Q: I want to share a little advice with your readers. I have had numerous dealings with my local Social Security office. And I have learned that you should never work with the clerks in the office. You should always ask for the manager if you want things done right.
A: The email this guy sent me actually went on a lot longer as he described the problems he allegedly encountered when dealing with the “clerks” in his local Social Security office. But there is no point in describing his issues to the rest of my readers. Instead, I’m going to comment on his “advice.” And to do so, I’m going to share a little story.
My wife and I were married in 1974. Our son was born in 1976 and our daughter in 1978. At the time of that second birth, we were living in Yakima, Wash. I was recently transferred to the Social Security Administration office there in the “Apple Capital of the World.” We were renting a small house that was actually a duplex. The owner, Floyd and his wife Ruth, lived in the other half.
Floyd was a nice guy, but I used to think of him as an “old codger.” Thinking back, I'd guess he was in his late 60s. I’m currently pushing 80. So who’s the even older codger now?
Anyway, Floyd and Ruth, a childless couple, kind of adopted us. They were constantly looking after us and trying to help us. And they especially doted on our 2-year-old son.
Their house was the first place we ever lived that did not have a washer and dryer. So we had to go buy a set. And Floyd quickly volunteered to take us to a local appliance store. He said that as a young and innocent couple, we needed his advice on how to deal with the business world. And as part of that advice, he told us: “Remember that you never deal with the grocery clerks. You always ask for the manager!” (By “grocery clerks,” he was referring to any front-line employee.)
We got to the store, and almost immediately, a “clerk” latched onto us and started showing us various washer/dryer combinations. We eventually ended up finding a pair that seemed to be just what we needed at a good sale price. I can’t remember now what it was, but for the sake of the story, let’s say the cost was $300.
Floyd turned to the clerk and said, “Just a minute, young man. I want you to get your manager.” He dutifully went off to find his boss, who eventually showed up. Floyd said to him, “These are my friends, Tom and Becky. They are a young married couple with two small children and not much money. I want you to give them a great deal.”
The manager looked at the sale tag on the washer/dryer we were interested in and said, “At $300, this is the best deal in the store.” Floyd said we'd take it if he would throw in free delivery. The manager said he could do that. (There was already a little note on the sale tag that said “Free Delivery.”)
Floyd turned to me and said, “See, Tommy Boy, by dealing with the manager, I got you the best deal in the store, and I got you free delivery!” Becky and I just rolled our eyes. The clerk and manager rolled their eyes. But old Floyd was just beaming because in his mind, we bypassed the “grocery clerk” and got the best deal possible from the manager!
So that is my long way of telling you that it is almost always advisable to simply work with the Social Security representative that was assigned to you when you entered the office. The biggest reason for that is that in the vast majority of situations, our Social Security business is rather routine. Or rather, it may seem complex to you, but SSA representatives are trained to handle these matters, and it’s just an everyday job to them.
Having said that, there obviously are times when a Social Security matter gets very complex or gets all wrapped up in red tape. Readers will occasionally send me emails describing such a situation. Frequently, they have been waiting for months to get their case resolved. They are at their wit’s end and are confused and frustrated and upset.
I usually give these folks two bits of advice. First, I suggest they try to talk to a supervisor or manager. If that person is doing his or her job, they may be able to cut through the red tape and get to the bottom of the matter.
I also suggest that they contact their local Congressional representatives. Those folks always have someone on their staff who works on Social Security and Medicare matters. And I can tell you from experience that when an SSA office gets a “congressional inquiry,” that case gets moved to the top of the pile.
I have a little space left, so let me add a final note to my Floyd story. The washer and dryer we bought were just basic Maytag models. And they lasted us for more than 30 years! But a while back, even though those original Maytags were working just fine, we convinced ourselves we needed new and improved machines. I’m talking fancy electronic models that had all kinds of doodads and buttons and gizmos. They came with instruction booklets that had about as many pages as a short novel!
But here is the thing. After about a year, we still hadn’t completely figured out how the dang things worked. Bells and whistles and lights kept going on and off and we had no idea what they meant. We got so frustrated that we sold them on Craigslist and went and bought a very basic non-electronic Maytag washer and dryer, almost exactly like the ones we bought all those years earlier in Yakima. And 20 years later, they are still working just fine!
Oh, and I promise I got no compensation from the Maytag Corporation for writing this column!
