INTRODUCTION

A dabbawala; also spelled as dabbawalla or dabbawallah; is a person in India, most commonly in Mumbai, who is part of a delivery system that collects hot food in lunch boxes from the residences of workers in the late morning, delivers the lunches to the workplace, predominantly using bicycles and the railway trains, and returns the empty boxes to the worker's residence that afternoon. They are also made use of by meal suppliers in Mumbai where they ferry ready, cooked meals from central kitchens to the customers and back.

HISTORY

In 1890 Bombay, Mahadeo Bhavaji Bachche started a lunch delivery service with about a hundred men. In 1930, he informally attempted to unionize the dabbawallas. Later, a charitable trust was registered in 1956 under the name of Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Trust. The commercial arm of this trust was registered in 1968 as Mumbai Tiffin Box Supplier's Association. The current president of the association is Raghunath Medge.

NMTBSA(NUTAN MUMBAI TIIFIN BOX SUPPLIER ASSOCIATION)

History :1880 Charitable trust :Registered in 1956 Total area coverage :60kms Employee strength :5000 Numbers of tiffin’s :2,00,000 tiffin boxes i.e 4,00,000 transactions every day. Time taken :3Hours

AIM’S Customer satisfaction was the main aim of dabbawalas.

ORGANIZATIONAL PRINCIPLEDISCIPLINE:No Alcohol Drinking during business hoursWearing White Cap during business hoursCarry Identity cardsNo leave without prior notice

CODE OF CONDUCT:500 INR Drinking on duty100 INR smoking on duty25 INR Found without cap1000 INR Leave without notification,sacked if repeated 2-3 time.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

SUCCESS FACTORS

Low cost delivery -Rs.150-200Delivery reliability No strikes Flat structure Referrals from friends and relatives.

A day with dabbawala (dadabhau)

Age: 65 yearsDabbawala since 1977Area of operation: Kurla (East)Typical number of dabbas collected from Kurla (East): 28Typical number of dabbas delivered in Ballard Estate and surrounding areas: 25Residence: Mulund (a suburb on the Central Railway line in North Mumbai, approximately15 kms (9 miles) away from Kurla)

Mr. Dadabhau’s Normal Day:8.30-9.00 am :Report for work at Kurla (station of origin).9.00-10.00 am : Pick-up dabbas from homes.

10.00-10.30 am : Both groups congregate at Kurla with dabba’s and sort based on destination station10.30 - 10.45 am : Board trains with dabbas either in wooden crates or in hand.

10.45-11.30 am: Travel by trains to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus(CST; erstwhile Victoria Terminus) station.

11.30-12.00 pm: All CST groups congregate at station and sortdabbas based on final office destination.

12.00-1.00 pm: Delivery to offices at and around Ballard Estate.1.00-1.30 pm: Lunch time for the dabbawalas.

1.30-2.30 pm : Collect empty dabbas and return to thedestination station; sort based on station oforigin.2.40-3.30 pm : Train ride back to station of origin (Kurla).

3.30-4:00 pm: Sort the dabbas at the station of origin (Kurla).4.00-5.00 pm : Return the dabbas to homes.

A ROYAL VISIT

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

PRINCE CHARLES’ VISIT TO MUMBAI

SWOT ANALYSISStrengths: Low operation cost Simplicity in organization with Innovative service Customer satisfaction Coordination, team spirit, & time management.

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

MANAGEMENT LEARNING’S FROM DABBAWALA

Keep operational cost as low as possible

Customer is the kingCommitmentZero% fuel investmentSix sigma performanceConsumer satisfaction

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