What is it about?
Local governments are expected to provide fast, easy, and transparent public services, including tax services. This publication examines how a digital application called Teman PBB is used to improve land and building tax (PBB) services in Bandung City. The study shows that the Teman PBB application facilitates residents' access to tax information, review of bills, and payment without visiting government offices. By using digital technologies, the local government can reduce queues, expedite service delivery, and enhance communication with taxpayers. However, the publication also highlights some challenges. Not all residents are familiar with digital applications, and technical issues or limited outreach can reduce the service's effectiveness. This means that digital innovation must be supported by user education, reliable systems, and responsive customer support. Overall, the study demonstrates that digital applications such as Teman PBB can significantly improve public service quality when they are user-friendly and supported by strong institutional commitment. The findings are useful for local governments seeking to modernize tax services and increase public trust through digital innovation.
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Why is it important?
This article is timely because local governments in Indonesia are increasingly adopting digital services to improve efficiency, transparency, and public satisfaction. At the same time, citizens expect tax services to be as simple and accessible as other digital services they use in everyday life. This study addresses these expectations by examining how a local digital innovation—the Teman PBB application—enhances land and building tax services. What makes this article unique is its focus on a practical, city-level digital solution, rather than a national system or a purely theoretical discussion of e-government. By examining Bandung City’s experience, the article demonstrates how digital tax services operate in practice, including both their benefits and limitations. This local perspective provides valuable insights that are often missing from broader policy discussions. The article is also distinctive because it highlights the user experience of digital public services. Instead of focusing solely on technology, it examines how residents interact with the application, what makes the service easier, and which challenges remain, such as digital literacy and system reliability. The difference this article can make lies in its practical relevance. It offers lessons for local governments that want to improve tax compliance, service quality, and public trust through digital innovation. At the same time, it contributes to broader discussions on digital governance by demonstrating how simple, user-focused applications can have a meaningful impact at the local level.
Perspectives
This publication reflects my personal interest in how digital innovation can simplify and make more transparent everyday interactions between citizens and local government. Through my engagement with public service improvement, I have often seen that tax services are perceived as complicated and inconvenient, which can reduce public trust and compliance. I was motivated to contribute to this study because the Teman PBB application represents a practical effort to change that perception. What I find particularly important is that this innovation is not only about introducing new technology but also about improving citizens' experience when accessing tax services. In my view, digital tools should make public services easier, not more complex. Personally, I believe the key lesson from this article is that successful digital public services require more than an application. They depend on user-friendly design, clear communication, and continuous support for citizens who may not be familiar with digital platforms. This insight derives from both the study’s findings and my own observations of digital service implementation in local governments. I hope this publication encourages other local governments to adopt digital solutions that are centered on citizens’ needs. When digital innovation is implemented thoughtfully, it can strengthen public trust, improve service quality, and support more effective local governance.
Associate Professor Septiana Dwiputrianti
STIA LAN Bandung
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: ENHANCING PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY "TEMAN PBB” APPLICATION WITH INSIGHTS FROM SOUTH KOREA, Kumawula Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat, April 2025, Universitas Padjadjaran,
DOI: 10.24198/kumawula.v8i1.57615.
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