I hired Callidus Electric to run Ethernet and install four exterior PoE security cameras at my home. Unfortunately, while the cameras were ultimately installed and working, I was very disappointed with the workmanship, professionalism, and especially the company's response after I brought the problems to their attention.
Several drywall access holes were patched very poorly. The pieces were uneven, there were large gaps and damaged edges, and they used raised, rounded-head screws rather than drywall screws, leaving me with additional corrective work before the ceiling can be properly mudded and finished. This is now something I will have to pay someone else to repair.
The crew also left drywall dust, pieces of stripped cable sheathing, screws, and other debris behind in my garage and around multiple exterior areas where they worked. One of the screws was left on the garage floor where I park my vehicle and could easily have ended up in a punctured tire.
What particularly bothered me from a professionalism standpoint was that the crew helped themselves to my personal equipment without ever asking. They used both my ladder and my broom. I expect someone working in my home to bring and use their own equipment and if they need something they didn't bring to ask permission before simply using my personal equipment.
There was also a basic installation request that wasn't followed. I specifically asked for 4-5 feet of slack on each Ethernet cable where the four runs terminate at my PoE switch. Instead, the four cables were left at substantially different lengths--approximately 5 feet, 3 feet, 3 feet, and only 1.5 feet--making it more difficult to arrange the equipment the way I had planned.
I initially chose not to post a negative review and contacted Callidus directly instead. I spoke with Kyla, explained the problems, and subsequently emailed detailed feedback along with photos. She was polite and apologetic and told me she had shared everything with the service manager and owner and that the work was "completely unacceptable."
Unfortunately, that was effectively the end of Callidus' response.
I never heard from the service manager or owner. Neither contacted me to apologize, discuss what happened, or offer any way to make the situation right. Nobody offered to correct the drywall patches, reimburse any portion of the cost of having it repaired, provide a partial refund, offer a future service credit, or propose any other resolution. I was simply told the employees would be spoken to internally.
I appreciate Kyla's apology, but internal employee coaching doesn't resolve the problems left behind at a customer's home. I gave Callidus the opportunity to address this privately before posting a review, and I was disappointed that management apparently didn't feel any additional follow-up with the customer was warranted.
The mistakes themselves were frustrating, but the lack of ownership and meaningful response from management after I documented everything is ultimately what turned this into an unsatisfactory experience for me. read more