Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
By Gil Navarro
A recent visit to the Social Security Administration Office in downtown San Bernardino provides a glaring example of government inefficiency and ineptitude.
A long line of people waited in shivering temperatures outside the office. Some had arrived at least two hours before the office opened at 9 a.m. An elderly gentleman near the front said he was forced to wait behind 35 people who arrived before him. Others said they were disgusted at having to stand in the cold weather before they could go inside to receive services.
There was a security guard at the door who gave out a business card with a phone number to make an appointment. I called the number and got a recording that said I might have to wait 15 minutes to speak to a representative. After 10 minutes on hold, the line got disconnected. I called back and waited another 10 minutes before a woman came on the line.
I told her I wanted to make an appointment and she said the next opening for an appointment wasn’t for at least two months. She suggested going directly to the office rather than waiting so long for an appointment. This is totally unacceptable!
Why should an elderly or disabled person have to wait two months for an appointment? These individuals depend on their monthly Social Security checks to pay their rent. If they don’t pay, they will get evicted. Some may end up on the streets. No one should have to put up with such lousy service from a government agency. All taxpayers should be ashamed. With all the technology available today, the federal government must get its act together and start providing high quality customer service.
