life-threatening illness or disability--you must examine the medical records.
ReplyDeleteIt is the height of arrogant cynicism to conclude that young people in a field office are up to no good. They could be obtaining a SSA number for a child, they could be there to correct earnings record errors, or they could be assisting an elderly or disabled relative. You don't know! How about a modicum of human compassion!
FYI,the first comment was from a person with a disability. Having a disability does not mean ignorance of the state of the u.s economy.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if some of these "anonymous" are left-over Astrue trolls. I imagine they are located in the bowels of HQ... longing for the days of "privatization." BTW: The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.
ReplyDelete2:30,
ReplyDeleteIf young people are truly disabled, then they are probably not "missing work" to visit the Social Security office. The point is that the author shouldn't make assumptions to fit his narrative that SSA is working hard to keep the hard-working folks down. Giving people the benefit of the doubt is a two-way street. Climb down from the pulpit.
Well he did get one thing right there is an awful lot of "Dumb Ass Stupid Management" these days.
ReplyDeleteAs for the remarks that SSA employees may be making inappropriate and mean spirited comments about claimants: As an old timer I can tell you that this is not uncommon, especially in the DOs. It is disgusting.
There is no more thought to customer service. The claimant's are looked upon (in a lot of cases, not all) as PITAs. Again, it is disgusting.
The claimant's are not the enemy and it is our job to serve them, not make their life even more difficult. If it wasn't for those claimant's, a lot of you would not have jobs. But, I'm a dinosaur, what do I know.
I could care less about the claimants. The goverment pays me to do a job. I do my job...no matter who's in front of me. I'm a claims rep, I process claims, I'm NOT a social worker nor do I want to be one.
DeleteThe sad truth is that those who make up Dumb Ass Stupid Management are the best and the brightest of those hired by and promoted by the previous and probably less dumber, less stupid managers. These acorns did not fall far from the tree.
ReplyDelete