VA is committed to improving the customer experience for Veterans and their families, caregivers and survivors. The first interaction many Veterans will have when they inquire about the care and benefits they have earned from their service are through VA Contact Centers.
In 2018, when Veterans reported difficulty navigating over 1,000 VA toll-free numbers and multiple contact centers, VA established the Enterprise Contact Center Council (ECCC) to lead a modernization effort, with the goal of improving the customer experience.
One such improvement in 2020 was the establishment of a single, easy-to-remember phone number, 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411), to access VA benefits and services. That included access to live agent support 24/7/365. This was one of many improvements that have since been implemented by the ECCC. In fiscal year 2022 alone, VA Contact Centers fielded over 50 million calls, with 72.7% of customers indicating on satisfaction surveys that their need was met the first time they contacted VA.
In July 2022, Veterans had a new way to reach the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1. This new number addressed the need for ease-of-access and clarity in times of crisis for both Veterans and their families. In FY 2022 over 717,000 calls were answered by the hotline. The Veterans Crisis Line can also be reached by text (838255) or chat.
New technologies to enhance Veteran access
Deploying updated phone system technology and software tools to increase the efficiency of contact centers remains a core priority for contact center modernization efforts. But telephone isn’t the only way to reach VA.
Two new methods were introduced last year: AskVA and VA Chatbot. Both were designed to provide Veterans with quick and easy access to VA customer service and informational resources.
AskVA consolidates previous online inquiry services into one system that makes it easier for Veterans to submit questions, concerns and recommendations. The submissions are routed to the appropriate VA service and users can receive secure messages and track their issue from submission to resolution. Last year, 356,000 inquiries were received through AskVA, with 98% successfully resolved.
The VA Chatbot won’t connect you with a person. But it will save you time from browsing the VA website searching for the information you need by allowing you to ask specific questions and letting the bot scour available information on VA.gov for the answer. Over 40,000 customers have interacted with the VA Chatbot. And with new advances in artificial intelligence coming at a rapid pace, it will continue to improve and provide a quick solution for the answers they seek.
VA is on a dynamic, multi-year journey to modernize its contact center experience. Whether a Veteran is separating from the military and wants to know how to apply for VA benefits, is in crisis and seeking help, or is already enrolled in VA health care and needs to schedule an appointment, VA contact centers are available and on a mission to serve America’s Veterans.
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50,000,000 calls = 10,000,000 actual attempts with 4-5 call repeated due to excessive wait times.
Is the “CONTACT CENTER COUNCIL” recognizing the disconnect veterans experience versus the glowing agrandizing statistics they proffer? Take just a few of the responses and turn they into case studies for improvement. Then, task the center to come online and offer problem resolution answers to the posting veterans.
The so called new tech for communicating with the V.A. is, as usual, a farce. Constant breakdowns, and often manned by under trained staff. In addition, I’ve seen nothing to lead me to believe the V.A. is any different than any other over sized agency, Govt.or private.
I don’t have to read the article to know how bad they are. When I have called to get an appointment I had to go through at least 4 people to get it. Had to wait till the next day to talk to someone that could make the appointment. I should only have to talk to one person to get an appointment and not tell several people my problem. What happened to confidentiality. You should be able to call the facility you are seen at and make an appointment. I once had to call a person back at the clinic I am seen at. I called the call center and they could not even find the person and they would not connect me to the clinic. Call centers just add another step to the process. The VA is going back wards instead of forwards. Call Centers are a bad idea.
I had 7 appointments last year, I put in for travel pay and was told 2 appointments didn’t qualify so they would not pay, I have not heard anything on those. I have made three appointments this year and see no reason to waste the stamp on them. This is 10 trips at 200 miles each for AT BEST THIRD rate medical care.
I just wish the VA would grow some balls and tell us to go to hell, we won’t do anything for you.
John Fail
Try to call the eye center with a complicated medical issue that can result in blindness and you no longer reach the eye clinic technicians who are familiar with eye health conditions…no now you reach a call center who have no idea what they are doing. I would say this modernization is perfect if you don’t mind going blind from incompetence.
Your article “VA Contact Centers modernize to improve the Veteran experience” I don’t see as an improvement. Centralizing all calls to one office was the dumbest thing. Now I’m leaving message after message waiting for my call back. But WHEN WILL THE VA IMPROVE ITS HEALTHCARE and services? I would prefer to see better treatment in Healthcare and services rather than its more efficient call center that this improvement ruined. Fix the problems, not areas that worked
I have NEVER recieved an accurate diagnosis from a VA doctor and their treatment of guessed illnesses only made me sick and negativelyeffected my life. Their workforce rehabilitation refuse to train me for what I wanted, sending me to school for education only to turn around once I got my degree denying my license saying we don’t want you to teach because of your PTSD. But with your degree you can work at Walmart . What stupidity is that!!
I’ve found their call center easy filling complaints untill they centralized everything, now im transfered to leave messages or to the wrong office. I dont know how many time I’ve called about my VA claim issue only to have the hospital call questioning the complaint.
The best thing The VA could use would be a common sence approach. Not trying to implement more beuracracy and complexity into a already messed up system
Hmmm… Why am I having to submit my travel vouchers on paper like we did in the 1970’s? And why do they take around a year to get processed? Is this progress?
You know, whatever system they now have in place is not cutting it. I have literally watched the ability to communicate with my primary care provider turn into a game of cat & mouse. Trying to set up my portal for communication with my assigned team is another fiasco. Whenever I speak with integrated care they say one thing, the outsourced vender (chiropractic) company says another and the intended contact (primary care provider) is never available and claims they try to contact me but, I have my phone with me and know when I’m receiving a call. I am about ready to throw in the towel with all this nonsense. Spend a lot of time accomplishing nothing. Hear a lot of grandstanding about all this new quality technology and personally I am disappointed. The only thing I do know is I spend a considerable amount of time verifying my: name, birthdate, last 4 of my social security number and address. Other than that it just goes nowhere after that.
What a great deal !!!
Will va provide transportation to community care surgery appointment?