There are few trades where it’s more important to make a positive first impression than the accommodation industry. Much of the quality of a guest’s stay is largely determined by their initial impression of your property.

Not surprisingly, according to the benchmark J.D. Power’s North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, “unclean rooms” made more negative first impressions than anything else.

In today’s social media-obsessed culture, where restaurant meals are Facebooked and tweeted within seconds of being placed on the table, hotels are “so scared” guests might publicise negative first impressions, “there is more pressure for hotels to provide exemplary service, right from the beginning of a guest’s arrival,” writes industry observer Matthew Kassel.

Many first impressions are actually created before the guest sets eyes or foot on your property. “The impressions formed start with basic marketing and e-commerce,” says hotel management consultant George Jordan. “Look at a website: Is it fresh and current or old and stale? Does the website load quickly, and is it optimised for smartphones?” And when the guest uses your booking engine, “are the number of rates and room types easily understood and do customers find it easy to use?”

These impressions are formed long before the guest can be impressed by how clean your lobby is, how pleasant your employees are and how neat and spiffy the room is.

Hotel maintenance expert Steve Kovacs notes the importance of the lobby or entrance area for first impressions, next to the rooms themselves this is by far the most important area to keep clean: “Don’t forget to clean lobby windows and doors frequently to keep them free of dirt, sticky handprints and streaks,” he recommends. Keep your maintenance and housekeeping well-stocked with cleaners and replace worn out cleaning tools promptly.

You don’t have to go to the extent that some hotels in highly competitive markets do, serving fresh cookies or spraying misted scent to set the guest’s mood, but you do need to do everything possible to make the best first impression you can.