DABBAWALLAHS

MUMBAI

PRESENTED BY
ABHIJIT DAS
ROLL NO-003

THE WAY OF DELIVERY

DABBWALLAHS
HISTORY

Started in 1890
Mahadeo Havaji Bacche (Mahadeo), a
migrant from North Maharashtra, started
the lunch delivery service.
Mahadeo recruited youth from the villages
neighboring Mumbai, who were involved in
agricultural work
Service started with about 100
Dabbawalas

DABBAWALLAHS
JOURNEY

History
: Started in 1890
Charitable trust
: Registered in 1956
Avg. Literacy Rate : 8th Grade Schooling
Total area coverage : 60 Kms
Employee Strength : 5000
Number of Tiffin's : 2,00,000 Tiffin Boxes
i.e 4,00,000 transactions every day.
Time taken
: 3 hrs

DABBAWALLAHS
SERVICE

Error Rate : 1 in 16 million transactions

Six Sigma performance (99.999997)
Technological Backup : Nil.
Cost of service - Rs. 300/- to 350/- month
($ 6.00/month)
Standard price for all (Weight, Distance, Space)
Rs. 70 to 80 Cr. Turnover approximately.
No strike record as each one a share holder
Earnings - Rs. 5000/- to 6000/- per month.
Diwali Bonus: One months extra payment from customers.
Tiffin Baskets weight:

70-75 kgs.

ORGANIZTION STRUCTURE

ATTITUDE
People study business books and then practice. We
practiced first and have now become case studies
Raghunath Medge (President)
Its a model of managerial & organizational simplicity
C. K. Pralhad
DABBAWALA AS MARKETING RESOURCE
Marketing pamphlets with the Dabba.
Sticker, Tag and Sample Piece of Goods with Dabba

APPROCH

DISCIPLINE :
No Alcohol Drinking during business hours
Wearing White Cap during business hours
Carry Identity Cards
Code of conduct

Rs 500- Drinking on duty

Rs 100- Smoking on duty
Rs 25- Not wearing white cap
Rs 25- Not carrying ID card
Rs 1000- Leave without intimation, sacked if repeated in 2-3 instances

HUMAN RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT

Flat organization

No hire fire rule

Community based recruitment

Sharing common belief , values ethics

Followed the strict dress codes

Loyalty and trust is their monopoly

Training provide to new comers

Owner as well as employee

Quarterly meeting discuss issues

MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLE
OF DABBAWALLAHS
Team work
Time management
Innovation
Customer relationship management

SCM AND CODING

By using their own logics methods they deliver lacs of Tiffin's
boxes through many dabbawallah's hand.
SCM is happening 24 hrs a day,7 days a week and 52 weeks a
year.

SCM competency is achieved by coordinating the following:

Network Design
Information
Transportation
Inventory
Warehousing

CODING
VLP : Vile Parle
(Suburb in Mumbai)
9E12 : Code
for Dabbawallas at
Destination
E : Express Towers
(Bldg. Name)

12 : Floor No.
E : Code for
Dabbawallas at
Residential station.
3 : Code for Destination station
(E.g.. Nariman Point)

VLP
E
3

9E
1
2

DABBAWALLAHS WAY
9:30 A.M- 10:30 A.M
Pick up Dabba from
Residence/Caterer
and bring it to
Andheri Station.

2:48- 3:30P:M
Sorting at
Destinations station.

Returning Dabba to
Residence/Caterer.

3:30- 4:40 P.M

10:34- 11:20 A.M

11:20- 12:30 P:M

*Journey in Local
Train*

Unloading and
Sorting at
Destination Station.

1:15- 2:30 P.M

12:30 - 1:00 P.M

Collection of Empty
Dabba.

Delivery to
respective
customers.

FORWARD SCM
10:34-11:20 am

This time period is actually the journey time. The

dabbawallahs load the wooden crates filled with
tiffin's onto the luggage or goods compartment in the
train. Generally, they choose to occupy the last
compartment of the train.

 1:15 2:00 pm
Here on begins the collection process where the
dabbawallahs have to pick up the tiffin's from the
offices where they had delivered almost an hour
ago.

REVERSE SCM
2:00 2:30 pm
The group members meet for the segregation as per the
destination suburb.

SIX SIGMA??
What is Six Sigma
Six Sigma is the measure of quality that strives
for near perfection. It is a disciplined, datadriven methodology focused on eliminating
defects. A Six Sigma defect is defined as
anything that falls outside of a customer's
specifications. Six Sigma is a reference to a
statistical measuring system, equivalent to just
3.4 defects per every million opportunities
(Snee, 2003).

WHY SIX SIGMA

Intense competitive pressures especially
from rapid globalization.
Greater consumer demand for high quality
products and services, little tolerance for
failures of any type.
Top management recognition of the high
quality at lower cost.
17

Sigma and % accuracy

Defects per Million % Accuracy Opportunities
(DPMO)
One Sigma 691,500 30.85%
Two Sigma 308,500 69.15%
Three Sigma 66,810 93.32%
Four Sigma 6,210 99.38%
Five Sigma
233 99.977%
Six Sigma 3.4 99.9997%
Seven Sigma 0.020 99.999998%
18

SWOT ANALYSIS

 Strengths:

Simplicity in organization with Innovative service

Coordination, team spirit, & time management
Low operation cost
Customer satisfaction

Weaknesses:
High dependability on
local trains
Funds for the association
Limited Access to Education

 Opportunities
Wide range publicity
Operational cost is low
Catering
Threats
Indirect competition is being faced from
caterers like maharaja community
Indirect threats from fast foods and hotels
Change in timings
Company transport

CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSBILITIES

Started in DHARMSHALA in BHIMASHANKAR districts in the year

1930
Maharashtra government prorogates HIV awareness through
DABBAWLLA CHANNEL
Innovative workplace programmers carries prevention massage
In the year 2005 o WORLD AIDS DAY
5000 Dabbawala delivered the Tiffin with a slogan
STOP AIDS KEEP PROMISE

ACHIVEMENTS
The Documentaries 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 :
CAII for conference held in Bangalore, IIML, IIMA, CII Cochin, CII Delhi,
Dr. Reddys 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

Cont.
World record in Best Time
Management with Six Sigma rating.
Name in GUINESS BOOK of World Records.
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

VALUE PROPERTION OF
DABBAWALLAHS
Home made food is best for health and
because health is wealth.
Home made food is cheaper.
Do you not love your mother or wife and like
to eat food made by her?
Safety - The Local train of Mumbai

Even if there is no one at home to cook food for you ,

Dabbawalas can deliver you good quality home like
lunch through many restaurants.
Dabbawalas give reliable services and their
performance and accuracy match six sigma standards.

The Dabbawallahs never go on strike.

By taking our services you are proving direct

employment to 5000+ .

Dabbawalas are an icon in their own sense

and famous world over for their efficiency .

They regularly organize bhajan and kirtans

and spread the essence of Marathi culture ,
good will and one ness of India

CONCLUSION

Managing more than 5000 dabbawalas daily is incredible

Six sigma service provide 100% satisfaction level to their customer

WORK IS WORSHIP
SERVING PEOPLE IS SERVING TO GOD
ANNADAN I MAHA DAN
TIME IS MONEY
UNITY IS POWER
LOGISTICS AND CODING

THANK YOU