Sometimes records are kept. Sometimes they are not kept. If a record is kept, there are multiple places where those records are kept, not just one place. If you go into the office, your name and SSN and reason for visit are captured in the interview intake program and some of that is sent to other data bases. Bits and pieces of some phone calls are kept, but not in one database.

However, if you call your local office regularly, the 5 or 10 service reps who answer the phones do talk to each other about you. The teleservice reps at the 800# are monitored closely and their phone calls are timed. Once they hang up with you, they have to take the next call. All day long.

If employees are pulled from doing work to answer the phones, then their work gets pushed into the future. It is like a kid asking "Are we there yet?" but the parent has to stop the car in order to answer the question. Doesn't get you there any faster. And if your case does get pushed to the front of the line, that means the rest of the people waiting (like other posters to this web site) get pushed backwards.