Inside the DabbaInside the Dabba

Unlocking the secrets of the Unlocking the secrets of the Mumbai DabbawalasMumbai Dabbawalas

Who are these Dabbawala’s?Who are these Dabbawala’s?

Dabbawala, literally translated means “man with Dabbawala, literally translated means “man with the box” and is the popular name given to an the box” and is the popular name given to an unique, daily lunch delivery service in Mumbai’s unique, daily lunch delivery service in Mumbai’s central office district. central office district.

For the past 113 years, a community of villagers For the past 113 years, a community of villagers from Mumbai’s hinterland has been running a from Mumbai’s hinterland has been running a low cost, low technology, manually operated low cost, low technology, manually operated daily service delivering hot box lunches from daily service delivering hot box lunches from suburban homes to Mumbai’s office workers suburban homes to Mumbai’s office workers using manual push carts and riding the local using manual push carts and riding the local train service.train service.

What is their Mission?What is their Mission?• WorkWork is is WorshipWorship

• CustomerCustomer is a is a KING.KING.

• To reach the customer on time so that To reach the customer on time so that they could have hot home made food.they could have hot home made food.

So, what’s the Big Deal?So, what’s the Big Deal? Without computers, operating manuals or Without computers, operating manuals or

any other sophisticated management any other sophisticated management system, they work together as a team to system, they work together as a team to collecting lunch boxes from all over collecting lunch boxes from all over Mumbai’s suburbs and reaching them Mumbai’s suburbs and reaching them within within 180 180 minutes to their clients. An minutes to their clients. An hour or twohour or two later, they collect the empty later, they collect the empty box and return it by mid afternoon back to box and return it by mid afternoon back to each home. They deliver on an average each home. They deliver on an average about about 200,000200,000 such boxes such boxes everyday!everyday!

What is their core strength?What is their core strength?

• Brand Loyalty – 3 generation of family.Brand Loyalty – 3 generation of family.• Team work with outstanding co-ordination.Team work with outstanding co-ordination.• Everyone is an entrepreneur.Everyone is an entrepreneur.• Stamina, value and ethics.Stamina, value and ethics.• Delivering fast hot home cooked food is their objective. Delivering fast hot home cooked food is their objective. • Humility personified.Humility personified.• Unique logistic with railways.Unique logistic with railways.• Use only bicycles and pushcarts to deliver.Use only bicycles and pushcarts to deliver.

How did the business start?How did the business start?

It started 113 years back with this Parsee It started 113 years back with this Parsee gentleman who had asked one of the coolie if he gentleman who had asked one of the coolie if he could deliver home food in his dabba to his office could deliver home food in his dabba to his office everyday. The coolie agreed and then slowly everyday. The coolie agreed and then slowly had more join him and soon they became a had more join him and soon they became a chain of people doing the same job. chain of people doing the same job.

Most of the Dabbawala are from Rajgurunagar, Most of the Dabbawala are from Rajgurunagar, Akola, Ambegaon, Junnar and Maashi.Akola, Ambegaon, Junnar and Maashi.

4 factors of Social 4 factors of Social ServiceService

• Efficient service at low cost.Efficient service at low cost.

• No pollution or congestion.No pollution or congestion.

• Do not cause accident or morcha.Do not cause accident or morcha.

• No cost burden to the state.No cost burden to the state.

HistoryHistory• Started in 1890.Started in 1890.• Charitable trust: Registered in 1956Charitable trust: Registered in 1956• Employee strength: 5000Employee strength: 5000• Average Literacy Rate: 8Average Literacy Rate: 8thth Grade schooling. Grade schooling.• Total coverage: 60-70 km Total coverage: 60-70 km • No. of tiffins: 200,000 tiffin boxes.No. of tiffins: 200,000 tiffin boxes. i.e. 400,000 X 25 days X 12 months i.e. 400,000 X 25 days X 12 months = 120,000,000 (120 million or 12 crore = 120,000,000 (120 million or 12 crore

transactions per year)transactions per year)• Time taken: 8 hours, war time 3 hours (9am-Time taken: 8 hours, war time 3 hours (9am-

12pm) for collection of dabba. 12pm) for collection of dabba.

Organization StructureOrganization Structure PresidentPresident

Vice PresidentVice President

General SecretaryGeneral Secretary

TreasurerTreasurer

Directors (9)Directors (9)

Mukaddam (Group Leaders- 800)Mukaddam (Group Leaders- 800)

Members- 5000Members- 5000

Working NMTBSAWorking NMTBSA

• Error rate: 1 in 16 million transaction.Error rate: 1 in 16 million transaction.• Six Sigma performance (99.999999)Six Sigma performance (99.999999)• Technological backup: NilTechnological backup: Nil• Cost of Service: 300 – 350 per month.Cost of Service: 300 – 350 per month.• Std price for all: Weight, Distance, Space.Std price for all: Weight, Distance, Space.• Earnings: 5000-6000 per month.Earnings: 5000-6000 per month.• 72 – 80 Crore turnover per annum approx.72 – 80 Crore turnover per annum approx.• Diwali bonus: 1 month’s extra pay.Diwali bonus: 1 month’s extra pay.• No Strike- record since 1980.No Strike- record since 1980.• No Police/ Court Case since 1890.No Police/ Court Case since 1890.

ApproachApproach

• DisciplineDiscipline No Alcohol drinking or smoking during No Alcohol drinking or smoking during

business hours.business hours. Wearing white capsWearing white caps Carry Identity cards.Carry Identity cards. No leave without prior notice.No leave without prior notice.

• Code of ConductCode of Conduct Rs. 500 – Drinking on dutyRs. 500 – Drinking on duty Rs.100- Smoking on duty.Rs.100- Smoking on duty. Rs.25- Not wearing white cap.Rs.25- Not wearing white cap. Rs.25- Not carrying ID CardRs.25- Not carrying ID Card Rs.1000-Leave without intimation, sacked Rs.1000-Leave without intimation, sacked

if repeated 2-3 instances.if repeated 2-3 instances.

• MarketingMarketing Marketing pamphlets in the “Dabba”.Marketing pamphlets in the “Dabba”.

Working Co-ordinationWorking Co-ordination• 8am-10am – collection of dabbas8am-10am – collection of dabbas• 10.34am-11.20am- Load the dabbas onto to the luggage or 10.34am-11.20am- Load the dabbas onto to the luggage or

goods compartmentgoods compartment• 11:20am-12.30pm- Unloading happens at the destination 11:20am-12.30pm- Unloading happens at the destination

stationstation• 1.15pm-2.00pm-Collection process starts1.15pm-2.00pm-Collection process starts• 2.00pm-2.30pm-Segregation as per destination suburb2.00pm-2.30pm-Segregation as per destination suburb• 2.28pm-3.30pm-Return Journey2.28pm-3.30pm-Return Journey• 3.30pm-4pm- Back to origin station.3.30pm-4pm- Back to origin station. Coding structures are done with the place from where the Coding structures are done with the place from where the

dabba is picked and by whom it needs to be delivered and dabba is picked and by whom it needs to be delivered and where it needs to be delivered.where it needs to be delivered.

But that’s not allBut that’s not allThey work at They work at six sigma levels of efficiencysix sigma levels of efficiency and this and this

amazing logistics miracle even caught amazing logistics miracle even caught Prince Charles’ Prince Charles’ attention and is now a business school case studyattention and is now a business school case study . . Why, even Why, even Sir Richard BransonSir Richard Branson the chairman of the chairman of Virgin Atlantic paid them a visit. Out of the 5,000 Virgin Atlantic paid them a visit. Out of the 5,000 dabbawallas about dabbawallas about 85% are illiterate85% are illiterate and remaining and remaining educated only up till the educated only up till the 88thth grade grade. But owing to their . But owing to their dedication, hard work, time management skills and no dedication, hard work, time management skills and no strikes in their 100+ years history they have carved out strikes in their 100+ years history they have carved out a niche for themselves earning the awe and respect of a niche for themselves earning the awe and respect of the society they selflessly serve. Among the the society they selflessly serve. Among the recognitions, they have a recognitions, they have a Six Sigma certificateSix Sigma certificate from from the Forbes group and the Forbes group and ISO 9001:2000ISO 9001:2000. The dabbawalla . The dabbawalla story is without parallel anywhere in the world. story is without parallel anywhere in the world.

So, did you learn something from the Dabbawalla So, did you learn something from the Dabbawalla inside the dabba.inside the dabba.