I-C: Service Delivery
Provide a range of choices in service delivery methods Other Information:
In order to fulfill customers’ needs, we must provide high quality, accurate services on a timely basis, and in ways that
are accessible and convenient to all our customers, including the elderly and those with impairments. Consistent with our
vision statement, we strive to provide a broad range of choices for customer service. Independent surveys of RRB beneficiaries
reveal they prefer to obtain service through personal contact, primarily by telephone. However, as electronic self-service
becomes more accepted by our customers, we will continue to expand our service delivery choices through the Internet and our
interactive voice response system (HelpLine). In fiscal year 2005, the Railroad Retirement Board (“the Board”) approved a
plan to better position the agency’s field service for the future. The plan calls for a hub and spoke structure with a number
of service centers that will provide face-to-face and telephone service for the agency’s customers. The plan would also facilitate
consolidation of agency field offices, provide for co-location of field offices with other entities, and provide for introduction
of virtual offices in the field. The plan’s goal is to continue the agency’s commitment to outstanding customer service through
an efficient field service structure. In discussions with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) concerning the Board’s
fiscal year 2007 budget, the Board agreed to hire a consultant with input from agency staff, rail labor, and the rail industry,
to review the hub and spoke plan and to develop a 5-year implementation plan. The plan would include consolidation, co-location,
and/or the establishment of virtual offices and demonstrate out-year savings without serious erosion of customer service.
Our level of performance will be measured by how well we succeed in providing the level of service our customers expect, and
by the number of new electronic services we can provide in each program at a reasonable cost. Our long-term goal is to expand
customer choice by offering alternative access to our major services. To achieve this objective, over the course of the next
5 years, we plan to: Increase opportunities for our customers to conduct business in a secure manner over the Internet. The
RRB web site allows customers to request replacement Medicare cards, duplicate tax statements, statements of service and compensation
and rate verification letters. It also provides the capability to request a retirement annuity estimate, pay certain debts
to the agency, file unemployment applications and claims, and view a summary of unemployment and sickness insurance benefits
paid. Future services will include allowing our Medicare contractor to provide changes of address and death notices, and the
ability to file sickness insurance claims and retirement applications. Provide additional services through the HelpLine. We
will offer most of the same service options available on the agency’s web site through our 1-800 RRB HelpLine. We will also
add a number of new services, including options for retirees to obtain information about their monthly payments, such as the
date of payment, amount, and method of payment, as well as information about Federal income tax withholding, including the
amount of withholding and withholding election status. We will consider using speech recognition technology, in addition to
touch-tone service, and providing an option to route calls to local field service representatives. The option of routing calls
to the local field service representative would enable us to provide toll-free service while retaining the benefits that the
customers associate with our network of local field offices. Seek customers’ service delivery preferences. Our customers can
choose to obtain service in-person (both at field offices and through our customer outreach program), via telephone, via mail,
or through advanced technology, such as electronic mail, the Internet, fax, and interactive voice response systems. We will
consider ongoing input from meetings with our customers, customer satisfaction comment cards, feedback from our own employees
and customer surveys such as the ACSI to obtain additional feedback about how our customers want their service delivered.
As we expand our uses of newer technologies, we will ensure ease of use by providing clear and easy to understand instructions
within a private and secure environment.
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