The phenomenon of declining customer retention in the digital-based education or edutech industry underlies a recent study conducted by a team of researchers from Universitas Negeri Jakarta. Published in July 2026, the research led by Muhammad Hashfi Aufar alongside Mohamad Rizan and Setyo Ferry Wibowo explores the factors that genuinely maintain customer loyalty amidst aggressive digital promotions. This research plays a crucial role for digital startup businesses to avoid misallocating marketing budgets and operational focus.
Retention Challenges in the Edutech Industry
The digital training sector often faces major challenges in maintaining long-term relationships with learners. Based on internal data from the digital training company PT Kelas Digi Kreatif, the number of customers fluctuated from 360 users in December 2025, but dropped sharply to 260 users in March 2026. The company's retention rate also shrank from 87.5 percent to 76.9 percent, accompanied by a surge in churned customers reaching 110 people. This condition proves that mere presence on social media does not necessarily guarantee long-term consumer loyalty.
Research Methodology
To solve this problem, the research team involved 258 active respondents selected through purposive sampling techniques out of a total population of 812 customers of PT Kelas Digi Kreatif. Data collection was conducted using structured questionnaires with a Likert scale as well as internal company records. Data analysis used a quantitative approach with the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) model via SmartPLS 4 software to test direct and indirect relationships between variables.
Main Research Findings
The data analysis results provided several important findings that break common assumptions about the effectiveness of digital marketing:
- Social media marketing proved to have no significant effect on customer satisfaction or loyalty.
- Service quality provided the strongest and most significant effect on increasing customer satisfaction.
- Value co-creation significantly increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Customer satisfaction statistically proved to mediate the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty.
Implications and Impact of the Research
These findings provide strategic guidance for the business world, especially digital education service providers, to shift their focus from merely increasing social media promotional content toward strengthening operational foundations. According to Muhammad Hashfi Aufar, Mohamad Rizan, and Setyo Ferry Wibowo from Universitas Negeri Jakarta, companies must prioritize improving platform reliability, instructor responsiveness, and active learner engagement through discussions, feedback, and collaborative projects. Consumer satisfaction is not born from banner ads on mobile screens, but from real experiences felt while enjoying the service.
Author Profiles
- Muhammad Hashfi Aufar – Researcher and practitioner in marketing management and digital business.
- Prof. Dr. Mohamad Rizan, M.Si. – Professor and academic in marketing management at Universitas Negeri Jakarta.
- Dr. Setyo Ferry Wibowo, S.E., M.Si. – Senior lecturer and researcher at Universitas Negeri Jakarta focusing on business management and marketing.
Research Sources
- Article Title: The Effect of Social Media Marketing, Service Quality, and Value Co-Creation on Customer Loyalty With Customer Satisfaction as an Intervening Variable
- Journal Name: International Journal of Education and Life Sciences (IJELS), Vol. 4, No. 7, July 2026
- DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59890/ijels.v4i7.40 - Official URL:
https://ntlmultitechpublisher.my.id/index.php/ijels
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