HACK:
Things only started working when I started asking the name of each person I talked to, writing down their name and telling each next person I talked who I talked to last and what they said & on what date. This was not a comfortable thing to do it felt very ... peevish... but, if you are struggling with forms and bureaucracy it WORKS.
Make a spreadsheet, get a yellow legal pad.
Start each call with "Who am I speaking to? Hi ---. I last spoke to --- and they said I needed to ...." etc.