1. Dabbawala of Mumbai
The
Management Guru
By-Amandeep kaur

2. WHO IS DABBAWALA?
• 5000 Dabbawala • No strike for 116 years
• 2,00,000 Dabbas • Prince Charles Friend
• Six Sigma Certified • India’s Top Brand
• ISO 2000 Certified • Pride Of Marathas
• Most are Illiterate • Icon Of Hard Work
• Lecture MBA’s • A management Guru

3. HOW THE DABBAWALA SYSTEM STARTED?
• It was the time when English were ruling the
India
• New Government offices, Post
Offices, Bridges etc. were being Constructed.
• No Mc’Donald or Pizza Hut
• A Parsi Banker employed a person to bring
home made food to site of work
• His Colleagues too liked this idea and Started
availing this service.
• Slowly this evolved into the present 5000
strong Dabbawala System.

4. FOUNDER OF DABBAWALA SYSTEM
Hon. Mahadu Havaji Bacche Hon. Dhondiba Medge
• Educated only up to Class 2 • Educated only up to class 4
• Started the Dabbawala System • Framed the Rules and Regulations
with a handful of 35 Dabbawala of Dabbawala
in 1890

5. BELIEVES OF DABBAWALA
• Work is Worship.
• Serving People is serving god.
• Annadan is Mahadaan.
• The Decedents of the
Dabbawalas were the warriors
in army of Chatrapati Shivaji
Mahraj.
• Time is money.
• Unity is Power.

6. WHAT IS NUTAN MUMBAI TIFFIN BOX SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION?
• History- Started in 1890
• Charitable Trust- Registered in 1956
• Education:- 85% Illiterate
• Total area Coverage:- 60Kms/ 70 Kms
• Employee Strength:- 5000
• Mukhadhams:- 635
• No. of Dabbas:- 2,00,000 Dabbas i.e.
4,00,000 transactions every day.
• Time Taken:- 3 Hrs.

7. Q FACTOR OF DABBAWALA
• Error Rate:- 1 in 16 million transaction
• Six sigma Performance (99.9999)
• Technological Backup:- Nil
• Cost Of service:- Rs. 250- 300 per Month
• Standard price for all (Weight; Distance;
Space)
• Rs. 30 Crore approximately Annual
Turnover.
• “ No Strike” records as reach one a share
holder
• Earnings:- 4000 To 5000 P.m

8. MAJOR FEATURES OF SUPPLY CHAIN
• 0% Fuel
• 0% Modern Technology
• 0% Investment
• 0% Disputes
• 99.9999 Performance
• 100% Customer satisfaction
• Food is taken from home or mess
& is delivered at office

9. DISCIPLINE
• Wearing White Cap During
business Hrs.
• Reporting To Duty on time
• Behave Properly & respect the
customers
• Carry Identity cards.

10. Organizational Flowchart Of Dabbawala
President
Vice president
13 Members
General Secretary
Treasure
Director (9)
Mukadaam
Member (500)

11. CODING SYSTEM
• Initial Coding System used colored
threads to mark 7 Islands
• Then Utilized thrown away cotton waste
from tailors.
• Now using colour markers.
E:: Code for Dabbawala Street at residential
station
VLP:: Residential Station Ville Parle
3:: Code for Destination station.
E.G :- Church gate
9:: Code for Dabbawala at Destination.
Ex: Express towers ( Building name)
12:: Floor no. in the building.

12. SOME EXAMPLES OF CODING SYSTEM:-

13. JOURNEY OF DABBAWALA

14. PICK UP DABBA FROM RESIDENCE & BRING IT TO ANDHERI STATION.
9:30 A.M- 10:30 A.M
• This time period is Utilized for collecting
Dabbas from Different places around
Andheri
• Dabbas are collected from different resources
such as homes, hotels, messes etc. by
Dabbawalas & brought to Andheri Station.
• Red Light, No entry etc. is crossed.
• Now these collected Dabbas are sorted
according to Destination.
• Wherever there is Dabba- There is
Dabbawala.

15. JOURNEY IN THE LOCAL TRAIN
• 10:34- 11:20 A.M ( Andheri Station)
• This time period is actually the journey time.
The Dabbawalas load the wooden Crates filled
with Tiffin on t the luggage or goods
compartment in the train.
• Generally, they Choose to Occupy the last
compartment of the train.
• 12 coach Train
• 4,000 Commuters
• 8,000 Disputes
• But no excuses Duty First.

16. UNLOADING & SORTING AT DESTINATION STATION
• 11:20- 12:30 P:M ( Church gate
Station)
• At this stage; the unloading takes
place at the destination station
• Re- arrangement at Tiffin's takes
place as per the Destination Areas &
destination buildings
• Dabbas are Delivered by cycle; hand
card or even walk.

17. ANNADATAS HAVING THEIR FOOD
• 12:30P.M- 1:00P.M (LUNCH TIME)
• Dabbawalas carry their Food
with them
• Areas wise sit together & have
their lunch
• The family that eats together
stays together.

18. COLLECTION OF EMPTY DABBA & SORTING AT DESTINATIONS STATION
• 1:15- 2:30 P.M( At all destination
stations)
• Here on begins the collection process
where the Dabbawalas have to pick
up the Dabbas from the offices
where they had delivered almost an
hour ago
• The Return journey by train where
the group finally meets up after the
day’s routine of dispatching &
collecting from various destination
offices.
• The Dabbawalas meet for the
segregation as per the destination
suburb.

19. RETURN JOURNEY
• 2:48- 3:30P:M
• Usually since it is more of a
pleasant journey compared to the
earlier part of the day; the
Dabbawalas lighten up the
moment with merry making;
joking around singing.
• There is no cause of tension or
worry as customer has eaten the
lunch.
• Even if the Return journey is
delayed little bit there is no
problem.

20. SORTING & DELIVERY OF EMPTY DABBA
• 3:30- 4:40 P.M ( At all Origin Stations.)
• This is the stage where the final sorting &
dispatch takes place. The group meets up at
origin station & they finally sort out the
Tiffin's as per the origin area & the empty
Dabba is delivered at the Respected
Residence.
• The actual address of the residence is not
mentioned on the Dabba. It is remembered by
the Dabbawalas.

21. SIX SIGMA CERTIFICATION BY FORBES GROUP
• Dabbawalas got six sigma
• Dabbawalas were invited to collect the six
sigma certificate they did not know what it is
made of Gold or Bronze.
• The certificate is lying in cupboard eating dust.
• Dabbawalas got ISO 9001- 2000 for Excellence
in service
• The only think that a “ Error is Horror”
• Dabbawalas work with Great efficiency without
caring for any certificates.