dabbawala at TED

pravalika nanda wrote:didn't get a chance to watch all of it, but amazing so far.

Impedimenta wrote:

pravalika nanda wrote:didn't get a chance to watch all of it, but amazing so far.

err? read some of the comments. And, i have heard similar stories as well. Again, not really relevant to the video you posted but i am wondering how exploited the carriers are! you don't think there is some truth to the context of the comments?

Impedimenta wrote:

pravalika nanda wrote:didn't get a chance to watch all of it, but amazing so far.

err? read some of the comments. And, i have heard similar stories as well. Again, not really relevant to the video you posted but i am wondering how exploited the carriers are! you don't think there is some truth to the context of the comments?

brie wrote:

Impedimenta wrote:

pravalika nanda wrote:didn't get a chance to watch all of it, but amazing so far.

err? read some of the comments. And, i have heard similar stories as well. Again, not really relevant to the video you posted but i am wondering how exploited the carriers are! you don't think there is some truth to the context of the comments?

i watched the video. everything is picture perfect in the dabbawallah story (and their logistics is indeed scientific and is now being adopted by start-ups that do e-catering in the f&b service sector). but that a dabbawllah make rs 5,000 - 6,000 per month -- well you can't get live-in domestic help, in mumbai, for less than rs 7,000 - 8000 with free food and boarding and bonus, leave, tickets and clothes. i do not know if it is exploitation (of dabbawallahs) for it well may be that because they cater to the middle class, they would lose customers if they increased the cost of their service.

brie wrote:

Impedimenta wrote:

pravalika nanda wrote:didn't get a chance to watch all of it, but amazing so far.

err? read some of the comments. And, i have heard similar stories as well. Again, not really relevant to the video you posted but i am wondering how exploited the carriers are! you don't think there is some truth to the context of the comments?

i watched the video. everything is picture perfect in the dabbawallah story (and their logistics is indeed scientific and is now being adopted by start-ups that do e-catering in the f&b service sector). but that a dabbawllah make rs 5,000 - 6,000 per month -- well you can't get live-in domestic help, in mumbai, for less than rs 7,000 - 8000 with free food and boarding and bonus, leave, tickets and clothes. i do not know if it is exploitation (of dabbawallahs) for it well may be that because they cater to the middle class, they would lose customers if they increased the cost of their service.

Kinnera wrote:

brie wrote:

Impedimenta wrote:

pravalika nanda wrote:didn't get a chance to watch all of it, but amazing so far.

err? read some of the comments. And, i have heard similar stories as well. Again, not really relevant to the video you posted but i am wondering how exploited the carriers are! you don't think there is some truth to the context of the comments?

i watched the video. everything is picture perfect in the dabbawallah story (and their logistics is indeed scientific and is now being adopted by start-ups that do e-catering in the f&b service sector). but that a dabbawllah make rs 5,000 - 6,000 per month -- well you can't get live-in domestic help, in mumbai, for less than rs 7,000 - 8000 with free food and boarding and bonus, leave, tickets and clothes. i do not know if it is exploitation (of dabbawallahs) for it well may be that because they cater to the middle class, they would lose customers if they increased the cost of their service.

Do the math:

# of customers: 2,00,000
Charge for each customer: Rs. 350/month
Total = 7 crores

# of dabbawalas employed: 5000
Salary of each dabbawala: Rs.6000/month.
Total = 3 crores.

Who is pocketing the difference of 4 crores/month? The CEO speaker? 

Why is a 70+ yr old and others made to carry 60-65 kgs on their heads? Can't better transportation devices/trolleys be provided?

No retirement fund?

The speaker says that ppl cannot carry tiffin boxes along with them for two reasons:
1. They have to start very early, so is very inconvenient for the mother or wife to start preparing food from 5 am onwards.
2. Mumbai locals are crowded, so is inconvenient to carry your own dabba.

If that is the case, why is there a fear of losing the customers? There is a need and the service is great. The customer will surely be willing to pay even a little more for it. Why can't they increase the charges to Rs.500 and increase the salaries of the dabbawalas?

I think the poor, illiterate dabbawalas are exploited (probably with empty praises of their work ethics, dedication, passion, treating the customers like kings, etc, the fear of losing the customers and maybe even with the sentiments of Shivaji).

That said, kudos to the dabbawalas. They are amazing and their system of delivery is mind blowing.

Kinnera wrote:

brie wrote:

Impedimenta wrote:

pravalika nanda wrote:didn't get a chance to watch all of it, but amazing so far.

err? read some of the comments. And, i have heard similar stories as well. Again, not really relevant to the video you posted but i am wondering how exploited the carriers are! you don't think there is some truth to the context of the comments?

i watched the video. everything is picture perfect in the dabbawallah story (and their logistics is indeed scientific and is now being adopted by start-ups that do e-catering in the f&b service sector). but that a dabbawllah make rs 5,000 - 6,000 per month -- well you can't get live-in domestic help, in mumbai, for less than rs 7,000 - 8000 with free food and boarding and bonus, leave, tickets and clothes. i do not know if it is exploitation (of dabbawallahs) for it well may be that because they cater to the middle class, they would lose customers if they increased the cost of their service.

Do the math:

# of customers: 2,00,000
Charge for each customer: Rs. 350/month
Total = 7 crores

# of dabbawalas employed: 5000
Salary of each dabbawala: Rs.6000/month.
Total = 3 crores.

Who is pocketing the difference of 4 crores/month? The CEO speaker? 

Why is a 70+ yr old and others made to carry 60-65 kgs on their heads? Can't better transportation devices/trolleys be provided?

No retirement fund?

The speaker says that ppl cannot carry tiffin boxes along with them for two reasons:
1. They have to start very early, so is very inconvenient for the mother or wife to start preparing food from 5 am onwards.
2. Mumbai locals are crowded, so is inconvenient to carry your own dabba.

If that is the case, why is there a fear of losing the customers? There is a need and the service is great. The customer will surely be willing to pay even a little more for it. Why can't they increase the charges to Rs.500 and increase the salaries of the dabbawalas?

I think the poor, illiterate dabbawalas are exploited (probably with empty praises of their work ethics, dedication, passion, treating the customers like kings, etc, the fear of losing the customers and maybe even with the sentiments of Shivaji).

That said, kudos to the dabbawalas. They are amazing and their system of delivery is mind blowing.

swapna wrote:

Kinnera wrote:

brie wrote:

Impedimenta wrote:

pravalika nanda wrote:didn't get a chance to watch all of it, but amazing so far.

err? read some of the comments. And, i have heard similar stories as well. Again, not really relevant to the video you posted but i am wondering how exploited the carriers are! you don't think there is some truth to the context of the comments?

i watched the video. everything is picture perfect in the dabbawallah story (and their logistics is indeed scientific and is now being adopted by start-ups that do e-catering in the f&b service sector). but that a dabbawllah make rs 5,000 - 6,000 per month -- well you can't get live-in domestic help, in mumbai, for less than rs 7,000 - 8000 with free food and boarding and bonus, leave, tickets and clothes. i do not know if it is exploitation (of dabbawallahs) for it well may be that because they cater to the middle class, they would lose customers if they increased the cost of their service.

Do the math:

# of customers: 2,00,000
Charge for each customer: Rs. 350/month
Total = 7 crores

# of dabbawalas employed: 5000
Salary of each dabbawala: Rs.6000/month.
Total = 3 crores.

Who is pocketing the difference of 4 crores/month? The CEO speaker? 

Why is a 70+ yr old and others made to carry 60-65 kgs on their heads? Can't better transportation devices/trolleys be provided?

No retirement fund?

The speaker says that ppl cannot carry tiffin boxes along with them for two reasons:
1. They have to start very early, so is very inconvenient for the mother or wife to start preparing food from 5 am onwards.
2. Mumbai locals are crowded, so is inconvenient to carry your own dabba.

If that is the case, why is there a fear of losing the customers? There is a need and the service is great. The customer will surely be willing to pay even a little more for it. Why can't they increase the charges to Rs.500 and increase the salaries of the dabbawalas?

I think the poor, illiterate dabbawalas are exploited (probably with empty praises of their work ethics, dedication, passion, treating the customers like kings, etc, the fear of losing the customers and maybe even with the sentiments of Shivaji).

That said, kudos to the dabbawalas. They are amazing and their system of delivery is mind blowing.

what you refer to as "pocketing the difference" is called making a profit. anyone may start a business and make a profit.

Dabbawalas are divided into sub-groups of fifteen to 25, each supervised by four mukadams. Experienced old-timers, the mukadams are familiar with the colors and codings used in the complex logistics process.
Their key responsibility is sorting tiffins but they play a critical role in resolving disputes; maintaining records of receipts and payments; acquiring new customers; and training junior dabbawalas on handling new customers on their first day.
Each group is financially independent but coordinates with others for deliveries: the service could not exist otherwise. The process is competitive at the customers' end and united at the delivery end.
Each group is also responsible for day-to-day functioning. And, more important, there is no organisational structure, managerial layers or explicit control mechanisms. The rationale behind the business model is to push internal competitiveness, which means that the four Vile Parle groups vie with each other to acquire new customers. 

Service charges vary from Rs 150 to Rs 300 per tiffin per month, depending on location and collection time. Money is collected in the first week of every month and remitted to the mukadam on the first Sunday. He then divides the money equally among members of that group. It is assumed that one dabbawala can handle not more than 30-35 customers given that each tiffin weighs around 2 kgs. And this is the benchmark that every group tries to achieve.
Typically, a twenty member group has 675 customers and earns Rs 100,000 per month which is divided equally even if one dabbawala has 40 customers while another has 30. Groups compete with each other, but members within a group do not. It's common sense, points out one dabbawala.
One dabbawala could collect 40 tiffins in the same time that it takes another to collect 30. From his earnings of between Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000, every dabbawala contributes Rs15 per month to the association. The amount is utilised for the community's upliftment, loans and marriage halls at concessional rates. All problems are usually resolved by association officials whose ruling is binding.
Meetings are held in the office on the 15th of every month at the Dadar. During these meetings, particular emphasis is paid to customer service. If a tiffin is lost or stolen, an investigation is promptly instituted. Customers are allowed to deduct costs from any dabbawala found guilty of such a charge.
If a customer complains of poor service, the association can shift the customer's account to another dabbawala. No dabbawala is allowed to undercut another.
Before looking into internal disputes, the association charges a token Rs 100 to ensure that only genuinely aggrieved members interested in a solution come to it with their problems, and the officials' time is not wasted on petty bickering.