Dell Inspiron 5100 Review

Overall Rating

It's easy to customise the system you want

Horrendous delivery problems. I have wasted many hours trying to get this resolved and I still have not received the goods.

I have yet to receive the Dell Inspiron 5100 laptop that I ordered and will be pursuing a full refund because I am extremely disappointed with the miscommunication of delivery dates between dELL UK, its courier, its call centre based in India. A delivery guy actually turned up one night without the laptop saying he had no clue where it was. I've had a horrific experience discussing this with their customer care team too. They didn't even bother replying to any of the complaints I logged with them. The people based in Dell's India call centre must be reading from a script too "You're right, You're right, You're right....Dell has let you down, give us one more chance." They did the bare minimum of conceding a massive rebate by refunding my freight charges - a whopping GBP50!!! But I actually had to ask if they could do that? Maybe add that to their script! Nice try D-UK, but I think there's minimal accountability at your firm when it comes to delivery problems and that has lost you my custom. I am careful not to spell out their company name the exact way they advertise because it may be perceived as good press. Good luck future customers - you can only speculate what their service standards are once you actually get their product. Why not check out your local Computer sales company - you can put a name to a face and there's surely a lot more accountability than I've had with this company.

Members' Comments onJohnRemotsuc's Review

• B Darlington on 9th Feb 2004

  I am thinking of buying a Inspiron 5100
  but being put off by the comments on bad
  delivery. Has it improved ??

• greannmhar on 28th Feb 2004

  I wish I\'d read this review before ordering from Dell - I am still waiting for my Dell Inspiron (ordered on 14/2 and money debited on 17th ) and the order watch site keeps moving the estimated delivery date back a day at a time. Emails to India get nonsense replies and phonecalls (when I can get through) are full of useless promises.
  I have given them another few days and then I am going to contact my credit card account to cancel, if I can.
  I will buy at my local computer shop next time and recommend anyone else to do the same.

• greannmhar on 1st Mar 2004

  Update on my last comment - I have now cancelled my order with Dell. I will have to wait at least 5-7 days for a refund but my credit card company will refund the money 30 days after it was removed from my account if Dell don\'t do so.
  This is an online buying experience I wouldn\'t care to repeat. I even tried faxing the Dell head office in Bray - all they did was forward my complaint to the call centre. In the end, the call centre guy (in India) tried to persuade me to wait another week, with no guarantees even then. He claimed a parts shortage but had no idea when it would be resolved. Full of apologies and very polite, but no progress and no laptop within sight.
  I\'ll be buying at my local computer store - Dell take note, you\'ve lost my custom forever.

• magd0095 on 17th Mar 2004

  I placed an order for a dimension desktop on 12 March.

• coco on 19th Apr 2004

  oh well, I did read your comment but still bought it from Dell outlet. The specs were enough to convince me and it was at a rebate and free delivery. Now now, nothing comes free except trouble. Should have had the laptop last Friday and missed it because they failed to call me for the delivery time arranged. Dell says that the carrier calls you before arranging delivery but clearly not the case. Now they are saying only certain carriers call you. Missed delivery today (Monday) because there is no (!) delivery on Saturdays. This stuff is from fiction. I can't even go and collect from carrier depot because they won't allow it unless authorized by Dell (who won't do so). Lucky I have a sense of humour. That customer service centre in India is definitely not a help in this case.

• gurustip on 10th Oct 2004

  Oh dear...
  I just placed an order for a new Inspiron 1000, which looked like a fantastic deal on the website.
  When entering my invoice address I made a small error and try as I may, couldn't find a way to rectify it. Calls to the centre were met with ignorance and they don't even open at the weekend!! What is the point of a call centre you can't actually use when you have the time to?
  I didn't realise the call centre was based in India, but that explains why I couldn't understand a word they were saying, nor they I.
  If and when it arrives, it'll be a good day!