Mr. KEVIN PATEL – Management Learning’s From Dabbawala
NAME: KEVIN PATEL
INSTITUTE: NL DALMIA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES AND
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN MANAGEMENT(PURSUING)
I declare that this essay is the work of my own creation as part of essays competition organized by Dabbawala Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. I transfer the ownership, title and rights of this essay to Dabbawala Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Dabbawala Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. may use this essay content in any way it deems suitable.
NAME: KEVIN PATEL
DATE: 14TH AUGUST 2024
MANAGEMENT LEARNING’S FROM DABBAWALA AND THE VISION AHEAD
Every Mumbaikar know about the dabbawalla family and how they delivers the dabba all day just to feed the customer .During the covid times It was difficult for them to sustain this business due to covid restriction and working from home cultures , this made the employee of the company an advantages but for the dabbawalla who earns transporting the dabba from their homes to their office daily, It was difficult for them to sustain this business. So, they have organized the competition, and the objective is to hear from young minds about the innovative strategies and business practices to help them navigate through these dynamic times and continue to have a sustainable and economically feasible business model and at the same time, help them achieve their vision.
*INNOVATIVES STRATEGY THAT CAN USE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A SUBSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL: –
- Continue with your Core value: One of the most important aspects of any business to grow is their core value, business should always consider their core value while making an innovative strategy to have a substantial business model. Leveraging this core strength, the Dabbawalas can diversify their services into other time-sensitive delivery markets. For instance, they could explore logistics solutions for industries where punctuality is critical, such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, or e-commerce. By extending their trusted delivery framework to these sectors, they can tap into new revenue streams while maintaining their core operational excellence.
- Cloud Kitchen: The Mumbai Dabbawalas, famous for delivering home-cooked meals with great efficiency, could grow their business by starting a cloud kitchen. This kitchen would prepare a variety of healthy, homemade-style meals, designed to meet the needs of people who want good, personalized food but may not have access to it. Using their strong delivery network, the Dabbawalas can ensure that these meals reach customers quickly and in perfect condition. This new service would allow them to offer the same trusted quality they are known for to a wider audience, including those who don’t have someone to cook for them at home. By opening a cloud kitchen, the Dabbawalas can serve more people without needing to open physical restaurants, which are expensive to run. This would help them expand their business and continue to be a reliable source of healthy, convenient meals in the city. They can also target the students, working professionals, and provide the food so that they can diversify their business model and also diversify their profit.
- Tie up with local online vendors : As there are two big giants in the E Commerce market in Mumbai having their own distribution network in Mumbai, where the local vendors also faced a challenge from them in competing with the business, Dabbawalla can tap this untaped market where they can tie up with the local shop vendors who have their presence in the online market and distribute the product to the customers with the minimum cost as the dabbawalla have a strong supply chain network in Mumbai , they can utilize this chain in distributing consumers goods in the city and In return earn a commission from the local vendors. They also don’t need to heavily invest in digital equipment as they just need the address where it can deliver the product and local vendors can also compete with the online giants as they don’t really need to worry about the distribution network, and they just need to focus on their online business.
- Online presence: In today’s time where everything is present in the Internet right from the description of medicine to the hotel number it is very important to have an online presence on the Internet about Mumbai Dabbawalla. To compete with the other delivery business, they have to work on the online presence by providing the number on the internet and have to make a website of their company and also have a details information about their company and sector where they are working and how to get in touch with them so that they can reach to the customer base easily and they can also take the customer feedback and can change according to the requirement and changing demands and supply for the market. People only know one business about you is that you just deliver the dabba, even you have entered into courier business people don’t know much about this as you lack in the online presence, and someone has rightly said that “Today’s era is of Internet Era, and it is not possible to live without the Internet”. To attract new customers, it is important for the Mumbai Dabbawalla to have their online presence through Networking Site, Advertisement, Holding, Etc.
- Diversify the means of transportation: Mumbai’s dabbawalla’s are famous for using local trains to deliver lunchboxes, but relying too much on trains can be risky, especially with delays or overcrowding. To diversify their operations, they could start using bicycles or scooters for short distances. This would help them avoid traffic jams and reach places that aren’t well-connected by trains. Another idea is to use technology, like apps or GPS, to plan better routes. This could help them find quicker ways to deliver lunchboxes without always needing the train. They could also partner with ride-sharing companies or delivery services, so they have more options if the trains are running late or if there are strikes. Expanding their services could also reduce their dependence on trains. For example, they could start delivering breakfast or dinner, or even groceries, which would allow them to use different types of transportation throughout the day. By trying out these different methods, the dabbawalla’s can become more flexible and adapt to challenges, ensuring they continue to serve Mumbai effectively.
- To know the different policies of the government which enhances the small-scale businesses: Mumbai’s dabbawalla’s could really benefit from knowing about different government policies that might help their business. For example, they could take advantage of schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), which offers loans to small businesses. This could give them the money they need to buy new equipment or expand their services, like adding breakfast or dinner deliveries. They should also look into skill development programs under the Skill India initiative. These programs could help them learn how to use technology better, like apps for tracking deliveries or managing payments online. This could make their service faster and more reliable, which is important in a big city like Mumbai.
Understanding policies related to urban transport is also important. For instance, if the government promotes the use of electric bikes or other eco-friendly transport, the dabbawalla’s could benefit from this by upgrading their delivery methods. This would not only help the environment but also make their operations smoother, especially in areas where trains are less reliable. By staying informed about these policies, the dabbawalla’s can find new ways to improve their business and stay successful in the future.
