GREENVILLE - For a state known for its "Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places," South Carolina could use a few more smiles.

Improving customer service in the hospitality industry, the $14.4 billion backbone of the state's economy, has become a renewed priority for tourism leaders trying to meet the growing demands of travelers and keep the industry strong.

Elected leaders joined state officials last week at the Governor's Conference on Tourism and Travel in urging business owners to ensure that friendly folks are greeting the 29 million visitors to the state each year - a trait crucial in getting those visitors to bring their dollars back to South Carolina and in the state living up to its slogan.

'"Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places' is just another way to talk about customer service," U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said during his brief stop Friday at the two-day conference. "That represents who we are as a state."

More training is in place to raise the service level, with several seminars starting this month along the Grand Strand and more in the works as businesses begin hiring workers for the season.

And Horry County's Chad Prosser, director-designate of the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, aims to assist the industry in offering more training programs.

"It's really our job to make sure we have smiles on our faces," he said.

Along the Grand Strand, service at the many hotels, restaurants and stores is good enough to keep visitors coming back but could use some improvement, area leaders say. They welcome more training opportunities to remind workers of the importance of greeting guests by name, not letting a bad day affect their attitude and fulfilling the customer's every need.

"Overall, we do a very good job, but we still have plenty of opportunities to improve," said Dennis Wade, chairman of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. "There's still a need in our market for some ongoing training."

A bad attitude from one hotel worker or waitress can ruin a vacation and cause some travelers not to return.

But finding top-quality workers in a seasonal industry that traditionally pays less than $8 an hour is tough. Unemployment in Horry County hovers at 3 percent during the summer peak, as businesses scramble to find workers to handle the crowds.

But consultant Marvin Montgomery warns businesses not to hire workers in hopes that whatever undesirable trait someone displays during an interview can be changed.

"That was their best," Montgomery said. "That interview time is the best you are ever going to see."

A strong image as a good place to work can lure the best employees amid a tight labor market, Montgomery said. Opportunities for training and advancement have outweighed wages as the top concerns of workers, he said.

The desire to improve service is a priority throughout the industry, not just the Grand Strand and South Carolina.

Customer service is the most important part of the tourism industry, and it has a long way to go, consultant Alf Nucifora said.

"Your success depends on the front line," he said. "And they could be doing irreparable damage to the brand."

It's as simple as saying "please" and "thank you," keeping a neat appearance and calling customers by name, Montgomery said. He suggests adopting the principle, "Do unto your customer the way they want to be done."

"People never, ever forget how you make them feel," Montgomery said.

The philosophy is simple, but workers need reminders, leaders say.

The Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association hopes to have new seminars in place by spring, when businesses are hiring for the summer.

"We do believe it is something we need to focus on," association President Martha Hunn said. "We've got to stay ahead of the curve. And now, travelers demand more and more out of their vacation."

Still, the number of complaints filed with the Grand Strand's ethics committee decreased in 2002 compared with the previous year, Hunn said. The complaints affect about 5 percent of the businesses, committee member Frans Mustert of Patricia Resorts said.

"We do a pretty good job these days," he said. "We are exactly what people expect us to be."

Wade hopes the training programs will be ongoing to constantly remind workers their job is to make others happy.

"It's not rocket science, but it is something that you have to keep in front of you," he said.