FIVE COMMON MISTAKES EVERY WOMAN MAKES

Chances are, you've committed at least one or two hair faux pas. From waiting too long to get a haircut to combing hair while wet to choosing the wrong shampoo for your hair type, we're all guilty of making a few hair mistakes in our time. Fortunately, these common hair mistakes are all easy to fix, so fear not and tread forth with determination to correct your past errors.

Delaying Haircuts

Waiting too long in between haircuts is one beauty sin women habitually commit. Always stay on top of hair appointments to keep hair manageable and beautiful. The ends of your hair often become brittle and dry, giving them a dull and unhealthy appearance.

"Get a haircut every six to eight weeks, depending on your growth," says celebrity hairstylist Vasken Demirjian, whose client list includes the Kennedy family and whose salon has been named as one of the country's top three by Salon Today Magazine.

He adds, "As a stylist, I know when a woman's hair is at its optimum condition. It's vibrant, shiny, reflective and alive. When you wait too long, you have split ends and your hair is less shiny and out of control."

Choosing the Wrong Shampoo

Always choose a shampoo that's tailored to your hair needs. For example, certain shampoos are created for fine, curly, color treated, gray or dandruff-prone hair.

"Read the description on the label and do your best to match the description on the label to your hair type," advises Colin Lively, a NYC hair stylist who's served as the artistic director for Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salons for 10 years.

For example, shampoos that say something like "for dry and brittle hair" will be too heavy for natural or fine hair, explains Lively. Conversely, shampoo intended for oily hair will be too harsh and drying on other types.

Once you've selected the appropriate shampoo, massage it onto your roots and scalp and rinse thoroughly. Any residual shampoo left on the shaft results in dull locks.

Combing Hair While Wet

Did you know that when your hair is wet, it's more susceptible to damage? That's a shame, considering so many women experience a tangle battle post shower. Turns out, combing your hair while it's wet and tangled can result in hair breakage in addition to pain. Always use a detangling spray or softening agent before combing wet hair, advises Demirjian.

"You have to be extremely delicate when you comb your hair, whether wet or dry, but particularly when wet," he says. "Also make certain you are using an excellent toothed comb."

Lively adds -- and this goes along with hair faux pas #2 -- that if you struggle with matted and tangled hair, you're probably using the wrong products for your hair type.

Putting Ponytail in Same Spot

Your hair is also susceptible to breaking when you place your ponytail in the same spot every day, explains Demirjian.

"A tight pony tail will have residual damage on the hairline, from the pull and tightness, as well as on the area where the ponytail is held by the band," he explains. "Depending on the type of bands you use, you can even have loss of elasticity."

Switch things up by either wearing hair down, moving the location of your ponytail or by using a less damaging hair tool, such as a barrette, claw or bobby pins.

Demirjian adds that wearing your locks the same way every single day -- pony tail or not -- is an injustice to your hair. Try something fun and flirty.

"Hair is your number one accessory," he says. "Use it effectively."

Rubbing Hair in Towel

It's OK to wrap your hair in a towel post shower, but rubbing your hair in your towel is a beauty mistake that'll leave your hair frizzy, unkempt and less healthy. The best post-shower protocol is to wring out excess water from hair with your hands and then to wrap it in a towel for 5 to 10 minutes. If you still have excess water in your hair, either re-wrap and wait another 10 minutes or gentle press your hair between a dry towel. Never, under any circumstances, rub. (Unless you want to sport a frizzy mane for the rest of the day.)

5 CUSTOMERS HATE THE MOST

Never let these phrases pass the lips of your customer service team.

Almost nothing leads to a customer service meltdown more quickly than the use of one particularly offensive phrase. You know it. Heck, we all know it. I don’t really even need to write it. However, just in case you’ve been hiding-out in a California commune or were raised in upper Albania, here it is:
“That’s our policy.”

I’d wager that even as you read those words, you flashed-back to a past personal experience in which someone spoke them as if they were a magic wand that would miraculously make you go away. But, of course, you didn’t go away. You just became more frustrated, and more convinced that particular company had little interest in your eventual satisfaction.

In seminars, I call it “TOP,” and it is a phrase that is less than useless. It is destructive. TOP is the customer service equivalent to “That’s tough” or “You’re out of luck.” It’s primary purpose is to shut down a conversation. TOP only accelerates the transformation of current customers into a former customers, and was undoubtedly crafted by someone completely oblivious to the value of customer retention. Even worse, for some customers it’s a declaration of war. Every dispute-gone-viral tracked by my firm has involved some version of that terrible text.

Whenever someone tries TOP on me, I respond with a carefully crafted policy statement of my own, “Your internal policy decisions have nothing to do with my expectations of customer satisfaction.” And that’s the point, customers should not accept contract verbiage as an excuse for a less-than-promised product or service. “That’s our policy” might save a current sale, though all future business will likely be lost.

Now that I’ve lambasted TOP, here are a few more quips that should never leak from the lips of your customer service team:
“There’s Nothing I Can Do”

Your soon-to-be former customer replies, “Then why did I spend the last forty-five minutes on hold with you?” Plus, there’s always an option—returning the customer’s cash. Focus your team on problem solving rather than problem diverting. Give them the freedom to find creative alternatives. Reward them for innovative solutions and brushfires doused.
“Would You Mind Holding For A Moment?”

Of course they mind, and what if they say “No.” Better to be specific and direct. “I’m going to put you on hold while speak with my supervisor, and I’ll check back with you in a minute or so if I haven’t an answer by then.” Sure. It’s long-winded, but considerably more satisfying for your already frustrated customer.
“You’ll have to go to our website.”

This is just another way of saying “I can’t help you.” Instead of making your customer hunt around with their browser after they’ve already waited on the phone, email them a link directly to the page or necessary file.
“That’s the manufacturer’s responsibility”

Or, as it's sometimes put: “Our business partner will have to help you.” You’re telling your customers that while you’re happy to take their money at the time of sale, you’re not willing to back them in a crunch. The underlying principle is that your customer doesn’t have a financial relationship with your partner, supplier, or manufacturer... and therefore no leverage in negotiating a remedy. You took the customer’s money. So, whatever the problem is, it’s your responsibility to fix.

Those are my top five offending phrases; feel free to chime in below with a few of your own.