IntroductionUtkarsh
HistoryHistory + Cultural background
Utkarsh
Cost StructureMaintenance costs
Dabbawalla income
Cost to customer
Update numbers omline
Shruti
Three tier structureExecutive Committees + Mukadam + Dabbawallas + Apprenticeship
Responsibilities at each level
Kriti
Distribution NetworkBaton Relay + Hub and spoke
Kriti
A Typical Day for a DabbawallaTimeline
Kriti
Dabba codingTo identify and monitor the dabbas efficientlyPrimary Codes: Originating station and destination Station, as they are crucial for sorting
EnvironmentCustomer + Competition + Advantages
Shruti
Cornerstones of SuccessLow Cost Delivery
o Price Charged: Rs150 to Rs200 pm (Since 2014: Rs600 to Rs1000 pm)o Price Considerations:
Pickup Location: High concentration of customers allowed for lower economies, hence lower prices
Time: Closer to lunch hour, up to 25% higher prices Increase: Coinciding with major developments, increased once every 2
years by 15%
Delivery Reliabilityo Dabbawallahs considered themselves as Entrepreneurs: Greater sense of
responsibility, no strike, work 6 days a week only take 5 day break in April o Not governed by hierarchy: Team work with a common goal to be achieved:
“No Customer should go without food”o Lived and worked in clans: Recruited through referrals from relatives; this
ensured no dilution of service culture or erosion of basicso One Dabbawallah, 35 Dabbas: He was solely responsible for his 30-35
clients and had total control over his route
DecentralizationGroup Structure: Built Cohesion, operational autonomy helped provide focus on delivery effectiveness
• Each group maintained its own records, serviced its own customers, kept own system of billing and collection
• Group wise generation and distribution of monthly revenues amongst its members
Perceived Equalityo Equal remuneration (About
Rs8000 pm), regardless of roleo Seniors undertook less labor
intensive roles like sorting o Younger ones did loading,
deliveryo Leveler – helped forged equal
relationship
Railway Networko Extensive use of Mumbai localo Longitudinal geography helped
in logisticso Covered 70km to 80km in 2.5
hrs. by traino Only once or twice a year the
railways were grounded in monsoon and delivery was tough
Challenges
Shrinking Customer Base
Lifestyle Changes
Workforce Management
In 1980s, there was substantial decline in no. of customers owing to closing down of textile mills
Tapped new customer segments: school children, catered food
Owing to decentralization, each group pursued new customers separately
Double income families: increased demand for convenience food
Lesser cooking time, new lunch items available on grocery shelf
Younger generation of Dabbawallah were either not interested in this business or were discouraged by their parents owing to large physical labor involved
Service Expectations: timely delivery, courteous attitude and understanding the special needs if any
Avoid drinking in working hours, wear white cap and ID cards
Performance parameters: No. of customer complaints; No of encounters with authority
Recent developmentsInternet Shruti
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