From a contracting notice posted by Social Security:
This is a Request for Information. The agency wants to deploy secure, accessible self-service kiosks nationwide to further modernize service delivery and improve customer experience. These kiosks will empower customers to complete routine transactions independently, reduce lobby congestion, and offer flexible service options. The Self-Service Kiosks will supplement existing check-in systems and integrate with SSA’s network and infrastructure, with robust accessibility features. This initiative enhances, not replaces, in-person service.
My recollection is that this was tried before and made little progress.
So spending money on people who can actually help the public is unacceptable and unaffordable, but it’s okay to spend 10 times more to prop up the failing tech and contracting sectors
ReplyDeleteWhat are the chances it requires an appointment?
ReplyDeleteThis administration will be known for being in a hole and they keep digging.
ReplyDeleteAnd prior administrations.
Delete....and administrations going back decades. The hole has never been shallow.
DeleteIs this experiment coming out of Franks millions in assets? It’s easy to spend other peoples money. It would be wise to go back to the basics like hiring well qualified human beings. There are many individuals looking for work.
ReplyDeleteLet me know when we are approaching the Golden Age.
DeleteThe US economy lost 92,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4%
Welcome to SSA. Brought to you by Carl’s Jr. F**k you, I’m eating!
ReplyDeleteSSA's bid also demands that the kiosks work like the 1991 classic, SkiFree. You can start navigating through the menus and filling in the fields - but no matter what you do, a yeti eventually pops up on the screen to deny you.
ReplyDeleteThey already have kiosks for people to check in for appointments. If the idea is that people will do stuff on them that can be done on mySSA...the same people who can't figure out mySSA won't be able to figure out the kiosk.
ReplyDeleteExactly! The public doesn't go into an SSA office to use a kiosk. They have a problem and want a qualified, competent human being to help with the specific problem
DeleteThey have trouble with the kiosks in the offices and those are just to check in!!!!
DeleteFrank is one innovative son of a gun! Well done Frankie! This is why you are a roaring success wherever you venture.
ReplyDelete🤮
DeleteYou know, SSA could save time and money if they would actually ask technicians and managers in the Field Offices if things like these are good ideas prior to committing any time and resources to them.
ReplyDeleteBut they won’t, and this will end up being a waste of time and money.
But just like TED and CCE, this is “Technician Driven” and precisely what front line employees asked for!
DeleteExactly! Pretty much the same with new programs that are supposed to “help” workers do their job. They test them but usually the people selected just want to get out of doing actual work. Also they are afraid to go against what the agency wants or else it is the end of their career.
DeletePerhaps the fourth time is the charm? I'd expect Yorktel to get the contract yet again, they have the last several times. Or, perhaps they can pick up some of the old RedBox DVD kiosks on the cheap? OMB must be jumping out of their skin at this point.
ReplyDeleteYes, Frank want's his ATM machine - he must be consulting with Carolyn. Makes sense, after all that is how FISERV makes its money. He really doesn't understand the public : In prior attempts the printers would jam; customers would hit the machines; they would give up early because they were confused; internet would fail, etc, etc.
Most of the time, the security guard has to step in and help the people navigate the simple check in screen.
ReplyDeleteUnless they are planning to hire a lot more security guards that are not employees and work for an outside agency to guide people, assuming you have friendly guards who are willing to do this, it is hard to see how this will be better.
This is one of my pet peeves about SSA--it's one thing for the security guards to tell people where the restroom is or check their names off a list of appointments, but too often they cross over to giving advice, reading notices, telling people they need an appointment (even if their issue is appropriate for Express Interview), etc. I think many of them do it with good intention, but it can lead to people being sent away inappropriately, given bad information, and deprived of due process.
DeleteWell the security guards are doing their best to help irrate customers. But really they should sit at their post and that's it.
DeleteRest assured those kiosks will have a corporate sponsor--like Merrill Lynch asking folks if they want to invest before doing any Social Security transactions...
ReplyDeleteI have a “feeling” based on fact that the kiosks will be a spectacular success.
ReplyDeleteToday’s Republican talking point applicable to all subjects.
Hope they have a vat of hand sanitizer close by!
ReplyDeleteThe sponsorship will read: SSA presented by Pfizer “where we make things hard”.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of the kiosk is actually not terrible. The idea it will be more autonomous than the self help PC. The failure of the SHPC was visitor identification and using the failed MySSA authentication. The key question will be if OGC and Security will let Operations do it with simple drivers license scan and facial recognition. (Or whatever those components are called now).
ReplyDeleteI just went to my local field office yesterday. The kiosk was out of service, so the security guard was giving people numbers on sticky notes.
ReplyDeleteIf you click through the links and eventually get to Attachment 1, there's additional detail on what they're looking for. Some excerpts that stood out to me:
ReplyDelete"4.1 Functional Capabilities
The solution must support, at minimum:
• Intelligent intake and appointment scheduling (authenticated appointments and walk-in ticketing)
• Printing benefit verification letters (including printing at the kiosk/office and electronic delivery via email)
• Updating contact information
• Checking claim/payment status (including receipt printing with status information)
• Obtaining benefit estimates
• Submitting digital evidence (document scanning with internal routing capabilities)
• Secure payment remittance (PCI-compliant payment terminal)
• Requesting SSN card replacements
• Updating direct deposit information
• Requesting Medicare card replacements
• Requesting statements and forms (including printing at the kiosk/office and electronic delivery via email)
• Creating mySSA accounts"
Later on, it also says: "SSA is interested in exploring solutions that can authenticate official documents, including:
o Passports
o IDs
o Birth, marriage, and death certificates
o Other documents with official seals"
There's also a mention of doing a "pilot or proof of concept prior to full deployment," and "a phased approach to implementation."
And there's a whole section about identity proofing and authentication, so include biometric capture devices (presumably facial scanning), ID scanning, and QR/barcode scanning. So it definitely sounds like people will be required to do something similar to the Login.gov/ID.me process for creating a mySS account.
if a person can't navigate the id authentication process at home, it seems very unlikely they'll be able to do it in the office. I am also deeply skeptical about internal routing of scanned documents--many people will be unable to accurately describe what they're bringing in and why. Heck, for a lot of people the odds of accurately typing in their SSNs is low, let alone things like their correct address, bank account and routing number, or other information. I am intrigued by the "payment remittance" feature though--will people be able to go in and get an emergency advance payment or critical payment? Can't imagine how that would work...would it spit out a direct express card? Or is it payment from the public to SSA?
DeleteThis is what happens when you trust a billboard salesman to run field offices.
ReplyDeleteI'll have a #6 combo with a diet coke and a replacement Social Security card. Also, do have any retirement benefits or are you all out?
ReplyDeleteHearing at least one SSA FO resource will be stationed by each kiosk to assist the public with using it.
ReplyDeleteif they sit an employee next to it, how is it different than having the employee sit with a computer and serve the public that way?
DeleteThis is just like the stupid self help PCs. We did not have people to staff them so we did not push them. We only did when they let people start SNAP.
DeleteRetired employee who dealt with the first concept. This was a failed project and always will be a failed project. We deal with complex issues and we are not a fast food restaurant. Pay to bring employees back and properly train them to serve the American people.
ReplyDeleteWe tried hard with the self help pcs and it was an ultimate failure. Beneficiaries couldn't figure it out and we would spend more time helping with the shpc than a simple transaction. I don't see how the kiosk will be any different if they don't have a login.gov account. And most people are to stupid and can't figure out how to create one. Pretty funny when foreigners can do an online snap app and get an appointment and the local public can't. Fml
ReplyDelete