‘Take inspiration from work culture of dabbawalas’

Nagpur: Work discipline is top priority for the famous dabbawalas of Mumbai who have developed an impressive network in which they are not dependent on technology, said Pawan Agrawal, a renowned motivational speaker, on Thursday.

Agrawal said at an event 'Zero to Hero', organized by Koshish Foundation in association with NIT Group of Institutions at Chitnavis Centre, Civil Lines, that the dabbawalas work with unmatched professionalism though they earn a mere Rs10,000 to Rs12,000 per month as remuneration. The organization has not resorted to a strike since its inception in 1890 and the level of honesty they maintain has ensured that there is not a single police complaint or a court case against them, Agrawal said.

Highlighting the importance of customer satisfaction, the event was aimed at guiding the participants to broaden their spectrum of business management by taking inspiration from the dabbawalas.

Agrawal, who has done a thorough research on the Six Sigma organization, said that according to international studies, the rate of error in the dabba network is 1 in 16 million. Dabbawalas are masters of logistics and supply chain management. The accuracy percentage of the organization is almost equal to zero. The entire process is designed in such a way that even Google claims its delivery mechanism to be one of the best in the world, he added.

Around 500 people, including students, teachers, amateurs and professionals, were present.

Agrawal said that most of the workers in this profession have not even cleared their high school, yet their work ethics are very strong. The focus is to provide services which not only fulfil the needs of customers but also build a sense of responsibility and time management in workers as well as customers. The dabbawalas showcase amazing skills and human values while transporting more than eight lakh tiffins every day in the hustle and bustle of Mumbai, he added.

Pooja Meshram, a management student, said, "Though the dabbawalas did not receive any formal education or training, their productivity is praised worldwide. The workshop helped us realize that practical knowledge is very important and there can be no compromise on hard work."

Former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh said, "Passion and determination of dabbawalas is inspiring. Their perseverance and customer prioritization are the key factors that gave them global recognition. If the same spirit is adopted for nation-building, all problems can be solved."

(Reporting by Praveen Tewari)