Digital Customs Services Require More Than Technology
Digital transformation has become an important strategy for governments seeking to accelerate services, improve transparency, and strengthen accountability. In Indonesia, this direction is supported by the Electronic-Based Government System (Sistem Pemerintahan Berbasis Elektronik or SPBE), established under Presidential Regulation No. 95 of 2018.
The Directorate General of Customs and Excise has pursued digital transformation through its national CEISA platform, including the CEISA 4.0 upgrade. At the local level, KPPBC TMP A Marunda launched SALAM in February 2025 as an integrated web portal for administrative services that are not yet fully accommodated by CEISA 4.0.
SALAM provides several features, including company and employee data management, self-service applications, customs guarantee management, complaint and feedback handling, online consultations, and access to regulatory documentation. The system is also designed to use artificial intelligence and big-data capabilities to support more efficient service delivery.
However, introducing digital technology does not automatically guarantee user satisfaction. According to the background data discussed in the article, the office's Community Satisfaction Survey recorded a score of 3.63 out of five in the fourth quarter of 2024, its lowest point during the reported period. Areas requiring attention included service systems and procedures, certainty of completion times, service-product specifications, and complaint handling.
These conditions raised an important question: does SALAM deliver genuine benefits to companies and customs service users? Such benefits extend beyond faster administration to include cost savings, greater transparency, opportunities for participation, and stronger trust in government institutions.
Survey of Active SALAM Users
Septio Cikal Fajar and Helni Mutiarsih Jumhur used a quantitative approach to examine the relationships between system quality, information quality, service quality, user satisfaction, and public value creation.
The survey was conducted in August 2026. An online questionnaire was distributed to companies registered as active SALAM users within the service area of KPPBC TMP A Marunda. Of the 83 companies targeted, 68 submitted responses. After eligibility screening and the removal of responses that showed no variation across questionnaire items, 33 responses were retained for the final analysis.
The researchers analyzed the data using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4 software. In simple terms, this method helps identify which factors are significantly associated with user satisfaction and whether satisfaction serves as a pathway through which digital service quality creates public value.
The study combined the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model with Public Value Theory. This approach evaluates government technology not merely by its technical performance but also by users' experiences and the benefits they perceive.
The results provide evidence about active SALAM users in Marunda. However, the relatively small final sample means that the findings should not automatically be generalized to all customs service users across Indonesia.
Service Quality Is the Strongest Direct Predictor of User Satisfaction
The analysis found that service quality and system quality had positive, statistically significant effects on user satisfaction. Information quality, by contrast, did not show a statistically significant effect.
Service quality recorded an effect coefficient of 0.427, slightly higher than the 0.405 coefficient for system quality. These findings indicate that staff responsiveness, professional competence, service reliability, and the ability to resolve problems are important contributors to users' experiences with SALAM.
The finding is particularly relevant to companies conducting customs-related activities. System disruptions and administrative delays can create operational consequences, including additional storage expenses and container demurrage charges. Under these circumstances, users need not only a functioning application but also competent staff who can provide timely assistance.
System quality also contributed to satisfaction. This dimension includes reliability, flexibility, ease of use, and response time. Users need a platform that is stable, accessible, and capable of supporting administrative processes without unnecessary interruptions.
Information quality received a high descriptive score of 4.379 out of five. Nevertheless, its relationship with user satisfaction was not statistically significant, with a p-value of 0.153. This means the study did not find sufficient statistical evidence that better information quality directly increased satisfaction in the setting examined.
The authors relate this result to the experience of SALAM users. Approximately 84.85% of respondents had used the application for more than three months, while 69.70% used it at least three times per month. For experienced users who already understand customs procedures, accurate and complete information may be considered a basic requirement. System performance and assistance from service personnel may have a more noticeable influence on their overall satisfaction.
This finding does not mean that information quality is unimportant. Accurate, complete, and up-to-date information remains essential for regulatory compliance and reducing administrative errors.
User Satisfaction Connects Digital Services With Public Value
One of the study's most important findings is the strong relationship between user satisfaction and public value. The effect coefficient reached 0.813, with a p-value below 0.001. The statistical model also explained 66.2% of the variation in perceived public value among respondents.
Public value recorded the highest average score among the five variables examined, reaching 4.545 out of five, equivalent to an achievement level of 90.91%. In this study, public value covered five dimensions: efficiency, cost savings, transparency, participation, and trust in information technology.
Respondents gave high ratings to cost savings, transparency through document tracking, and institutional trust. Cost savings achieved a score of 92.94%, transparency reached 92.65%, and trust reached 92.55%.
These findings suggest that positive digital service experiences can strengthen users' perceptions that government services provide tangible benefits. More efficient administrative processes may reduce the need to print documents or send physical paperwork, while transparent tracking can help companies monitor the progress of their applications.
Further analysis showed that user satisfaction significantly mediated the relationship between system quality and public value. Satisfaction also mediated the relationship between service quality and public value. However, the indirect effect of information quality through user satisfaction was not statistically significant.
The results suggest that improvements in digital infrastructure and staff support are more likely to translate into perceived public benefits when they also improve the experience of service users.
Recommendations for Better Digital Government Services
Based on their findings, Fajar and Jumhur recommend several practical measures for SALAM administrators and government agencies developing similar digital services.
First, service quality should be strengthened through regular technical and customer-service training for application administrators. Establishing a formal Service Level Agreement (SLA) for complaint response times could help ensure that user concerns are addressed consistently. Live-chat functions and artificial intelligence-assisted chatbots could also be considered for routine inquiries.
Second, system stability should remain a priority. Regular maintenance, coordination with the central information technology directorate, and improvements to network capacity could help reduce service disruptions. Temporary document-storage mechanisms could also be considered to minimize the risk of losing work when servers or connections fail.
Third, information should be presented in more accessible formats. Interactive infographics, short video tutorials, and automated notifications about application status could help both new and experienced users understand procedures without having to navigate lengthy documents.
Fourth, user participation should be expanded. Digital consultation forums, feedback forms, and post-transaction ratings could help the office identify recurring problems, improve transparency, and demonstrate its willingness to respond to users' concerns.
For businesses, these improvements could make customs services easier to access, reduce administrative burdens, and provide greater certainty during service transactions. For government institutions, the findings emphasize that digital transformation should be evaluated through service quality, user experience, and public benefits—not simply through the number of applications or features introduced.
About the Authors
Septio Cikal Fajar is the lead author of the article and is affiliated with the Distance Learning Master of Management Study Program, School of Economics and Business, Telkom University, Bandung, Indonesia. His work in this article examines digital government transformation, information systems success, user satisfaction, and public value creation in customs services.
Helni Mutiarsih Jumhur is a co-author affiliated with the Distance Learning Master of Management Study Program, School of Economics and Business, Telkom University, Bandung, Indonesia. The article examines the relationships between technology quality, service quality, user satisfaction, and the benefits generated by digital government services.
The source material does not provide the authors' complete academic degrees or detailed individual expertise profiles.
Research Source
Fajar, Septio Cikal, and Helni Mutiarsih Jumhur. (2026). The Influence of SALAM Application Implementation on Public Value Creation through User Satisfaction as an Intervening Variable at KPPBC TMP A Marunda. International Journal of Management and Business Intelligence (IJMBI), Vol. 4, No. 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijmbi.v4i5.75
Journal website: https://journalijmbi.my.id/index.php/ijmbi
Key takeaway: The success of SALAM depends not only on technological capabilities but also on reliable system performance, responsive staff, and user satisfaction. When digital government services deliver a positive experience, they can create public value through greater efficiency, cost savings, transparency, and trust in public institutions.
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