Form CSS10 How Has the US OPM Served You?

201Customer
Satisfaction Survey
How has the United States Office
of Personnel Management Served you?

UNITED STATES OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
Washington, DC 20415
Retirement Services

A Message from the Associate Director
of Retirement Services

Dear Friend:
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management serves over 2.5 million Federal annuitants and survivor
annuitants. We work to provide high quality retirement benefit services to you, our customers. You
earned these benefits by serving your country, and we must provide services that match the commitment
you made to public service.
This survey collects feedback on satisfaction with our retirement program products and services. You
were selected from a random sample of Federal annuitants and survivor annuitants. Your participation is
voluntary, and any information you provide will be kept confidential. This information will help us
determine areas that need improvement. Annuitants selected for this survey who registered their email
address with us will receive the survey via and email link. If you would like annual mailers, IRS 1099R’s
and electronic messages delivered securely to your email address, please visit
www.ServicesOnline.OPM.gov to learn how to register.
We will report the survey results to the President and Congress so they can assess how we are doing
on meeting our goals and carrying out our mission: Recruiting, Retaining, and Honoring a World-Class
Workforce to Serve the American People. One way we do this is by maintaining a world-class benefits
program. Your participation in this survey will help us build the workforce. This means you continue to
serve your country, and for that, we thank you.
Sincerely,

Kenneth Zawodny
Associate Director
Retirement Services

Recruiting, Retaining, and Honoring a World-Class Workforce to Serve the American People
www.servicesonline.opm.gov

www.opm.gov.retirement-services/

U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Retirement Services
FY 2014 Customer Satisfaction Survey
Purpose of this Survey
Every year the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sets new goals for improving the retirement services we provide
to Federal annuitants. To reflect how well we meet these goals, our survey focuses on retirees who had a transaction with
us during the last year (from October 1, 2013). This includes Long-Time Retirees (retired before October 1, 2013) who
contacted us for service regarding their retirement accounts, and New Retirees (retired on or after October 1, 2013) who
initially applied for retirement benefits or contacted us for service regarding their new accounts.

Instructions
Please read the instructions carefully. Respond directly in the survey booklet, using pen or pencil. If you wish to change a
response, erase it or cross it out. Some questions may not pertain to you; please mark these with the “No Basis to Judge”
response. For most of the questions, you will mark only one response, but a few questions noted as “Mark ALL that
apply” allow for multiple responses. The last section of this survey is for New Retirees; Long-Time Retirees should not
answer questions in the last section. If you wish to make written comments for any question, space is provided at Question
42, page 10. If you would like to be interviewed by OPM Retirement Services to provide additional feedback about your
response to this survey, please provide contact information on page 10.

Please return the completed questionnaire in the postage-paid envelope within 14 days to:
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Customer Satisfaction Survey
Retirement Operations Center - Mail Prep
Attn: MI - TRB, Room 3316U
PO Box 45
Boyers, PA 16020-9981

Questions
If you have questions about this survey, we will be happy to help you. Please call collect at 202-606-0283 (8:30 a.m. to
5 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday), or email us at: mib_survey@opm.gov.
Questions about your retirement claim or benefits should be directed to our Retirement Information Office at our toll-free
number: 1-888-767-6738. You can also visit us at our Web site: www.opm.gov/retirement-services.

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Frequently asked questions about the
Customer Satisfaction Survey
What is the cost of doing the survey?
Printing and mail/return postage costs about $3,000. This is mostly a one-person task, with a GS-13 program analyst
devoting about ten percent of annual staff hours to producing the survey and analyzing the results.

Will the survey ever be available on-line?
The 2014 survey will be available on-line to some of our customers. Annuitants chosen for this survey by our random
selection process and having a registered email address with OPM will receive an email link to the survey. Annuitants
chosen but not having a registered email address will receive the survey via postal mail. To assure that only annuitants in
the random selection process take the survey, we have not placed the survey on the OPM website. We may do so in the
future.

How is the validity of the survey results assured?
The survey results are subject to random audits by OPM's Office of the Inspector General.

Public Burden Statement
We estimate providing this information takes an average 25 minutes per survey, including the time for reviewing
instructions, getting the needed data, and reviewing the requested information. Send comments regarding our estimate
or any other aspect of this survey, including suggestions for reducing completion time, to the U.S. Office of Personnel
Management, Retirement Services Publications Team (3206-0236), Washington, DC 20415-3430. The OMB Number,
3206-0236, is currently valid. OPM may not collect information, and you are not required to respond, unless this number
is displayed.

Privacy Act Statement
In accordance with Public Law 93-579 (Privacy Act of 1974), the providing of personal information is completely
voluntary. Collection of this information is authorized by Sections 1002, 3301, and 3304 of Title 5, U.S. Code.
Your responses to this survey are voluntary and there is no penalty for not responding. However, maximum participation
is encouraged so that the data will be complete and representative.
The principal purpose in collecting this information is to study and report attitudes and perceptions of Federal annuitants
regarding the retirement services provided to them by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Your responses
will be used to improve these services.
Only OPM staff involved in collecting or preparing this information for analysis will have access to completed surveys.
The information you provide will be analyzed and reported for the whole Federal annuitant population.
In any public release of survey results, no data will be disclosed that could be used to identify specific individuals and
your individual responses will be treated confidentially.
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Customer Satisfaction Survey
When answering the following questions, refer only to
your monthly Federal annuitant or survivor annuitant
payments, and your experiences since October 1, 2013.

3.

Long-Time and New Retirees
Whether you retired many years ago or just recently, and
if you contacted us for service or information on your
Federal retirement account on or after October 1, 2013,
please answer the following questions regarding how
well OPM Retirement Services served you.

Assistance from OPM Retirement Services
is provided at a time that is convenient to
me (Monday - Friday, 7:40 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time).

r A.

Strongly Agree

r B.

Agree

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree
r D. Disagree

Contacting Retirement Services

r E.

Strongly Disagree

1.

Since October 1, 2013, how many times did
you contact OPM Retirement Services
(telephone, letter, Internet, etc.)?

r F.

No Basis to Judge

r A.

Once

If you disagree or strongly disagree, please
state the hours you would find convenient:

r B.

Twice

r C. Three times
r D. Four or more times
r E.
2.

Not at all

It is easy to do business with OPM
Retirement Services.

r A.

Strongly Agree

r B.

Agree

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree
r D. Disagree
r E.

Strongly Disagree

If you disagree or strongly disagree, please
state why:

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4.

What difficulties, if any, have you
experienced in trying to find someone in
OPM Retirement Services to assist you?
(Mark ALL that apply)

r A.
r B.

5.

No difficulties
Telephone rang without
answer or stayed busy

How do you usually request OPM
Retirement Services information, services,
or products? (Mark only ONE response)

r A.

Telephone

r B.

E-mail

r C. Internet

r C. Phone messages not returned

r D. Postal mail

r D. Phone calls transferred
multiple times

r E.
r F.

6.

Left on hold for a long time
on the phone
Automated phone service
difficult to use

r G. E-mail was forwarded

r K.
r L.

Telephone

r B.

E-mail

r D. Postal mail

r H. E-mail was not answered
r J.

r A.

r C. Internet

multiple times

r I.

How do you prefer to receive OPM
Retirement Services information, services,
or products? (Mark only ONE response)

Letters not answered in a
timely manner

7.

OPM’s automated phone system
(1-888-767-6738) is easy to use.

Letters not answered

r A.

Strongly Agree

I have not tried to find
someone

r B.

Agree

Other (specify):

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree
r D. Disagree

8.

2

r E.

Strongly Disagree

r F.

No Basis to Judge

Do you use the Internet?

r A.

Yes

r B.

No

9.

To learn about retirement related services,
have you accessed OPM’s Web site
www.opm.gov/retirement-services since
October 1, 2013?

r A.

Yes

r B.

No

12. I would like to see the following features
added to Retirement Services Online
(www.servicesonline.opm.gov): (Mark ALL
that apply)

r A.
r B.

10. I would like to see the following features
added to the retirement web site
(www.opm.gov/retirement-services). (Mark
ALL that apply):

r

payment

r D. View designation of
beneficiaries

r E.

Chat

r C. Sign up to receive selected

r F.

emails

r H. Not sure/not interested
r I.

11. To make an on-line customer service
transaction, have you accessed OPM's web
site www.servicesonline.opm.gov since
October 1, 2013?
Yes

r B.

No

Marital status change

cancellation

Other (specify):

r A.

Change designation of
beneficiaries

r G. Life Insurance Family Option C

r D. Not sure/Not interested
r E.

Change Survivor Designation

r C. Report a missing annuity

A. File for retirement on-line

r B.

Make an insurance change
outside of Open Season based
on a Qualifying Life Event

Other (specify)

13. If you read the OPM Retirement Services
Twitter account at
http://twitter.com/fedretireinfo since October
1, 2013, was the information useful?

r A. Yes
r B. Not sure
r C. No
r D. Did not read

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14. If you read the OPM Retirement Services
blog (Retirement Info Center) at
www.opm.gov/Blogs/Retire/index.aspx since
October 1, 2013, was the information
useful?

17. I am satisfied with the appearance of
manuals, brochures, reports, and other
communications materials (e.g., OPM
Retirement Services Web site, account
statements) prepared by OPM Retirement
Services.

r A. Yes
r B. Not sure
r C. No

r A.

Strongly Agree

r B.

Agree

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree

r D. Did not read

r D. Disagree

15. If you viewed OPM Retirement Services
Informational videos at
www.opm.gov/retirement-services since
October 1, 2013, was the information
useful?

r E.

Strongly Disagree

r F.

No Basis to Judge

r A. Yes

Overall Satisfaction

r B. Not sure

18. OPM Retirement Services personnel are
courteous.

r C. No
r D. Did not review

Strongly Agree

r B.

Agree

Strongly Agree

r B.

Agree

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree

16. The communications materials I received
from OPM Retirement Services were clear
and understandable (e.g., letters, written
information).

r A.

r A.

r D. Disagree

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree

r E.

Strongly Disagree

r F.

No Basis to Judge

19. OPM Retirement Services personnel are
knowledgeable.

r D. Disagree

r A.

Strongly Agree
Agree

r E.

Strongly Disagree

r F.

r B.

No Basis to Judge

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree
r D. Disagree

4

r E.

Strongly Disagree

r F.

No Basis to Judge

23. OPM Retirement Services personnel keep
accurate records.

20. OPM Retirement Services personnel are able
to clearly explain their products and
services.

r A.

Strongly Agree

r B.

Agree

r F.

No Basis to Judge

Strongly Agree

r B.

Agree

r F.

No Basis to Judge

Strongly Agree

r B.

Agree

r D. Disagree
Strongly Disagree

r F.

No Basis to Judge

No Basis to Judge

r A.

Strongly Agree

r B.

Agree

r E.

Strongly Disagree

r F.

No Basis to Judge

r A. Strongly Agree
r B. Agree
r C. Neither Agree/Disagree
r D. Disagree
r E. Strongly Disagree
r F. No Basis to Judge

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree
r E.

r F.

25. Problems and complaints are resolved
quickly by OPM Retirement Services
personnel.

22. OPM Retirement Services personnel give me
accurate information.

r A.

Strongly Disagree

r D. Disagree

r D. Disagree
Strongly Disagree

r E.

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree
r E.

Agree

24. OPM Retirement Services personnel
provides services when promised.

21. I am satisfied with the amount of time
it took OPM Retirement Services personnel
to respond to the correspondence I wrote on
or after October 1, 2013.

r A.

r B.

r D. Disagree

r D. Disagree
Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree
r E.

r A.

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26. Since October 1, 2013, I experienced a
customer service problem with my annuity
account in the following areas: (Mark ALL
that apply).

r A.
r B.

27. If you applied for survivor annuitant benefits
on or after October 1, 2013, as the result of
the death of a Federal retiree, how satisfied
were you with the assistance you received
from OPM Retirement Services in filing the
paperwork needed to obtain benefits?

Initial claim for retirement
benefits
Initial claim for survivor
benefits

r A.

Very Satisfied

r B.

Satisfied

r C. Allotment

r C. Neither Dissatisfied/Satisfied

r D. Cost of living increase

r D. Dissatisfied

r E.

Federal tax withholding

r E.

Very Dissatisfied

r F.

State tax withholding

r F.

No Basis to Judge

r G. Change in health benefits

If dissatisfied or very dissatisfied, please state
why:

plans or options

r H. Change in life insurance
options

r I.
r J.
r K.
r L.

Change in mailing address
Direct deposit of annuity
payment

28. Overall, how satisfied are you with the
services you received from OPM Retirement
Services since October 1, 2013?

Adjust annuity after change in
marital status
I have not experienced a
problem

r M. Other (specify):

r A.

Very Satisfied

r B.

Satisfied

r C. Neither Dissatisfied/Satisfied
r D. Dissatisfied
r E.

Very Dissatisfied

Long-Time Retirees have no further questions to answer.
Thank you for answering these questions. We appreciate
your participation. New Retirees (retired on or after
October 1, 2013) should continue to answer the following
questions.

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31. When you applied for retirement benefits,
how satisfied were you with how well OPM
Retirement Services handled all aspects of
your retirement claim?

New Retirees Only - Please
Continue with the Survey
If you retired from Federal service on or after October 1,
2013, please answer the following questions regarding
how well OPM and your agency served you during your
initial retirement process. Long-Time retirees (retired
before October 1, 2013) should not answer these final
questions.

r A.

Very Satisfied

r B.

Satisfied

r C. Neither Dissatisfied/Satisfied

Satisfaction with Retirement Services

r D. Dissatisfied

29. In most cases, Interim Payments are paid
until an applicant’s annuity claim is
processed and regular payments begin. Was
this the case for your initial annuity claim?

r E.

r A.

Yes

r B.

Not Sure

Very Dissatisfied

32. OPM Retirement Services provided me with
useful information regarding my retirement.

r C. No

r A.

Strongly Agree

r B.

Agree

r C. Neither Agree/Disagree

r D. Not applicable; I did not need

r D. Disagree

interim payments

30. After your Interim Payments ended, was
your first regular retirement check
computed correctly?

r E.

Strongly Disagree

r F.

No Basis to Judge

r A.

Yes, it was correct

Satisfaction with Your Agency Actions

r B.

Not sure

33. Were you offered retirement counseling?

r C. No, it was not correct

r A.

Yes

r B.

Not sure

r C. No

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34. Did you take retirement counseling?

r A.

Yes

r B.

Not sure

36. What did the counseling cover?
(Mark ALL that apply)

r A.
r B.

r C. No

New employee orientation

r B.

Mid-career

r D. Survivor benefits
Health insurance benefits

r F.

Life insurance benefits

r H. Thrift Savings Plan

employees

r D. More than 3 years before
retirement

r F.

r E.

r G. Social Security benefits

r C. Annual training open to all

r E.

Overview of retirement
benefits

r C. Amount of annuity

35. At what point in your Federal career did
your agency offer counseling or training
about retirement planning? (Mark ALL
that apply)

r A.

I did not receive retirement
counseling

1 to 3 years before
retirement

r I.

Taxes

r J.

Long Term Care

r K.

Need for retirement savings

r L.

Less than 1 year before
retirement

r G. Agency did not provide

How to calculate savings
needed for retirement

r M. Retirement life style

retirement counseling/
training

r N. Setting retirement goals

r H. Not sure

37. How satisfied were you that the information
from your agency was accurate?

r A.

Very Satisfied

r B.

Satisfied

r C. Neither Satisfied/Dissatisfied
r D. Dissatisfied

8

r E.

Very Dissatisfied

r F.

No Basis to Judge

40. How did your agency’s estimate of your
annuity compare to the annuity computed
by OPM?

38. How satisfied were you with how your
agency helped you take appropriate actions
(e.g., submitting retirement forms, decisions
on health/life insurance, etc.)?

r A.

Very Satisfied

r B.

Satisfied

r A.
r B.

my agency

r D. Dissatisfied
Very Dissatisfied

r F.

No Basis to Judge

r D. Not sure
41. Which of the following describes how you
planned your retirement? (Mark ALL that
apply)

39. How satisfied were you with how your
agency helped you learn what to expect
after you retired (e.g., how long until annuity
payments begin, tax withholding, etc.)?

r A.

Very Satisfied

r B.

Satisfied

Estimate was significantly
different from OPM’s

r C. Did not receive estimate from

r C. Neither Satisfied/Dissatisfied
r E.

Estimate was close to OPM’s

r A.
r B.

Attended agency training
Used agency provided
resources

r C. Received individual
counseling

r D. Used outside sources

r C. Neither Satisfied/Dissatisfied
r D. Dissatisfied

r E.

r E.

Very Dissatisfied

r F.

r F.

No Basis to Judge

Did not plan for my
retirement
Not sure

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42. Comments or suggestions about products or services provided by OPM Retirement Services?

If you would like to be interviewed by OPM Retirement Services to provide additional feedback on your
response to this survey, please provide contact information:
Name: __________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________

Email: __________________________________________________________________________________

This completes the survey. Thank you for your participation.

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United States
Office of Personnel Management
Retirement Services
1900 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20415
MIBSurvey@opm.gov

Form Approved
OMB Number: 3206-0236

RI 10-72
Revised August 2014
Previous editions are not usable.