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pdfRetirement Survey Correspondence - English
Prenotice Postcard
Dear Social Security Customer:
Social Security believes that conducting surveys is one of the best ways to find out how
well we are serving you. That’s why we will soon be asking you to give us your opinion
about the business you recently completed with us.
In a few days, you will receive a questionnaire in the mail from [Contractor], who is
conducting the survey for Social Security. When you receive their envelope, we hope
that you will take the time to answer our questions. We look forward to hearing your
opinions.
Michelle King
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management
Social Security Administration
Initial Cover Letter
Dear Social Security Customer:
As I noted in my recent postcard, Social Security is conducting a survey to find out how
well we served you when you filed an application for retirement benefits. You are one of
only a small number of people across the country who were chosen to receive the
enclosed questionnaire. While you are not required to respond, your opinions are very
valuable. Your answers will help us make important decisions about how Social Security
can best serve you.
Please be assured that [Contractor], who is conducting this survey for us, will only give
your responses to my staff here at Social Security, and will not use them for any other
purpose. Social Security will report the survey results by summarizing the answers of
everyone who takes the survey; we will not report any individual responses. The barcode
on this survey is only used to let us know whether you have returned your survey, so we
don’t send you reminder letters.
Please return your completed survey as soon as possible in the postage-paid envelope
provided. If you have a question about Social Security benefits, please visit our web site
at www.socialsecurity.gov or call our toll-free information line at 1-800-772-1213.
We appreciate your taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our survey.
Sincerely,
Michelle King
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management
Social Security Administration
Enclosures
Follow-up Postcard
SURVEY REMINDER
About two weeks ago, [Contractor] sent you a questionnaire to find out how well we
served you during your recent business with us.
•
•
•
If you have already mailed back your completed questionnaire, we thank you
for your quick response.
However, if you have not yet returned the questionnaire, we would appreciate
it if you could take some time to complete it and send it back as soon as possible.
If you no longer have the questionnaire, you don’t need to do anything.
[Contractor] will be mailing another one to you shortly.
Thank you for sharing your opinions with us.
Michelle King
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management
Social Security Administration
Follow-up Cover Letter
Dear Social Security Customer:
Several weeks ago [Contractor] sent you a survey questionnaire to find out how well we served
you when you filed an application for retirement benefits. We haven’t yet heard from you and
it’s very important that we gather opinions from as many people as possible. If you recently
mailed in your completed questionnaire, please discard this letter. We sincerely appreciate your
help and look forward to receiving your response.
However, if you have not yet returned your questionnaire, we ask that you take some time now
to complete it and send it back. For your convenience, we have enclosed another questionnaire
along with a postage-paid return envelope.
Please be assured that [Contractor], who is conducting this survey for us, will only give your
responses to my staff here at Social Security and will not use them for any other purpose. Social
Security will report the survey results by summarizing the answers of everyone who takes the
survey; we will not report any individual responses.
If you have a question about Social Security benefits, please visit our web site at
www.socialsecurity.gov or call our toll-free information line at 1-800-772-1213.
We would appreciate receiving your completed survey as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Michelle King
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management
Social Security Administration Social Security Administration
Enclosures
Closeout Letter
Dear Social Security Customer:
Recently we mailed you a survey questionnaire to find out how well we served you when you
filed an application for retirement benefits. If you have already completed and returned the
questionnaire, please accept our sincere thanks.
If you have not yet had time, we hope you will turn to it right away. We are wrapping up the
survey and would like to include your opinions, but we need your quick response. We think it’s
extremely important to hear from everyone who was selected to participate in this survey.
Please be assured that [Contractor], who is conducting this survey for us, will only give your
responses to my staff here at Social Security and will not use them for any other purpose. Social
Security will report the survey results by summarizing the answers of everyone who takes the
survey; we will not report any individual responses.
If you have a question about Social Security benefits, please visit our web site at
www.socialsecurity.gov or call our toll-free information line at 1-800-772-1213.
Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Michelle King
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management
Social Security Administration Social Security Administration
Rate Social Security’s Service
ABOUT OUR SURVEY
Social Security would like to know how well we served you when you filed your recent application for
retirement benefits. This survey also asks about your expectations for good service and how you want to do
business with Social Security in the future. The survey asks you to rate the service you received in person, on
the telephone, or on our website. The survey should take about 15 minutes to finish.
•
Answer all questions as directed. You may be told to skip over some questions. When that happens, you will see
an arrow with a note telling you what question to answer next:
Example:
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 1
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MARKING YOUR ANSWERS
• Use a pen with blue or black ink or a number 2 pencil.
• Make no stray marks.
• Do not use a pen with ink that soaks through the paper.
• Keep all entries within the appropriate boxes.
PREPARING TO FILE FOR RETIREMENT BENEFITS
1.
Before you filed your application for retirement benefits, did you get any information from Social Security to help you
prepare?
Mark ONLY one answer.
2.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 3.
How did you get that information from Social Security?
Mark all answers that apply.
3.
Visited Social Security’s website
Called Social Security’s national toll-free number
Called a local Social Security office
Visited a local Social Security office
Reviewed last Social Security Statement I received in the mail
Some other way: Please explain:
_______________________________________________________
Did you get any information about Social Security retirement benefits from anywhere other than Social Security?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Yes
Continue with Question 4.
No
SKIP to Question 5 if you answered “yes” in Question 1.
SKIP to Question 7 if you answered “no” in Question 1.
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4.
Where did you get that information?
Mark all answers that apply.
5.
Senior citizens organization, such as AARP
Accountant or financial advisor
Employer or union
Friends or relatives
Local seminars or meetings
Traditional media (newspaper, magazine, TV, or radio)
Website other than Social Security’s
Social networking site such as Facebook or Twitter
Government agency other than Social Security
Some other way: Please explain:
_______________________________________________________
No matter where you obtained information to prepare for retirement, did it change your plans about when to start
collecting your Social Security retirement benefits?
Mark ONLY one answer.
6.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 7.
How did the information change your plans about when to start collecting your Social Security retirement benefits?
Did you:
Mark ONLY one answer.
Claim Social Security benefits earlier than planned
Claim Social Security benefits later than planned
HOW YOU FILED YOUR APPLICATION FOR RETIREMENT BENEFITS
7.
Did you file your application for retirement benefits:
Mark ONLY one answer.
8.
In person with a Social Security employee
Over the telephone with a Social Security employee
Through the mail
On Social Security’s website
SKIP to Question 12.
Social Security offers an online application on its website that people can use to file for retirement benefits. At the
time you filed, were you aware of Social Security’s online application?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 10.
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9.
What was the main reason you didn’t use the online retirement application?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Don’t use the Internet
Easier to understand things when explained by a person
Can get my specific questions answered right away with a person
Concerned about security and/or privacy of my information
Concerned online application might be too hard, complicated
Problem with computer or Internet access
Tried to but was not successful
Some other reason: Please explain:
_____________________________________________________
10. Did you make an appointment with Social Security to file your retirement application?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 15.
11. Please rate the following aspects of your appointment with Social Security.
Excellent
Very
Good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very
Poor
No
Opinion
How soon you could get an appointment
Convenience of the scheduled appointment
Mark one answer for each item.
SATISFACTION WITH THE ONLINE APPLICATION
The next question is for people who filed their application for retirement benefits on Social Security’s website.
If you did NOT file your retirement application online, please SKIP TO Question 15.
12. After you completed your retirement application online, did Social Security contact you for additional information
related to your retirement application?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 14.
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13. What was the additional information that Social Security needed? Was the information related to your:
Mark all answers that apply.
Current Marriage Information or Divorce History
Children or Dependents
U.S. Military Service Details
Employment or Self-Employment Details (Employer Name, Employment Start and End dates)
Direct Deposit Details (Account Type, Routing Number, Bank Name)
Identification (Name, SSN, Date and Place of Birth, Address, Phone Number)
Date when you stopped working
Earnings
Railroad Employment or Federal Government Employment
Age-Related Reduced Benefits
Retirement Benefit Start Date
Disability Application
Medicare Coverage
Medicaid (state health insurance) Coverage
Some other reason: Please explain:
_____________________________________________________
14. Please rate the following aspects of your experience using Social Security’s online application.
Excellent
Very
Good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very
Poor
No
Opinion
Ease of finding the online application on Social
Security’s website
Ease of answering the questions on the online
application
Helpfulness of the explanations in the “More
Info” links on the online application
Availability of other help from Social Security to
complete the online application
Length of time it took to complete the online
application
How well the online application explained what
would happen after you submitted it
Mark one answer for each item.
SATISFACTION WITH SOCIAL SECURITY’S TELEPHONE SERVICE
15. Did you ever call Social Security about your application for retirement benefits?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 18.
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16. Did you call Social Security’s national toll-free number, a local office, or both?
Mark ONLY one answer.
National toll-free number
Local Social Security office
Both
Not sure
17. Please rate the following aspects of Social Security’s telephone service.
Excellent
Very
Good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very
Poor
No
Opinion
The automated system that answered
your call
How long it took you to get through to
an employee
Helpfulness of the agent
How clearly the agent explained things
Mark one answer for each item.
SATISFACTION WITH SOCIAL SECURITY’S IN-PERSON SERVICE
18. Did you ever visit a Social Security office about your application for retirement benefits?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 20.
19. Please rate the following aspects of your visit to the Social Security office.
Excellent
Very
Good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very
Poor
No
Opinion
Office hours
Signs/instructions explaining how to
check in when you got to the office
Office comfort (seating, temperature, etc.)
Office privacy
Waiting time to be served in the office
Helpfulness of the staff
How clearly the staff explained things
Mark one answer for each item.
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OVERALL SATISFACTION WITH THE APPLICATION EXPERIENCE
20. Please rate the following aspects of your experience filing for retirement benefits.
Excellent
Very
Good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very
Poor
No
Opinion
How quickly you received Social
Security’s decision on your application
Clarity of Social Security’s letter
explaining the amount of your benefits
and when they would be paid
Social Security’s service overall
Mark one answer for each item.
YOUR SERVICE PREFERENCES
21. Please tell us how you would prefer to conduct Social Security business you might have in the future, such as
changing your address or getting a statement of the total benefits you received in the last year. Mark one method
as your choice for each type of business.
To change information on my Social Security records, I would prefer …
An Automated
Phone Service
An Agent on a
National tollfree Number
An Agent on a
Local Phone
Number
A Visit to a Local
Office
Regular Mail
Internet or
Email
To get information from my Social Security records, I would prefer …
An Automated
Phone Service
An Agent on a
National tollfree Number
An Agent on a
Local Phone
Number
A Visit to a Local
Office
Regular Mail
Internet or
Email
22. Now we would like to know how you would define timely service when you do business with Social Security. First,
when doing business on the telephone, please mark the box that best describes the amount of time you think is
reasonable to wait.
A reasonable time for me to wait:
Less than
1 minute
1 to 3
minutes
4 to 5
minutes
6 to 10
minutes
11 to 20
minutes
More than
20 minutes
To speak to an employee on the
phone is …
A reasonable time for me to wait:
Less than 1
hour
More than
1 hour but
same day
Next day
2 to 3 days
More than
3 days
A week or
more
For an employee to call me back when
I leave a phone message is …
23. When doing business in person, please mark the box that best describes the amount of time you think is
reasonable to wait.
Less than
5 minutes
5 to 10
minutes
11 to 20
minutes
21 to 30
minutes
31 to 45
minutes
More than
45 minutes
To be seen in an
office without an appointment is …
To be seen in an
office with an appointment is …
A reasonable time for me to wait:
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24. When doing business on a website or by email, please mark the box that best describes the amount of time you
think is reasonable to wait.
A reasonable time for me to wait:
Less than 1
hour
More than
1 hour but
same day
Next day
2 to 3 Days
More than
3 days
A week or
more
To get a response when I ask a
question on a website or by email is …
PRIVACY OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
25. No matter how you choose to do business with us, in person, by telephone, through the mail, or online, Social
Security takes great care to protect your personal information. Based on your recent experience applying for
retirement benefits, how confident are you that the information in your Social Security records is secure?
Mark one answer.
Very
Confident
Somewhat
Confident
Not Very
Confident
Not at All
Confident
No
Opinion
I would rate my level of confidence in the security of my
Social Security records as…
DOING BUSINESS ONLINE
26. Do you currently use the Internet?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 35.
27. How do you access the Internet? Do you use :
Mark ONLY one answer.
Only a personal or laptop computer
Only a wireless handheld device like a smartphone or tablet
Both a personal or laptop computer and a wireless handheld device
28. How would you rate your level of experience using the Internet?
Mark one answer.
Very
Experienced
Somewhat
Experienced
Not Very
Experienced
Not at All
Experienced
No Opinion
I would rate my level of experience using the
Internet as …
29. Social Security offers a service called my Social Security (www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount) where people can
create a secure online account with a user name and password to conduct various types of business. For example,
if they receive benefits, people with an online account can change their address or direct deposit information, or get a
statement of the monthly benefits they receive. Have you already created an online account with Social Security?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 35.
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30. To create a secure online account, Social Security must verify your identity. In addition to providing your name and
Social Security number, how comfortable would you be providing each item below in order to do business online with
Social Security?
Very
Comfortable
Somewhat
Comfortable
Not Very
Comfortable
Not at all
Comfortable
No Opinion
Your current address
Your date of birth
Your phone number
Part of your credit card number
Other personal information from your records,
such as prior earnings or your Social Security
payment amount.
Mark one answer for each item.
31. To verify your identity, Social Security would need to match the personal information you give against other records.
Listed below are different kinds of records that Social Security could match with. How comfortable would you be with
each?
Very
Comfortable
Somewhat
Comfortable
Not Very
Comfortable
Not at all
Comfortable
No Opinion
Checking against Social Security’s own records
Checking against records from a private
company, like a credit bureau
Mark one answer for each item.
32. How likely would you be to create an online account for handling future Social Security business?
Mark one answer.
For me, creating an online account with a
user name and password for Social
Security business is...
Very Likely
Somewhat
Likely
Not Very
Likely
Not at
All Likely
No Opinion
33. What is the main reason why you might be likely to create an online account with Social Security?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Can take care of my business any time of day
Don’t have to wait to speak to someone, either on the phone or in person
Don’t have to travel to the office
Can have all my records at hand or can look something up if I need to
Some other reason you might use it Please explain:
_________________________________________
Can’t think of any reason why I would use it
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34. What is the main reason why you might not be likely to create an online account with Social Security?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Prefer to speak to a person
Concerned about security and/or privacy of my information
Problem with computer or Internet access
Concerned completing online business might be too hard, complicated
Some other reason you might not use it Please explain:
____________________________________
Can’t think of any reason why I wouldn’t use it
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT YOU
35. Do you own a cell phone?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 37.
36. Do you use a cell phone to send and receive text messages?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Yes
No
37. And for the final question, what is the highest level of education you have completed?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Not a high school graduate
High school graduate or GED
Trade/technical/vocational school graduate
Some college
Undergraduate degree
Graduate degree or postgraduate training
Thank you for your time and attention with this survey. Please return the completed questionnaire in the enclosed
postage-paid envelope as soon as possible to:
Social Security Survey
[Contractor Return Address]
PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT
The Social Security Administration is authorized to
collect the information for this survey under Executive
Order 12862, “Setting Customer Service Standards.”
Your response to these questions is strictly voluntary.
The information you provide will be used to help us
improve the service that we give you. Your response
will not be disclosed to any other government or private
agency.
This information collection meets the requirements of
44 U.S.C. § 3507, as amended by Section 2 of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. You do not need to
answer these questions unless we display a valid Office
of Management and Budget control number. We
estimate that it will take about 15 minutes to read the
instructions, gather the facts and answer the questions.
You may send comments on our time estimate above to:
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OMB CONTROL NO: 0960-0526
EXPIRATION DATE: TBD
Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Blvd.,
Baltimore, MD 21235-6401. (Send only comments
relating to our time estimate to this address, not the
completed form.)
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| File Type | application/pdf |
| Author | 253865 |
| File Modified | 2017-09-06 |
| File Created | 2017-09-06 |