2. CONTENTS
10 things about the Mumbai Dabbawalas
Discipline and code of conduct
Achievements
Marking on dabbas
Supply chain management
Management lessons from Dabbawalas
Conclusion
4. 1) Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association
(NMTBSA) Started in 1890 & Registered in 1956 as a
Charitable trust
2) Dabbawalas are not employees they all are
entrepreneurs, Standard price for all
(Weight, Distance, Space) each have 35 to 40 clients
3) Each one earns near about 4000 to 5000 per month
5. 4) Member Strength is 5000 &
they cover 60 Kms to 70 Kms
around the Mumbai
5) Number of Tiffin's are 2,00,000
i.e. 4,00,000 transactions takes
Place every day
6) Total Turnover around 50 Crore
Indian Rupees
6. 7) They don’t use any modern technology
8) No strike record as each one a share holder
9) Great at time management average time taken 3 hours
10) Six Sigma Performance
(1 error occurs in 6 Million
transaction)
7. DISCIPLINE & CODE OF CONDUCT
No Alcohol Drinking during business hours
Wearing White Cap during business hours
Carry Identity Cards
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
11. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
10:30 -11:15 am at Andheri Stn.
The Dabbawalas load the wooden
crates filled with tiffins onto the
luggage or goods compartment in
the train.
12. 11:15 – 12:15 pm at Church Gate Stn.
unloading takes place at the destination
station & Re-arrangement of tiffins takes
place as per the destination area and
destination building
High volume areas like
Nariman Point, Fort ,
CST have dedicated crates
Each crate 150 dabbas
Pushed by 3-4 Dabbawalas
13. 1:15 – 2:00 pm at destination stn.
Here on begins the collection
process where the Dabbawalas
have to pick up the tiffins from the
offices where they had delivered
almost an hour ago.
2:00 – 2:30 pm at destination stn.
The Dabbawalas meet for the
segregation as per the destination
suburb.
14. 2:48 – 3:30 pm
The return journey by train where
the finally meets up after the day’s
routine of dispatching & collecting
from various destination offices
3:30 – 4:00 pm at the Origin Stn.
This is the stage where the final
sorting and dispatch takes place.
The group meets up at origin
station and they finally sort out
the tiffins as per the origin area.
15. KEEP OPERATIONAL COST TO MINIMUM
Use cycles, Hand carts, Local trains
No big office to maintain
No IT Budget and No Miscellaneous cost
No Add budget – word of mouth publicity!
Use of public space
for sorting
16. JUST SERVE COSTUMER – NOTHING ELSE !!
Always deliver food on time – even during heavy rains
Always on time – even without using a watch
Bothering Costumers with offer may force them to
discontinue even existing services
17. NEVER DEVIATE FROM YOUR CORE
COMPETENCY
Only business of delivering home made food to clients
Efforts to sell other products through Dabbawalas system
failed
Be “Master of one trade rather
than Jack of all”
Develop products and
services around core
competency, if required
18. COMMITMENT MATTERS –
QUALIFICATION DOESN’T !!
85% of Dabbawalas are illiterate
Max. level of literacy – 8th standard failed
Still able to offer world class service, as they are
committed to offer food to costumer on time
19. KNOW THE IMPLICATIONS OF
FAILURE
If food is not delivered on time, it angers customers and
work will suffer
May cause problem between customer and his wife
A vegetarian gets a non-veg dabba – BIG Problem !!
“Knowing the implications of
failure makes you more
responsible and serious
towards your work”
20. ABANDON BAD CUSTOMERS
When dabbawala knocks door, the dabba, should be ready
If its not for 3 consecutive days, then the service is stopped as it
affects the service to other customers
“Bad customers affect
operation and profitability
from existing customers”
