Trajector Disability helps clients get faster, more secure access to vital government benefits using Adobe Acrobat Sign

Gaining access to U.S. government benefits can be life saving for people qualifying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security (SSI) benefits. The challenge is that applying for these benefits can be complex and time-consuming.

Trajector Disability understands the obstacles people can face when trying to access the government services they’re entitled to. Formerly Myler Disability until it was acquired by Trajector Holdings, the company has been helping people with disabilities obtain Social Security disability benefits for more than two decades and knows first-hand the difference that dedicated representation can make.

“Our goal is to help people access critical SSDI and SSI benefits to improve the quality of their lives,” says Dan Bott, president of Trajector Disability. "When someone has guidance and representation through the benefit application process, their likelihood of success increases. The quicker someone obtains representation and files a claim, the sooner help arrives."

Streamlining client engagement

Preparing claims on a client’s behalf used to be a lengthy process at Trajector Disability because paperwork had to be printed and mailed to clients, many of whom were unable to travel for an in-office appointment due to their disabilities. The company then had to wait for packets to be returned, on average taking three months for packets to be returned for processing. This delay impacted the filing date for clients, which in turn, impacted when disability payments could begin. Some clients would give up on the process entirely and not return their packet. “We knew that more could be done to make the process easier for clients, but we were limited because of the federal government's rules at the time on the use of e-signatures,” explains Bott.

Trajector Disability’s own focus on process improvement coincided nicely with changes underway at the Social Security Administration (SSA). In March 2021, the SSA started allowing e-signatures for the first time and approved Adobe Acrobat Sign as one of a limited number of authorized signature solutions.

“We saw an opportunity to achieve our goal of increasing our packet return rates and helping our clients file their application for benefits faster,” says Bott. “Adobe Acrobat Sign is a great match for us and our client because it’s easy to use and convenient to use across a variety of devices, including mobile.”

For Trajector Disability, reliable support for mobile devices is critical since that is increasingly becoming the way most of its clients want to access services.

In less than three weeks, Trajector Disability was up and running with Acrobat Sign, streamlining client engagement and making it easier for them to fill out, sign, and return forms — no more printing and waiting for signed documents to be returned by mail (or scanned and emailed).

Securing disability services faster

The company took advantage of powerful APIs to automatically embed e-signatures into front and back-end systems. Trajector Disability can take the data agents collect over the phone and automatically populate it into digital documents sent to clients for review and e-signature.

By integrating e-signatures into agent and client experiences, the company accelerated workflows and transactions, while reducing everyday costs. More importantly, Trajector Disability was able to drastically reduce the amount of time it took to complete an application with the client and have it ready to file with Social Security. “This increased efficiency not only helps our company, it also helps our clients get the help they need faster,” says Bott.

With the switch to e-signatures, the company’s packet return increased by over 15 percent. Most clients now sign and return their paperwork packets while still on the phone with a Trajector Disability agent.

"The fact that paperwork is now signed correctly, efficiently, and with much less follow-up, our team members are able to focus even more than before on the accuracy of each application being filed," Bott says.

Achieving better security and accountability with Adobe Acrobat Sign

In addition to improving client services and empowering Trajector Disability teams to work more efficiently, Acrobat Sign also makes signatures more secure compared to the previous approach of capturing signatures on paper. Now there is a reliable audit trail if any questions come up about a client’s claim. “The level of accountability and traceability that Adobe Acrobat Sign brings to our processes is excellent,” says Bott.

He adds, “Accessing disability insurance and other benefits can truly transform the lives of our clients and their families. Anything we can do to get people faster access to the services they’re eligible for is a win. Adobe Acrobat Sign is an important tool for us as we work to improve people’s lives.”