DABBAWALA SERVICE OF MUMBAI

Presented by:

• Anagh Sankar Das

• Arkaprava Sinha

• Arindam Banerjee

• Neelanjan Banerjee

• Trishit Biswas

CONTENTS: Who is a ‘Dabbawala’

How the system came into existence

Down the timeline

Decoding the coding system

Station Codes

Daily routine of a Dabbawala

Discipline and code of conduct

Why Mumbaikars avail the

service

The Number Games

Achievements and more

SWOT Analysis

Keeping up with the modern pace

Learning from Dabbawalas

WHO IS “DABBAWALA”?

He is a person in the Indian city of Mumbai whose job is to carry and deliver freshly made food from home in dabbas (lunch boxes)

to the corresponding office workers.

HOW DABBAWALACAME INTOEXISTENCE

• It was the time when the English were ruling our country, India

• New government offices, post offices, bridges, etc. were being constructed

• There was no Dominos, McDonald, KFC or PizzaHut in those days for food delivery (Just Kidding)

• A Parsi banker employed a person to bring homemade food to the workplace

• His colleagues too liked this idea and started availing this service

• Gradually the service evolved into the present 5000+ strong Dabbawala System

DOWN THE TIMELINE:

Started in 1890

Dietary laws dedicated by religious beliefs varies. So different dabba contains different food items

British welcomed and encouraged the establishment of dabbawalas

First attempt to create an organized system: Mahadev Havji Bache united the dabbawalas in 1930

Nutan Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity Trust (NTBSCT) registered in 1956

Mumbai Tiffin Box Carrier Association (1968) registered in 1968

Now there are more than 5000 registered dabbawalas in Mumbai

Over 2,00,000 lunch boxes being carried per day

Number of transactions per day: 4,00,000+

At 99.9997% it is one of the most efficient systems in the world (Six Sigma Rating)

DECODING THE CODING SYSTEM

STATION CODES

DAILY ROUTINE OF A DABBAWALA9:30 A.M. – 10:30 A.M.• Pick up

dabba from residence & bring it to the nearest rail station

10:30 A.M. – 11:20 A.M.• *Journey in

local Train*

11:20 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.• Unloading

& Sorting at Destination Station

12:30 P.M. – 1:00 P.M.• Delivery to

respective customers

1:15 P.M. – 2:30 P.M.• Collection

of Empty Dabba

2:30 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.• Sorting at

Destination Station

3:30 P.M. – 4:40 P.M.• Returning

Dabba to Residence

DISCIPLINE AND CODE OF CONDUCT:

Alcohol consumption is strictly prohibited during business hours

Wearing white cap is mandatory while on duty

Carry Identity Cards

Rs.500 fine for drinking on duty

Rs.100 fine for smoking on duty

Rs.25 fine for not wearing white cap

Rs.25 fine for not carrying ID Card

Rs.1000 fine for leave without permission

Sacked if mistakes are repeated 2-3 times

WHY MUMBAIKARS AVAILDABBAWALA SERVICE?

• Homemade food is all time preferable and best for health

• Food sent from home is fresh as well as cheap

• Dabbawalas also pick up dabbas from entrusted caterers/restaurants on special request by a customer

• Assured safety in delivery of dabba

• High performance standards and extremely efficient delivery channel

• Dabbawalas never go for strike

• Service remains uninterrupted in extreme weather conditions

• Availing the Dabbawala service helps in reducing the number of unemployed people in Mumbai to some extent.

THE NUMBER GAMES

• Error rate: 1 in 16 million transactions

• Six Sigma performance i.e., Efficiency of 99.997%

• Technological Backup: Website portal, Call/SMS for availing service

• Cost of service: Rs.300 to Rs.400 per month

• Standard price for all (Weight, Distance, Space)

• Rs.75 to 85 Crores annual turnover

• “No Strike” record as each one of them is a share holder

• 100% customer satisfaction

• Earnings: Rs.8000 per month

• Diwali Bonus: One month’s extra payment from the customers

ACHIEVEMENTSDocumentaries made by : • BBC ,UTV, MTV, ZEE TV, AAJ TAK, TV TODAY, SAHARA SAMAY, STAR TV, CNBC

TV 18, CNN, SONY TV, TV TOKYO, NDTV.

CASE STUDY made by : • ICFAI Press Hyderabad & Bangalore• Richard Ivey School of Business – Canada• Also, Included in a subject in Graduate School of Journalism University of

California, Berkeley

Invitations from : • Called for conference held in Bangalore, IIML, IIMA, CII Cochin, CII Delhi, Dr.

Reddy’s Lab Foundation Hyderabad, SCMHRD Pune, SCMHRD Nasik, Sadahana – Pune, Rotary Club – Bangalore, NIQR at Chennai

Radio: • German Radio Network, Radio Mirchi, Radio Mid-day, FM – Gold, BBC Radio,

Radio City

AND THERE IS MORE…..

ISO 9001:2000 certified by the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand

World record in Best Time Management

On 21 March 2011, Prakash Baly Bachche carried three tiffin crates on his head at one time which was entered as a GUINESS WORLD RECORD

Registered with Ripley's “Believe it or not” Participated in “Deal Ya No Deal Contest” by Sony Entertainment Television Invited for marriage of Hon. Prince Charles of England on 9th April, 2005

SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTH:• 100% achievement in team work in

discipline and honesty

• Ownership & pride in work

• Low operation cost

• Process consistency, service commitment

• 0% dependency upon fuel and investment

WEAKNESS:

• Highly dependent upon heavily crowded Mumbai local trains

• Funds for association

• Limited access to education

• Limits diversification of members to other job

KEEPING UP WITH THE GROWING PACEOF MODERN MUMBAI

• Initial coding system used colored threads; Now they use colored markers thus making understanding easier

• Mobile Phones are used to communicate with customers- mostly incoming calls

• Website and SMS- To get more customers and to give information on-the-go

LEARNING FROM DABBAWALAS

• Time management

• Discipline

• Utmost dependence on Human Capital

• Honesty and Integrity

• Never deviating from core competency

• Co-operation inside; Competition outside

• Pride and dedication towards work

• Knowing the impacts of Failure

• Recruitment policies and manpower management

• Sustained success will lead to fame

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Marjana Ma’am for inspiring us to make this presentation.