The Biden-Harris administration has initiated a new program, "Time Is Money," aimed at alleviating the burdens and inconveniences imposed on American citizens by corporations.
What Happened: The unveiling of the initiative was made public on Thursday by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamal Harris. The program is designed to address the excessive paperwork, prolonged hold times, and overall frustration that corporations frequently inflict on consumers, thereby negatively impacting their quality of life.
The administration stated, "Americans are tired of being taken advantage of," as part of their commitment to addressing the challenges that Americans encounter in their everyday lives. It is already proactively addressing hidden costs and additional fees in different industries, such as travel and banking, that have a financial impact on individuals.
The initiative will implement broad measures to combat these unjust practices and save Americans both time and money. Key measures include simplifying the process of canceling subscriptions and memberships, mandating automatic cash refunds to end airline runarounds, enabling online submission of health claims, combating customer service "doom loops," holding companies accountable for poor service, addressing the limitations of customer service chatbots, and facilitating parent-school communication.
The administration is also encouraging Americans to contribute their ideas on how federal action can help reclaim their time. A dedicated portal has been set up for interested individuals to submit their suggestions and feedback.
Why It Matters: The "Time Is Money: initiative is an extension of the Biden-Harris Administration's landmark efforts to enhance customer service for individuals utilizing government programs and services. In December 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order, Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government, instructing federal agencies to streamline services and simplify customer experiences.