A small intro to the world of Mumbai ka Dabbawalas

1. INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROORKEE
Mumbai Dabbawala System
Utsav Rajpal
B.Tech. Production and Industrial
Engineering
Delivering with the Belief – WORK IS WORSHIP

2. 2
NMTBSA and History
• Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association
• Mahadeo Havaji Bachche – The Founder
Started 1890
Registered 1956
Avg. Literacy Rate 8th Grade Schooling
Area Coverage 60 – 70km
Time Taken 3hr
Number of Tiffin’s 2,00,000
Employees 5000+
Daily Transactions 4,00,000 per day

3. 3
Approach - Discipline
• No alcohol drinking during business
hour
• Wearing white cap (Gandhi cap)
• Carrying Identity card
• Perceived equality
• Standard price for all – Weight, Distance
and Speed
• Trust between employees and
contractor
• 3 - tier Cooperative Organisation

4. 4
Logistics Network
• Combination of Milkman routes, Hub-
Hub transfer and Hub and Spoke
distribution
• Bicycles: Pick from homes
• Train: Suburb to Business district
• Bicycles: Final delivery

5. 5
War Against Time
• Trust between employees and contractor

6. 6
Coding System and Efficiency
• High Customer satisfaction and
loyalty
• Delivery accuracy rate of 99.99999%
(by The Economist)
• Delivery reliability
– Entrepreneurs, not employees
– No strikes
– Flat structure
– Referrals from friends and
relatives

7. 7
What to Learn?
• Discipline – Always on time in all weathers
• Decentralized Structure - 5000 entrepreneurs not employees
• Work Management - No retirement age and quick
replacement
• Simple yet efficient process
• Strong culture of belonging – Dress Code
• Marketing Strategy – Pamphlets/Samples

8. 8
World is changing! Not
Dabbawalas?

9. 9
References
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/organisational-lessons-from-
mumbai-dabbawalas-avinash-majji/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabbawala
• https://www.slideshare.net/guesta23df43/mumbai-
dabbawalas-3665084
• http://www.thecareermuse.co.in/6-golden-traits-mba-learn-
mumbais-dabbawala/