The Wonder of Mumbai Dabbawallas

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Introduction A dabbawala (one who carries the box, see Etymology), sometimes

spelled dabbawalla ordabbawallah, is a person in the Indian city ofMumbai whose job is to carry and deliver freshly made food fromhome in lunch boxes to office workers. Tiffin is an old-fashionedEnglish word for a light lunch, and sometimes for the box it is carriedin. Dabbawalas are sometimes called tiffin-wallas. For the efficiencyof theirsupply chain it has been claimed that this virtually achieves a

Six Sigma performance rating, (i.e. 99.9999% of deliveries are madewithout error, he is at CMMi level 6).[1] Though the work sounds simple, it is actually a highly specialized

trade that is over a century old and which has become integral toMumbai's culture.

The dabbawala originated when India was underBritish rule: manyIndian people who worked in British companies disliked the Britishfood served by the companies, so a service was set up to bringlunch to them in their workplace straight from their home. Nowadays,Indian businessmen are the main customers for the dabbawalas,and the service often includes cooking as well as delivery.
http://seopresentationdabbawala.ppt/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunch_boxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_workerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiffinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_chainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Sigmahttp://seopresentationdabbawala.ppt/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rajhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rajhttp://seopresentationdabbawala.ppt/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Sigmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_chainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiffinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_workerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunch_boxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://seopresentationdabbawala.ppt/


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(Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association)

History : Started in 1880

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

What is NMTBSA?


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Error Rate : 1 in 16 million transactions

Six Sigma performance (99.999999) Technological Backup : Nil. Cost of service - Rs. 200/month ($ 4.00/month) Standard price for all (Weight, Distance, Space) Rs. 50 Cr. Turnover approx.

[200,000*200=400,000,00 p.m. i.e 48 crore p.a.] No strike record as each one a share holder

Earnings -5000 to 6000 p.m.


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DABBAWALLAS IN TRAIN COMPARTMENT

The word "Dabbawala" can be translated as "box-carrier" or "lunchpail-

man". In Marathi and Hindi, "dabba" means a box (usually a cylindrical

aluminium container), while "wala" means someone in a trade involving the

object mentioned in the preceding term, e.g.

punkhawala with "pankha" which means a fan and "wala

" mean the person who owns the pankha (The one with the fan).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindihttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Punkhawala_with_%22pankha%22_which_means_a_fan_and_%22wala%22_mean_the_person_who_owns_the_pankha&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Punkhawala_with_%22pankha%22_which_means_a_fan_and_%22wala%22_mean_the_person_who_owns_the_pankha&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Punkhawala_with_%22pankha%22_which_means_a_fan_and_%22wala%22_mean_the_person_who_owns_the_pankha&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Punkhawala_with_%22pankha%22_which_means_a_fan_and_%22wala%22_mean_the_person_who_owns_the_pankha&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Punkhawala_with_%22pankha%22_which_means_a_fan_and_%22wala%22_mean_the_person_who_owns_the_pankha&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathi


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APPROACH

DISCIPLINE : No Alcohol Drinking during business hours

Wearing White Cap during business hours

Carry Identity CardsWOMEN:

Mrs. Bhikhubai of Borivali(East)

Mrs. Anandibai of Andheri(East)LATEST MARKETING STRATEGY:

Marketing message in the dabba


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How do they do it?

Organizational

structure

Executive Committee(5 members)

Teams of 20-25 headed by a

group leader

Individual Dabbawalla

workload = 30 tiffins

Operations

War against Time (10.30 1.00)

The Code

Case Study : TBSATiffin Box Suppliers Association


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ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

The service is uninterrupted even on the days ofextreme weather, such asMumbai's characteristic monsoons. The local dabbawalas at the receiving and

the sending ends are known to the customers personally, so that there is no

question of lack of trust. Also, they are well accustomed to the local areas they

cater to, which allows them to access any destination with ease. Occasionally,

people communicate between home and work by putting messages inside the

boxes. However, this was usually before the accessibility of

telecommunications
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_weatherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunicationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunicationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_weather


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PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT

GENERAL SECRETARY

TREASURER

DIRECTORS(19)

MEMBERS(5000)

MUKADAM

13 MEMBERS


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PRESIDENT & GENERAL SECRETARY

NUTAN MUMBAI TIFFIN BOX SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION


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FINANCIAL DATA OF AGROUP

1st group

Rs 125000 Total earnings -20 People

Rs 35000 Maintenance costTiffin luggage basket pass Rs 180 per person.

Maintenance of cycles Rs 300 2 cycles per

month. Maintenance of wooden boxes

Rs 100 per person . T.C , police robbery of Tiffin Rs500 yearly. Organizational fee Rs 15 per head.

Puja held per station Rs 50 per head.


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Awards and Felicitation

Shri.Varkari Prabhodhan Mahasmati Dindi (palkhi) sohala 4th march 2001.

Invitation from CII for conference held in Bangalore.

Documentaries made by BBC ,UTV, MTV, and ZEE TV

Dabbawalla services are popular with the Indian IT developercommunity in Silicon Valley, California, USA

In literature

One of the two protagonists in SalmanRushdie's controversial novel

The Satanic Verses, Gibreel Farishta, was born as Ismail Najmuddin to a

dabbawallah. In the novel, Farishta joins his father, delivering lunches all overBombay (Mumbai) at the age of 10, until he is taken off the streets and becomes

a movie star.

Dabbawalas feature as an alibi in the Inspector Ghote novelDead on Time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_technologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valleyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salman_Rushdiehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salman_Rushdiehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Satanic_Verseshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_Ghotehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_Ghotehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Satanic_Verseshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salman_Rushdiehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salman_Rushdiehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valleyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_technology


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Some Achievements

World record in best time management.

Name in GUINESS BOOK of World Records.

Registered with Ripley's believe it or not.


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LOGISTICSLOGISTICS

Logistics is happening 24 hrs a day,7 days a week and 52weeks a year.

Logistical competency is achieved by coordinating thefollowing:

Network Design

Information

Transportation

Inventory Warehousing


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CodingVLP : 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)


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Let us now look at an example ofthese codes on the tiffins to betterunderstand the system and what itall denotes:


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MR. RAGHUNATH MEDGE


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10:34-11:20 am

This time period is actually the journeytime. The dabbawalas load the wooden

crates filled with tiffins onto the luggageor goods compartment in the train.Generally, they choose to occupy the lastcompartment of the train.


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11:20 12:30 pm

At this stage, the unloading takes place at

the destination station Re-arrangement of tiffins takes place as

per the destinationarea and destinationbuilding


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In particular areas with high density of customers, a special crate is dedicatedto the area. This crate carries 150 tiffins and is driven by 3-4 dabbawalas!


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1:15 2:00 pm

Here on begins the collection processwhere the dabbawalas have to pick up

the tiffins from the offices where theyhad delivered almost an hour ago.


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RETURN JOURNEY:

2:00 2:30 pmThe group members meet for the segregation

as per the destination suburb.


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2:48 3:30 pm

The return journey by train where thegroup finally meets up after the daysroutine ofdispatching and collecting from

various destination offices

Usually, since it is more of a pleasantjourney compared to the earlier part of

the day, the dabbawalas lighten up themoment with merry making, jokingaround and singing.


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THE ROYAL VISIT:

Recently, the dabbawalas had royal company at Churchgate station. The Prince of Wales himself had visited them when he came down to Mumbai.

He took keen interest in their way of functioning, expressed surprise at their efficiency and was struck with awe when he was told that they didnt employ any technology.

The prince was presented a small memento, accompanied with a garland, a Gandhi topi and a trophy by the dabbawalas.


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RICHARD BRANSON CHAIRMAN VIRGIN ATLANTIC AIRWAYS MUMBAI

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Atlantic Airways,meeting the Mumbai's famed 'Dabbawalas' at their nodalpoint, the Churchgate Railway Station in South Mumbai,on April 1, 2005.


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Order Dabbawalas Products and services Online

MyDabbawalas.com developing a software application through whichthe people of Mumbai can order Dabba service online through internet.The order will be booked online and Dabba will be picked up from yourhome and will be delivered to office in time. Please wait , the softwarewill be soon available. Meanwhile you may send us E-Mail us [email protected] with your details ( name, home address ,office address , home phone , office phone , mobile number , whetheryou want dabba on Saturday) and He will contact you to start theservice.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Order through SMS

Although the service remains essentially low-tech, with the barefoot delivery boysas the prime movers, the dabbawalas have started to embrace technology, and nowallow booking for delivery through SMS. A web site, mydabbawala.com, has alsobeen added to allow for on-line booking, in order to keep up with the times. An on-linepoll on the web site ensures that customer feedback is given pride of place.

The success of the system depends on teamwork and time management that wouldbe the envy of a modern manager. Such is the dedication and commitment of thebarely literate and barefoot delivery boys (there are only a few delivery women) whoform links in the extensive delivery chain, that there is no system of documentation atall. A simple colour coding system doubles as an ID system for the destination andrecipient. There are no elaborate layers of management either just three layers.

Each dabbawala is also required to contribute a minimum capital in kind, in the shapeof two bicycles, a wooden crate for the tiffins, white cotton kurta-pyjamas, and thewhite trademark Gandhi topi (cap). The return on capital is ensured by monthly

division of the earnings of each unit. - [email protected]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_message_servicemailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_message_service


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THANK YOUhttp://www.mydabbawala.com/

Presentation : Paavan Solanki

[email protected]
http://www.mydabbawala.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.prettislim.net/mydabbawala/Image/tiffin.jpgmailto:[email protected]://www.mydabbawala.com/

The Wonder of Mumbai Dabbawallas

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