On January 10, 2025, my spouse and I experienced extremely poor customer service at Heat Lab, a newly operated business located in Prince Frederick, Maryland. The owner, Ms. Erin, displayed concerning and unprofessional behavior that caused significant emotional distress and frustration due to her insulting comments and inability to resolve customer concerns calmly.
During a phone conversation, Ms. Erin failed to maintain professionalism and overreacted to what should have been a simple customer service inquiry. As a new customer, I was trying to better understand the membership process and a specific charge on my account. Instead of providing clarification, she became impatient, raised her voice, stated that she had "already explained her services," and abruptly disconnected the call without allowing me to ask follow-up questions.
In an effort to resolve the situation peacefully, my spouse--a retired Air Force veteran--visited the establishment in person. Upon arrival, Calvert County police were already present. Ms. Erin continued to display emotionally unstable and confrontational behavior. While verbally explaining the membership charges, she refused to provide any written documentation when requested, stating, "I don't have to provide anything to you."
My spouse asked if law enforcement is typically involved in customer disputes at Heat Lab. Ms. Erin responded, "Only YOU," and continued yelling in front of the officer while struggling to provide clear information about their overly priced services.
We were both shocked and deeply disappointed by the way we were treated. This experience was far from professional and does not reflect the standard of service customers should expect from a business. read more