Satisfied Yet Uneasy about Safety: Customer Satisfaction and Importance–Performance Gaps in Ferry Services on the Bajoe–Kolaka Route

Amrin Pettarani (Nautical Study Programme, Politeknik Maritim AMI Makassar, Indonesia)
Anwar Tahir (Sea Transportation Study Programme, Politeknik Maritim AMI Makassar, Indonesia)
Alfian Umar (Port Management Study Programme, Politeknik Maritim AMI Makassar, Indonesia)
Wardina Suwedy (Marine Machinery Engineering Technology Study Programme, Politeknik Maritim AMI Makassar, Indonesia)
Arif Fuddin Usman (Sea Transportation Study Programme, Politeknik Maritim AMI Makassar, Indonesia)

ARMADA : Jurnal Penelitian Multidisiplin
Vol. 2 No. 12 (2024): ARMADA : Jurnal Penelitian Multidisplin, Desember 2024

Ferry services are the backbone of inter-island mobility in Indonesia, yet an overall satisfaction score may conceal weaknesses in the attributes passengers value most. This study evaluates the service performance of the ferry KM. Pulau Muna on the Bajoe–Kolaka route and identifies the factors perceived to hinder optimal service. Fifty service users rated ten service attributes for importance and performance on five-point scales. The data were analysed with the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI), complemented by importance–performance gap analysis and a fishbone diagram. The CSI reached 79.77%, placing the service in the “satisfied” category. However, performance fell short of importance on every attribute, and the two safety-related attributes, safety and security procedures and emergency handling and safety equipment, were among the most important (4.74 and 4.84) but the lowest in performance (3.74 and 3.80), with gaps about twice those of the other attributes. Raising these two attributes to the level of the others would lift the CSI to about 81%, the threshold of the “very satisfied” category. The fishbone analysis points to training, safety equipment, procedures, and supervision as areas for improvement. Visible, well-communicated on-board safety is therefore the primary lever for improving passenger satisfaction.