Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano gave an update on the SSA’s new technology push on Friday during a visit to the Social Security field office in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
Bisignano spoke with Republican Representative Thomas Kean Jr. about the agency’s “enhanced workflows” even as the SSA faces a reduction in staff under the Trump administration.
Why It Matters
The visit came as the SSA described a broader digital transformation that agency leaders say had reduced wait times on the national 800 number and in field offices.
The SSA has also expanded online access to accounts, affecting how millions of Americans engage with benefits services.
SSA officials have framed the modernization as a way to meet customers “where they are” while using real-time data to monitor performance and reallocate staff and technology to front-line service.
What To Know
Bisignano and Kean toured the Bridgewater field office on Friday as staff demonstrated new tools intended to improve in-person, phone and online service for Social Security customers across New Jersey and the nation.
“Our mission at SSA is to provide Americans with the world-class service they deserve. In Bridgewater, we saw how our staff has been empowered through new technology and enhanced workflows to provide customers—visiting in-person or calling in over the phone—with a streamlined customer experience,” Bisignano said.
“During our visit, Representative Kean and I discussed the significant progress we are making at the agency and my vision for an SSA that is easier to access, faster to respond, and better prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”
During the Bridgewater visit, SSA staff demonstrated new technology and updated processes meant to streamline customer interactions both in-person and by phone.
The SSA reported that the Bridgewater field office’s average in-person wait time this year was 23 minutes, and that the average phone wait time at that office was under seven minutes.
“Visiting the Bridgewater Social Security Administration Field Office with Commissioner Frank Bisignano was a great opportunity to meet staff and see firsthand how they’re helping our neighbors across New Jersey,” Kean said.
“Social Security is a vital lifeline for nearly 1.7 million New Jersey residents, including retirees, seniors, families coping with loss, and individuals living with disabilities. In the legislature and now in Congress, I have always been committed to protecting and strengthening Social Security…My casework team and I are always here for our neighbors, ready to answer questions and help people access the Social Security benefits they’ve earned.”
The SSA stated that recent telephone-platform upgrades and process engineering had expanded capacity, with the National 800 Number handling nearly 1.3 million calls in one recent week and reducing the average speed of answer to six minutes, according to SSA communications.
The agency also reported that it had eliminated scheduled downtime for the “my Social Security” portal, enabling approximately 125,000 more customers to access their accounts during the first week after the change.
Still, some question whether this data is accurate, with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren previously questioning the increased efficiency the SSA is reporting amid a 7,000-employee staff cut.
“The Trump administration is LYING about how long people are stuck waiting for help with their Social Security benefits. I pressed the Social Security Commissioner and got him to agree to an independent investigation,” Warren wrote on X.
What People Are Saying
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: “When someone says they’ve reduced hold times to a specific number that can’t be validated in any way other than their word, I get skeptical. The commissioner recently claimed wait times for the SSA national number had improved, but as I’ve mentioned before, that wasn’t my experience. In fact, the last time I called, I wasn’t even given a hold time estimate.”
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “The Social Security Administration has been making significant updates in recent months, primarily moving more of their customer service operations online and maximizing their workforce to answer questions and concerns from millions of Americans.
“The updates are certainly helping to modernize portions of the program, but the concern is these alterations could cause difficulties for seniors who aren’t tech savvy to get in contact with administration field offices, not to mention some of these field offices potentially having fewer staff members to answer when recipients reach out.”
Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek: “The real story isn’t the technology. It’s that they finally brought in someone who understands operational efficiency. Bisignano comes from financial services where keeping customers waiting is revenue suicide.
“The Trump administration’s approach here is refreshingly pragmatic. Instead of grand policy overhauls, they’re fixing the plumbing. I’d estimate the reduction in wait times through August 2025 is saving the public 45 million hours. Time people can spend working, caring for family, or literally anything other than sitting on hold with the government.”
What Happens Next
The SSA stated that Bisignano plans to conduct weekly field office visits to measure improvements in customer experience and to guide the deployment of technology and staff. Some worry that the tech updates could have a negative effect on older and more tech-adverse seniors, however.
“Technology will eventually be a gold mine for younger retirees and Gen X. But for older Boomers, it’s quickly becoming a barrier,” Thompson said. “They’re the ones most at risk of falling victim to scams, bots, and misinformation, and for too many, that’s going to mean some very bad outcomes.”