Restaurant Case Study

(A) Case Study Framework

Background The people behind the successful Michelangelo’s are Mr. Michel Hadley and Mr. Angelo Sanelli. Michelangelo’s, which is situated at Holland Village, 44 Jalan Merah Saga, 01-60 Chip Bee Gardens, is a crowd-drawer every night. It was opened in Sept 15,1995 and has since bagged several awards. (refer to Appendix 3 for the list). Michelangelo’s serves Australian-Italian cuisine and offers the widest selection of wines in any restaurant in South East Asia. Its candle lit interiors with the ceiling bearing exquisite paintings create a charming atmosphere for dating couples and family dinners. With Michelangelo’s success, the two owners have decided to open another two restaurants, which are Sistina Pizzeria and Original Sins on either side. Sistina Pizzeria is Singapore’s first gourmet pizza restaurant while Original Sins serves Mediterranean vegetarian food.

Purpose Singapore is well known for being a Food and Shoppers’ Paradise. Due to the increasing number of eateries entering into the F&B industry in Singapore, we propose to conduct this case study research to understand how Michelangelo’s strive to maintain a competitive edge in this industry. The reason for choosing Michelangelo’s is that it is well established and provides good food as well as quality service.

Objective Through this case study research, we aim to be able to gather information on: 1. Factors that contribute to Michelangelo’s success 2. Aspects of the restaurant that attract the customers to dine there. 3. The marketing strategies adopted by Michelangelo’s and their plans for the future. 4. The managerial decisions made during the running of the business.

Proposed Methodology Qualitative Research- Management Interview We propose conducting in-depth interviews with the owners of Michelangelo’s and the people at its management level as it would enable us to gain a better idea of what the owners are thinking or why they decided to act in a certain way. Moreover, indepth interviews allow us to obtain unrestricted comments or opinions and ask

questions that will help us better understand the various dimensions of the owners’ opinions as well as the reasons for them. These interviews are conducted at the different outlets so that we will get a feel of the management at each of these outlets. This will widen our understanding of the restaurants thus enabling us to do a more detailed report. Please refer to Appendix 1 for the list of questions. Informal interviews will be conducted with the current customers who patronize Michelangelo’s to find out what they think of the restaurant and the service being offered. We would also interview potential customers to get a brief exposure of the public’s opinion of Michelangelo’s. The target of this group of interviewees will be residents in or near Holland Village as well as tertiary students. Please refer to Appendix 2.

Time Frame The study on Michelangelo’s will be carried out from February to April, a total of three months. This is to ensure that more information can be gathered and with a greater level of accuracy. Each interview session will last for approximately two hours due to time constraints. We estimate that at least six interview sessions will be conducted over the next three months.

(B) Abstract

The Italian Michelangelo Buonarotti viewed as the supreme Renaissance artist conjures up an image of the famous statue of David or brings to mind places like the Sistine Chapel and the Pauline Chapel. The name Michelangelo is renowned in artistic circles. In Singapore, there is also a Michelangelo who is renowned for another type of art form –namely Singaporean’s first love- food. This project is based on a case study of the Italian restaurant- Michelangelo’s. It looks at the various aspects of the restaurant, namely: Mr. Angelo D Sanelli, the man behind Michelangelo’s, the background, concept, management, and an insight into the future plans of Michelangelo’s. The purpose of this study also seeks to enhance our knowledge on how a restaurant is managed and the types of marketing strategies that it undertakes to maintain a competitive edge in Singapore’s F&B industry today.

Numerous restaurants are entering into the market and each tries to differentiate itself from the rest of the competitors. Michelangelo’s was chosen as our case study because of its fine Australian-Italian cuisine and the widest selection of wines in any restaurant in South East Asia. Through this case study, we obtained an in-depth understanding of the critical factors behind Michelangelo’s success as well as the high standards of quality offered to its patrons. Our research yielded the conclusion that a successful restaurant offers much more than just good food. The quality of service plays an important role in retaining

customers and with this, word-of-mouth does the advertising for you. Michelangelo’s takes into account the smallest detail in meeting the customers’ needs and ensuring them of a great dining experience at the restaurant. Good management is also crucial as the staff can all work together to serve the customers to the best of their ability. For its future plans, the outlook is positive and Michelangelo’s will continue to improve and innovate to offer the highest standard of wonderful food and quality service for its customers.

(C) Background Mr. Michel Hadley and Mr. Angelo Sanelli opened Michelangelo’s on 19th September 1995. It is situated in Chip Bee Gardens in Holland Village between Sistina and Original Sin, which are also creations of Mr Hadley and Mr Sanelli. Chip Bee Gardens was chosen as the partners saw the potential in the area. Today it has been transformed from what was a rat-infested area into one of the prime locations in Singapore for fine dining. Each of the restaurants offers different types of food. At Sistina Gourmet Pizzeria, pizza and wine are a religious experience. It offers this island widest range of pizza toppings and styles to choose from, a selection of designer pizza or the ability to create one’s own pizza from their 60+ toppings. Executive chef Simon McLoughlia balances out the menu with a large offering of traditional salads and grills. Original Sin on the other hand, combines the essence of Mediterranean cuisine and the culinary creativity of executive chef Marisa Bertocchi to present an unforgettable dining experience. Marisa’s signature risotto, homemade pastas, gourmet pizzas and sensuous salads will tempt the most jaded of palates.

Those who enjoy dining in style will fall in love with Michelangelo’s which serves Italian food. Michelangelo’s internationally acclaimed wine list offers over 150 wines at affordable prices. Before Michelangelo’s, Mr. Sanelli came to Singapore with his wife from Australia. He was a painter/decorator back in Australia and started work here in Zouk. His stint at Zouk was followed by a job at a brewery pub. At Zouk, he met Mr Hadley who later on proposed the idea of setting up a restaurant. This was the beginning of a whole new creation. Both Mr Hadley and Mr Sanelli run the business separately with each one of them in charge of different areas but with the same goals in mind. Mr Hadley is responsible for the administration, accounts as well as the wine selection while Mr. Sanelli is in charge of public relations, quality of food and day-to-day operations at the restaurants. According to Mr Sanelli, another contributing factor to their successful partnership is the separation from business and personal matters.

(D) Concept The concept of Michelangelo’s is based on the desire of creating a warm and comfortable ambience for its customers. There are traces of Italian design instilled in the decoration of the restaurant such as murals bearing a close resemblance to art pieces of the late Michelangelo and the Italian music that is being played. There is an extension of the restaurant outside for patrons who prefer to dine “al fresco” under the stars or simply to chat with their friends over a smoke. The restaurant is dimly lit with candles to create a cozy atmosphere for its customers to relax after a hard day’s work. The small tealight candles placed give a flickering glow creating a somewhat “romantic” atmosphere for the courting couples.

The furniture is arranged mostly 4 in a table but provisions can be made at the customers’ demands; seats can be arranged when there is a bigger group. The main idea is to maximize space for the waiters to move around easily as well as to accommodate as many customers as possible. However, aiming to accommodate more customers is never done at the expense of making the place cramped and making it difficult in moving around. All in all, the purpose of the decorations is to make the customers feel “at home” and at the same time, experience the kind of top quality service comparable to a high class, fine dining restaurant.

(E) Marketing Strategy When Michelangelo’s first started back then, it was one of the first boutique restaurants in the Singapore F&B industry so there was the challenge to bring high quality, good service food at affordable prices to the customer. Michelangelo’s has adopted a differentiation strategy in providing the best quality food as well as the best service. Mr Sanelli stresses that with these two goals in place, it led to the success of Michelangelo’s today. A list of the awards they garnered can found in Appendix 3 . In the area of food quality, Mr Sanelli stresses the importance of having reliable suppliers to give him the freshest food. To do so, the relationship between client and supplier is essential. One way of keeping the relationship amicable is to pay them punctually. Besides that he believes in honesty and being loyal to his suppliers instead of always sourcing for new suppliers who might offer them special deals.

This has made Michelangelo’s very popular with its suppliers and a firm established relationship is paved. The executive chef is also responsible in ensuring that the quality of food is maintained. The executive chef is also given the authority to create and select the “Specials” for each day. This system is flexible because it allows for new innovations to be added now and then. . The waiters introduce the ” Specials” and usually, it goes through a “pilot test” of three nights. The “Specials” are not a ploy to “get rid” of ingredients. Instead, it is the exact opposite. “Specials” are usually more expensive and require more time and effort to make.

Mr. Sanelli keeps himself close to the customers and listens to their needs. In fact, Mr. Sanelli also gives his customers his mobile number so they can contact him anytime. Customers can specially request for him to cook for them. He tries his best to arrange his schedules so as not to disappoint them. He cooks for anyone, as long as it’s within his timing because to him, every customer is important. Michelangelo’s aims to provide the best service to ensure that customers leave at the end of a meal with a feeling of satisfaction. According to Mr Sanelli, within the first two years of Michelangelo’s start, they did not promote or place any ads in any type of media. A group of customers followed Mr. Sanelli to Michelangelo’s, as they were impressed with his culinary and interpersonal skills. From then on, Michelangelo’s reputation was spread solely by word of mouth. When asked about his competitors, Mr. Sanelli said that he prefers to concentrate on running his own business than to focus on others. By benchmarking against his own business instead of others, he strives to keep himself at the forefront of the food and beverage industry.

There have often been complaints about the quality of service offered by restaurants lately. As there are exceptions in every case, Michelangelo’s would be a good example. Mr. Sanelli defines customer service as not just being polite but also understanding the customers’ other needs besides food. He wants his staff to go all out to please his guests and to provide that personal touch which is so lacking in many restaurants of today. One example quoted by Mr Sanelli is that he trains his service staff to spot parents trying to eat their meals with kids and offer to “baby-sit” their kids while their parents finish their meal in peace. The service staff is reminded constantly not to be complacent-for example a customer’s needs do not end at the point when they are served their food. Another good example is that if there is a pregnant woman waiting to be served his waiters or waitresses will make sure to give the pregnant lady a seat while she waits for her table. As customer feedback is very important to the business, the staff is encouraged to interact with the customers and receive comments from them. The good service provided complements the food and makes it a night of memorable dining experience. At Michelangelo’s, every little detail is important in maintaining good service.

For instance, spoiled tablecloths must never be reused, glasses should be stainless and toilets are always kept clean. Once a customer arrives, iced water is served. If it is a busy night and the orders are taking a bit longer to be served, iced water will be replaced as after some time, the “crunch” in the coolness of the iced water is “lost”. Sometimes, small pieces of bread are given to the customers to have something light to nibble on while waiting for their meals. It is this delicate touch in the dining process that makes the dining experience a pleasure. Nothing asked by the customer is too much work for Michelangelo’s as long as it can be done, it will be done with the greatest pleasure. Recently, Mr. Sanelli has just been interviewed and he is in favor of having a phone-jamming machine so that his guests will be able to enjoy their meal in peace. This just goes to show Mr. Sanelli’s commitment in bringing about the best atmosphere for his guests. To ensure his guests at the restaurants get the best service, Mr. Sanelli only employs people who show that they can work. He knows that people who are all talk and no

action are not much of an asset to the restaurant. Currently, his head chef has been the only one who is able to run his restaurant for him for more than a year while the previous chefs have not been able to cope with the workload and have left the restaurant. Mr. Sanelli listens to feedback from his staff and the complaints if there are any from the customers, and at the same time, he will be able to resolve issues with unhappy customers. He would give the customers a voucher of a free meal on the house. He believes in giving a good impression to the customer and tries his best to please the customers. As Michelangelo’s specializes in fine dining, the restaurant also carries the widest selection of wines in South East Asia, consisting of 1800 different labels and 15000 bottles. Their wine list caters not only to serious wine buffs but also to those who would like to learn about wine. In fact, the four restaurants belonging to the partners boast an astonishing 8000 labels of wine. The wine lists are as simplified as possible so as first-time customers will not feel “intimidated” and are more comfortable with the ordering of wines.

There are also wine-tasting sessions at Michelangelo’s where guests come to learn more about wine. When asked whether the prices of the food and wine are too pricey, Mr Sanelli strongly feels that they are not. He believes in “value-for-money” and the customers are getting great food and quality service with the money they spend. The size of the serving is large and customers can be assured of a wonderful dining experience at the restaurant. Mr Sanelli has visited many other restaurants and he noticed that in some places, they choose to serve their food in small servings, with plenty of garnishing to “beautify” the food and make it more tempting to eat. Despite creating a good visual effect for food, Angelo will not compromise “looks” with the main purpose of eating; that is, to ease your hunger. In other words, he feels that servings have to be reasonably large so that customers have a proper meal and they leave the place feeling full and not as hungry as when they came!

Hence, he does puts in garnishings but the main emphasis is that the taste fulfils the customers’ expectation of “good food”. Once a year, usually on 20th September, Mr. Sanelli and Mr. Hadley organize a big “party” for their guests as a way to thank them for their continuous support. A 6course meal is provided free of charge for the guests. The partners also make use of this opportunity to introduce new items to the menu and listen to their guests’ opinions. Sometimes, it is difficult for them to accept new items or flavors as they have been eating at Michelangelo’s for very long and have already grown accustomed to the menu. Every customer is like a part of a big family and this is a wonderful celebration like an annual gathering. This party has become a “tradition” for the restaurant and will continue to serve as an annual treat of their guests.

(F) Management of the Restaurant

Michelangelo’s Hierarchy Michael Hadley (Partner)

Bookkeeping staff Wine similar

Angelo Sanelli (Partner)

Floor Manager – Assistant Manager – Cashier – Barman – Captain – Waiter / Waitress Executive Chef – Sous Chef – Chef Departe – Cooks – Gomice – Stewards Kitchen StaffStaff Although there is a hierarchy system in the restaurant, all the staff treat each other with respect. Mr. Sanelli wants to make sure everyone has a say in the restaurant and listens attentively to all the views from his staff. For example, Executive Chefs are encouraged to come up with “Specials” regularly to add to the menu. Mr. Ahzri, an executive chef at

Sistina, was strongly encouraged by Chef Angelo to join a Rice competition. In order to help him, Chef Angelo will be personally guiding him in the art of garnishing. Staff, including the Mr. Sanelli and Mr. Hadley themselves are paid promptly on the 26th of the month. This ensures equal treatment among the staff. Mr. Sanelli does an evaluation of his staff everyday and he believes that besides giving a pay rise as a way to motivate his staff, there are many other ways, which could achieve the same effect. He might offer the staff a day off if his/her spouse might be having a birthday and even treat them to a meal at his restaurant. Besides that, he opens the bar occasionally to let his staff have a good drink after a hard day’s work. Other perks include extra time off or the choice of the days off. Sometimes, he buys little presents like shoes or T-shirts for his staff just to let them know that he cares. All this helps in motivating his staff to work hard for him.

There is good communication flow between the restaurant managers and the executive chefs. As the manager and the executive chef have their own designated work, they try to work hand in hand in serving the customer as efficient as possible. A good understanding between the two is very important to maintain a harmonious relationship between the kitchen staff and the floor staff. The restaurant welcomes servers with little or no experience at all. They are even paid at an attractive rate of S$5/hr and this rate will increase accordingly with experience. Mr. Sanelli stresses the importance of his service staff, as they are the first people the customer interacts with. Hence, he emphasizes on having honest and hardworking staff.

All the service staff are briefed daily about which tables they will be looking after and during the duration of their work, they will need to show customers to their tables, take orders, opening wine, serving food, clearing tables and putting new table cloths on. Hence, all his staff is adequately trained before they are allowed to serve customers. The more experienced staff usually teaches the new staff. During their first day at work, they are only required to observe and learn how things are done at the restaurant. For the kitchen, executive chefs will plan the next day’s menu, (with the basic: 1 soup, 1 appetizer, 1 salad, 1 hot starter and 1 pasta) so that the customers will able to order them. Restaurant managers will have to arrange the tables and cutlery well beforehand. Servers are also expected to know the day’s specials and provide information on the items on the menu and wine list to the customers. Both local and foreign workers are employed at Michelangelo’s, Sistina and Original Sin.

Suppliers Supply of quality food is very important for restaurants, especially for Michelangelo’s where freshness is a must. To ensure that they have the best price, yet not compromising quality, the restaurants have to establish very good supplier-customer relationships. They believe that one of the best ways to keep up with such a relationship is to pay the suppliers promptly.

Decisions that have to be made everyday A day at Michelangelo’s can start as early as 7 or 8 am in the morning. Suppliers will start bringing in their products to the restaurant. Around that time, the restaurant will be cleaned up, for example the windows to be wiped and the floor to be mopped. The restaurant then is prepared for the afternoon lunch crowd. Lunch at Michelangelo’s ends at 2pm and the restaurant is closed from 2pm till about 6pm before they open again for the dinner crowd. Before each meal, the service staff is briefed on the daily specials so they will know when asked by the guests. The service staff will also be assigned to the tables that they will be serving. For the kitchen staff, a lot of food has to be prepared beforehand so there is lot of work to do too. As the last customer leaves and this could be about 12am in the morning, the tables and chairs are stacked up and the dishes are washed.

Problems / Weaknesses / Competitors Situated at #01-60 Chip Bee Gardens, Michelangelo’s is only able to accommodate 65 people while Sistina and Original Sin are able to accommodate up to 75 people. Despite the limited space, many a time, tables have to be kept as there are insufficient servers to cater to the customers. In Singapore, good servers are extremely hard to find. This is most likely due to the people’s perception of this title. As a result, foreign labor is employed. This gives rise to much more paper work and levy to be paid. The present landlord has also imposed restrictions on how the outdoor tables should be arranged. This creates additional work for the servers to move the tables in and out. Besides Sistina, there is also an Italian restaurant serving similar food. This creates some competition. Chef Angelo however is not at all concerned; he feels that one should concentrate on its own management rather than to find out what others are doing.

Financial Facts Mr. Hadley and Mr. Sanelli invested about $390,000 to start up the restaurant Michelangelo’s. With the money, they took over a company and then under its name opened up Michelangelo’s. The $390,000 also includes the cost of buying all the necessary equipment and the renovation of the restaurant. Michelangelo’s had been making a profit since their first month and according to Mr. Sanelli, they have been able to earn back their capital in 6 months time. However, there are lots of hidden costs included in running a restaurant. For example a glass could cost $3.80 each. Every day, there could be incidents of breakage and this could add up to a hefty amount of money. Besides that, there is also a company doctor hired to look after the welfare of the staff and offering the staff free treatment. There is also a laundry cost of about $500 a month as Michelangelo’s changes tablecloths every time new guests are seated.

Wages make up 20% of the revenue of the restaurant. Food costs up to 30% of the revenue of the restaurant. Insurance, rent and the miscellaneous costs takes up another 20% of the restaurant. Hence, Michelangelo’s makes a profit of about 30% The monthly revenue of Michelangelo’s averaged among the months of the year comes up to $250,000

(G) Plans for the Future

The food industry in Singapore has seen tremendous growth and development over the last few years. Growth is expected to continue and estimates suggest that the food market in Singapore will grow by more than 5% for at least the next three years. Mr. Sanelli’s plans for the future are to own 12 different successful restaurants and chefs owning business shares in the restaurants. He also aims to set up a school for F&B; teaching people who are interested in cooking and setting up a restaurant. He personally feels that in Singapore, most people tend to regard a waiter’s job as something you work as if you can’t excel in your studies. However, he thinks otherwise. Everything has to start from scratch; if you have a dream of setting up your own restaurant in future, you must start to learn the ropes of the trade from the lowest level of the hierarchy—as a waiter. Mr. Sanelli’s business goal is to follow through what he believes in and once the restaurant is open for business, it belongs to his customers. He sets a good example for his staff by being friendly to his customers and offering them personalized services to make them feel comfortable and relaxed during their meals.

Michelangelo’s makes a continuous effort in maintaining good relationship with its customers. Training of its staff will be upgraded in order to serve the patrons to the best of their ability. Even though many new restaurants are being set up in Singapore every year, Michelangelo’s is confident that with great-tasting food and excellent service, it can continue to maintain its competitive edge in the F&B industry. Regardless of its suppliers, customers or even its staff, Mr Sanelli feels that a handshake is more important than anything else. By maintaining good relationships with suppliers, customer satisfaction and maintaining harmony among staff, the outlook is positive. The combination of these three areas have been well integrated to bring Michelangelo’s to what it is today and this will move the restaurant to greater heights in the new millennium. According to the Singapore Food Industries’ latest annual report, the local food industry is estimated to be $3.4 billion a year. However due to depressed stock market sentiment, restaurants like Michelangelo’s could be affected as dining out is seen as a luxury, and is indulged in when people have the spare cash. However, Mr. Sanelli believes that the industry is doing great and his restaurant will be able to tide over this without significant problems.

(H) Comments by Customers “Seldom. I went Michelangelo’s once with my ex-girlfriend two years back. A relatively nice restaurant I would say…” Cheong Wei Khun, NTU Acc3 student “The food is really great at Sistina! Servings are generous and staff are friendly.” Amy Toh, Accounts Exec

”I have seen 8 on the Bay. It’s at Kallang, somewhere near the Singapore Indoor Stadium. My family often eat at the Thai Sharksfin Village besides it. It looks pretty posh. I will probably give it a try in the near future.” Joanne Ng, Auditor “I have heard of 8 on the Bay. In fact, I have $20 food voucher at 8 on the Bay when I purchased my handphone last week. I will definitely go there after my exams…” Marcus Lee, NTU Eng Yr4 “Michelangelo’s has a very nice ambience and the place is very tastefully done.” Winnie Yen, 20, NUS Arts & Social Science student “I have been to 8 on the Bay quite a few times with my business associates and friends. The wine list is really impressive. The decoration was very posh as well.” Ho Kiat Peng, 35, Sales Manager “The service at Michelangelo’s is very good. It is my place of choice when I just want to have a good meal after a hard day’s work. I feel totally at ease and comfortable there…” Stacy Low, 24, Insurance agent “This place was recommended by my friend and as I was around this area, I decided to drop by. The food’s good, the service’s great, what else can I say? I would definitely come again!” Margaret Tan, 43, Teacher

(I) Appendices Appendix 1 Let’s start the interview by finding out about the man behind Michelangelo’s 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. What is your full name? Which country do you come from? When did you come to Singapore? Why ? Why did you choose to start your business in Singapore ? Why do you want to start your own business? Was starting a business your ambition since young? If yes, why? If not, what had caused you to make this decision? 7. What was your occupation before you started your business? 8. Why did you decide to venture into the F&B industry? 9. How did you obtain the capital to start your business? 10. Tell us more about yourself; how do you think your personality constitutes to you starting your own business? (eg. Determined, good judgement….) 11. Was your family supportive of your decision to start the business? 12. Do you think there are any sacrifices that you made because of the business?

Michelangelo’s background 1. 2. 3. 4. Could you tell us more about the background of Michelangelo’s? What year did Michelangelo’s actually start business? How did the concept of “Michelangelo’s” come about? Is Michelangelo’s a typical Italian restaurant? Are there any modifications in the food to suit the Singaporean tastes? 5. Did you conduct any marketing research before you started the restaurant? 6. What factors made you to choose Holland Village as the location of your restaurant? 7. What were some of the difficulties that you faced at the start-up stage of the business? 8. How did you go about overcoming them? 9. How long did it take for your business to “break-even”? 10. So far has Michelangelo’s won any awards?

The whole concept of Michelangelo’s 1. What is your business’s goal? 2. How do you go about attracting customers to your restaurant? Could you tell us about any marketing activities that you have done before? 3. What do you think is the “selling point” of Michelangelo’s? 4. How do you maintain a competitive edge over other restaurants? 5. How do you manage your customer base? How do you keep yourself updated with their changing tastes and preferences? 6. Could we know more about your organisational structure? 7. It costs more to attract a new customer than to keep an existing one and customer retention seems to be rather important. Do you have any marketing strategy to retain your exist customers as well as attract potential ones? 8. How would you describe a typical or regular customer at your restaurant? 9. What factors constitute to the design of the restaurant? (eg. layout of restaurant, use of lighting, use of colours) 10. What is the reason for you choosing the kind of ambience for your restaurant? What kind of feelings and experience do you want your customers to have? Why? 11. What do you want Michelangelo’s to be known for? Why? 12. How did you come up with the menu? 13. How did you go about setting the prices for your food and wine? 14. Ever since the opening of the restaurant, has anything been added to the menu? If no, would you introduce more items in the menu? 15. Why do you choose to emphasize on your wine list among all other items in the menu?

The running of Michelangelo’s 1. Tell us about the business process. What is a typical day at the restaurant like? What decisions do you have to make daily? 2. How many staff do you need?

3. Do you have any set of criteria when hiring your employees? 4. How do you delegate responsibility? Do you have to be around everyday to ensure the smooth running of the business? 5. How do you motivate your employees? 6. How do you define customer satisfaction? 7. Fine dining requires your waiters and waitresses to be well trained in every detail . How do you go about training them to provide the best service? 8. Do you train your chefs? 9. How do you ensure that every customer gets the best service and best food? 10. Do you have any feedback/complaint system for your customers to express their comments? How do you use this tool for improvement? 11. Are you able to get your supplies easily in Singapore? 12. Do you face any problems with the suppliers? 13. What do you perceive to be your “weaknesses”? (eg. Hiring employees, problems with suppliers….) Which area do you think Michelangelo needs improvement in?

Looking into the future 1. What is the future for Michelangelo’s in 5 years time? 2. Who do you think are your main competitors? 3. What do you think of the F&B industry in Singapore? How has it changed as compared to the time you first started out? 4. There are many Italian restaurants in Singapore and may be increasing in the near future as many people see the F&B industry as lucrative due to Singapore being called the ” Food & Shopping Paradise”. Do you see this as a threat or a challenge? Why? 5. Many organizations are following the “dot.com” trend. Do you have an on-line site? Would you consider delivery services? 6. What do you think are some of the potential problems that Michelangelo’s may face in the future? 7. How do you plan to overcome them, especially since the F&B industry is expanding rapidly in Singapore? 8. What are some of the important lessons that you have learnt while starting your business? 9. What advice would you give to someone thinking of entering the F&B industry? 10. Have you ever thought of further expanding your business? Will we see a Michelangelo’s 2 in the east? Or maybe in the region?

Appendix 2 Customers 1. How frequent do you visit Michelangelo’s, Sistina Pizzeria, Orignal Sin or 8 on the bay? 2. What is your impression of the restaurant(s)?

Potential Customers 1. Have you heard about the restaurant Michelangelo’s, Sistina Pizzeria, Original Sin or 8 on the Bay? 2. If yes, how did you hear of it/them? 3. Will you give it a try in the near future?