Local Government Public Service Quality Innovation in Bengkulu City: A Case Study of SAMSAT VIRTU Application

Abstract

Public Service Innovation enables governments to innovate in the design and delivery of public goods and services. However, it needs careful planning, leadership, and stakeholder coordination. In addition, officers in the public sector must learn to detect social and aspirational challenges. On the other hand, research into public service innovation efforts has only made a limited effort. It means that Indonesian public service innovation, particularly those acknowledged and assessed by the Ministry of Administrative Reform, has received less elaboration. This study aims to describe and provide an overview of an innovation in public services in the field of motor vehicle tax payments called SAMSAT VIRTU. This study was designed using a qualitative approach through the descriptive method by utilizing the two data sources, including primary data collected from interviews and secondary data used via library research. In addition, quality services theory consists of five crucial elements: tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy are studied. The study results indicate that the public service innovation practice carried out by the Bengkulu Regional Government is considered quite successful. It can be seen from the enthusiasm and response of the people who come to get services at SAMSAT VIRTU. This study concludes that Public Service Innovation is a necessity carried out by government administrators in Bengkulu city to improve the quality of public services. Theoretical policy implications are related to the local government's capacity to develop Innovation, which three main strategies that affect the ability of government organizations to innovate, namely, leadership credibility; strong management teams; and Governing board functioning. The practical implications are a grand national design regarding government innovations related to the implementation of the main functions and tasks of government, namely the function of public services and public goods delivery.