Bermuda needs to get its house in order to kick start a vital hospitality training programme that appears to be in disarray.

Training consultant Bill Freeman, who is working with the hotel industry to improve service standards, called on the different agencies to get their act together to get the scheme back on track.

He said it was unclear who was going to pay for the Bermuda Service Strategy Plan and who was going to carry it on when his Freeman Group stopped.

Conflict and communications problems between the National Training Board, Bermuda College and hotel industry appear to be to blame for the delay in the programme properly taking off.

In addition, he said, they were nowhere near identifying any Bermudians to lead the project.

"The National Training Board, College and industry need to get their act together,'' he said.

"We are two years behind schedule, we haven't been able to identify any Bermudians. The big problem is "who is going to pay for it?'' "The investment would be fairly small, that is why the NTB, College and industry need to figure out who is going to pay for it.'' Mr. Freeman, who was addressing the Bermuda National Tourism Conference at the BUEI, highlighted the need for countries to spend at least three percent of their marketing budget on training.

He said some destinations were pouring millions into advertising but nothing into improving the product. The Bermuda Service Strategy Plan had had a mixed success, he said, but still needed commitment to go further.

"I find it very discouraging that we are still talking about getting the industry, NTB and College together -- you are going to cloth yourselves with bureaucracy. South America is growing, you are competing with people who are extremely aware of what they need to do to attract people to their islands.'' Mr. Freeman said there was a need to set standards for service, that were both achievable and measurable -- continuing with those standards until they "got it right''.

Training could take the form of 15 minutes every week, improving workers' skills.

Customers, he said, who had paid $350 for a room, wanted a $350 welcome.

In addition, they wanted professional problem solvers, good quality and imaginative food, clean rooms and public areas, efficient service, a strong concern for and anticipation of their needs, culminating in value for their dollar.

There was also a need to get across to the Bermudian public that customer service was their responsibility.

"If everyone they come into contact with is pleasant, people will put up with it. You have got to get into the schools -- if you say Bermuda is fighting for business, I see it fighting for survival.'' TOURISM TOU