Annapoorna Dabbawalla

Company LTD (ADC)

A SIX SIGMA COMPANY

Abeer Raja
jain college
PGDBM
Bangalore
what is service
A service is the action of doing
something for someone
or something
Nature.
Inseparable

Intangible

Perishable

Variability
Right of
ownership
7p’s
Price

Place

product

promotion

physical evidence

people

process
Introduction
 A Dabbawalla (one who carries the box) is the person in
the Indian city of Mumbai whose job is to carry and
deliver freshly made food from home in lunch boxes to
office workers.

 originated under British rule.

 Many Indian people who worked at British companies

disliked the British food served by them.

 A parsi banker employed a worker to bring home made

food to site of work, his colleagues also liked the idea
and started availing the service.
The magic of Dabbawalla’s
 125 years they didn’t touch technology – yet it got six
sigma and ISO.

 Manual logistics.

 Everyone is shareholder.

 Flat organizational structure- instant decisions are made

 Commitment matters-qualification doesn’t .

 Knows the implications of failure- this makes them more

responsible.

 Remembers the addresses of 2lac customers by heart

ADC At a glance
 Inception-mid 1880’s.

 Qualifications - semi literate. (15%) illiterate (85%)

 Employees:5000.

 No of Tiffins 2lac .

 Cost:Rs 200/month.

 Process time- 3 to 4 hrs.

 Cont…
 Works on relay system.

 Six sigma performance .

 Technological back up: NIL.

 Error rate:1 in 16 million transactions

The coding system
The main reason of error free delivery

 Initial coding system used colored threads for markings

 Color threads were replaced by the cotton waste by the

tailors.

 Currently color markers are in use

Cont….
Each lucnch box has marked on it circle of a specific color
and indentity number.
Bo
Example 19
K-BO-10-19/A/15

/A / 1
K 10
Where as.

5
K:The identity letter of the
Dabbawalla.

BO: Borivalli(lunch box collected)

10:reffers to specific locality .

19/A/15: reffers to building and floor(delivery)

 Zone of Destination
Distribution System 1
S1

Point of 3
Aggregate And S2
Sorting
4

E
A 5
B C D

S3
6

7
Collection From Home
Distribution By
Carriers at lunch
time
What measures can be taken to
stem to decline?
Problems

 In 1960’s bank timings changed.

 In 1980’s mills were closed down.

 New trend emerged – working women.

 Offices offer good quality canteen.

 Fast food chains and road side “quick bites”

Cont..
Solutions
Promotions
 Some initiative from ADC Ltd on awareness

 Campaigns -promoting home made fresh and health food

 Use the “DABA” outer cover for the promotion.

 Marketing message in the Daba.

 SMS and web service for quick orders.

Tie ups

A social or business relationship

 Tie up with central kitchen (catering).

 Provide customized food and cultural preferences

in lunch
Credentials
 Communicate about the six sigma success.

 Communicate the time efficiency in delivery.

Can this model be replicated in other
cities?
The answer is NO why?
Major strength is the human resources
 String cultural bonding.

 Like minded people.

 Familiarity with the city operations

 Can this model be replicated in other
cities
 Three things to start their services in any other
cities
 linear one directional geography of the city like
Mumbai.
 cheap, realizable and fast local train system
 A group of like minded people who are self

motivated and committed

Presently these things not in other cities

Testimonials
 Six sigma certification by Forbes group.

 ISO certified.

 Outstanding services award by NIQR

(National institute of quality and reliability).

 Royal visit by prince charles.

 Invitation to prince’s marriage

Cont..
 Richard branson ceo of virgin Airways got
inspired from their work.

 Name in guineas and limca book of records.

 Lecture at Harvard university as well as at

national universities.

 Radio lectures at national and international

universities.