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DABBAWALA

The Dabbawalas of Mumbai have operated successfully for over 100 years, delivering home-cooked meals to workers throughout the city using an efficient system and unique coding. With around 5000 employees, they deliver over 200,000 meals per day with an extremely low error rate of around 1 in 16 million deliveries. Their organizational structure includes a governing council, presidents, secretaries, mukadams, and dabbawalas. Their marketing emphasizes word-of-mouth and referrals, with standardized pricing and identifiable uniforms. Operations involve efficient sorting and delivery via train and bicycle, sorted according to a unique coding system. Strategies for sustainability include welfare programs and equal income distribution. Challenges include competition and potential lack of

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2K views

DABBAWALA

The Dabbawalas of Mumbai have operated successfully for over 100 years, delivering home-cooked meals to workers throughout the city using an efficient system and unique coding. With around 5000 employees, they deliver over 200,000 meals per day with an extremely low error rate of around 1 in 16 million deliveries. Their organizational structure includes a governing council, presidents, secretaries, mukadams, and dabbawalas. Their marketing emphasizes word-of-mouth and referrals, with standardized pricing and identifiable uniforms. Operations involve efficient sorting and delivery via train and bicycle, sorted according to a unique coding system. Strategies for sustainability include welfare programs and equal income distribution. Challenges include competition and potential lack of

Uploaded by

roysudhanshu1990
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mumbais Dabbawalas An Entrepreneurial Success Story

Submitted To: Prof. Hitesh Manocha Submitted By: Divya Arora Harkunwar Singh Bhatia Jyotsnaa Ahuja Prabin Daimary Sudhanshu Roy Sunita Ahuja

History of Dabbawalas
Started in 1890 by Mahadeo Havaji Bacche (Mahadeo), a migrant from North Maharashtra. Mahadeo recruited youth from the villages neighboring Mumbai, who were involved in agricultural work. Service started with about 100 Dabbawalas. Three tier structure:
Executive committee Mukadams Dabbawalas

Some Facts
No use of computer technology Total Area Coverage: 60-70 Km. Incentive system with equal pay for all Easy coding scheme as the level of literacy is not very high Not even a single strike in over 100 years. World record in best time management. Name in GUINESS BOOK of World Records.

Dabbawalas Organizational Structure


Governing Council

President

Mukadams

Secretary

Dabbawalas

Service Marketing Concepts


Simultaneous production and consumption - Mistakes by employees visible.

Dabbawalas Performance
Delivering a Six Sigma performance (99.99%) = 1 error in 16 million

GAPS Model

Expected Service Perceived Service

Almost no gap

Demand Management Constraints in Dabbawalas Services


Time Constraint 3 hour cycle each day. Travel during peak hours.

Equipment Constraint

Local trains are the lifeline. Cannot expand to other cities.

Services Marketing Mix


PRODUCT
Delivery of dabbas from home to schools/offices. Meals can also be prepared as per customers preferences if required.

PRICE
From June 1, 2012 Standard price between Rs.500 Rs750 per month is followed by dabbawalas throughout Mumbai.

Services Marketing Mix


PLACE
Decentralized operations Various centers in different parts of Mumbai

PEOPLE
No. of employees:5000 Cultural similarity all dabbawalas belong to the same community. No Alcohol Drinking during business hours Wearing White Cap during business hours

Services Marketing Mix


PROMOTION
Referrals from friends and relatives Word-of-Mouth.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
Carrying Identity Cards Various centres Dabbawalas wear Gandhi caps which makes them easily identifiable.

Unique Coding System


BO 15/A/11 P P: Code for Dabbawala at residential station BO: Borilvili 10: Nariman Pointdestination station

10

15/A/11: 15th building and 11th floor

Services Marketing Mix


PROCESS
Stage I The dabbawalas collect the dabbas from the clients and take them to the nearest railway station. Stage II
At the station, a Mukadam sorts the dabbas according to their destination and arranges them in tray/crates. The Dabbawalas take their consignments and get on the train.

Stage III
The dabbawalas get off their respective stations where a Mukadam resorts all the dabbas and the dabbas are grouped according to the area of delivery.

Stage IV
The dabbawalas take their consignments and deliver the dabbas to each clients office or school. Deliveries are made either by walking, using a tray, or on a bicycle.

Strategies adopted for sustenance


Monthly meeting with the governing council to discuss various problems. Established a welfare fund to give loans, help them in medical emergencies, for educational costs, run pilgrim rest houses, subsidize religious pilgrimages and provide facilities for important occasion like weddings etc. Provision of charitable fund. Income was divided equally among all members after paying for expenses like railway passes, cycles and crates. No age bar for working as a dabbawala.

Challenges
Increasing no. of fast food joints which provide delivery facility. Organisations give food coupons to employees. High dependency on local trains Next generations are not interested as rewards are low. Low Literacy in dabbawalas. Adverse weather conditions.

Suggestions
Use technologies like SMS for bookings. Extensive use of website for online bookings: www.dabbawala.in Promotion of home cooked meals and its benefits. Promote themselves as brand. Dabbawala merchandise.

Thank You

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