Bailey Nelson Optometrist - Ponsonby

Great Experience! This was my second time here, and once again, the experience was excellent. The eye exam was smooth, and the person helping me with glasses was super patient, knowledgeable and helpful. I love the wide variety of frame options, they made it easy to find something I really liked. Highly recommend!

I had a really wonderful experience with Bailey Nelson and I would highly recommend them to anyone. The staff were incredibly polite, insightful, and we are very invested making my experience better. From cream choice, to explaining the different lens options, and laser eye surgery. I went to the one in Ponsonby and would happily return here. The prices and the deals are all very fair. The frame options for far superior to the other opticians I have visited in Auckland, with a wide range of classy and modern frames.

James from Ponsonby branch was very helpful and accommodating. I also like how precise they are in measurements and ensuring that their customers are satisfied in their product and services. This shop would definitely my go to place from now on.

The most unfriendly experience both choosing lens for my glasses, and picking them up. When choosing I felt under a lot of pressure to spend the most money possible. It was as if I was an idiot to try and save some money on progressive lens (which are more expensive to start with). It wasn’t a friendly or helpful experience. Then picking them up I wasn’t greeted when I came in and stood for quite a while waiting for one of the staff to look up from the work they were doing. Then she handed me off to someone else. I also had to ask for my frames to be adjusted so they fit more comfortably and wouldn’t slip forward. Appalling customer service on both occasions and I was the only customer in the store also on both occasions. I won’t be returning.

The optometrist was very pleasant and gentle but the welcome to the shop was cold if not parculiar. The team of three looked at me more like I'd walked into their sitting room uninvited. A woman all in white walked oddly slowly towards to as if nervous of an intruder, saying nothing to me. I had to introduce why I was there as if it wasn't a shop front. Another girl then took over but had no idea how to use the machines for my consult, it was very unnerving and embarrassing until it took the rest of the staff not bring able to help for them to get the optometrist. I totally understand staff in training but they should be shadowed much closer

This was hands down the worst experience I’ve had in retail customer service. I’ve worked in retail myself for over 20 years and I was astounded and not in a good way. When I arrived to the store I had an appointment that I had booked online and received a confirmation for, the sales assistant James had no clue and was fumbling around trying to find my appointment. I mentioned there was an email that was sent through regarding it, he proceeded to ignore me and looked at me blankly. I asked if the manager perhaps knew and he said the manager wasn’t in and didn’t offer any resolution. I felt like I had to prompt simple customer service questions to him- he then tried contacting his manager and I told him again that there was an email that would have come through from Australia. He then said something along the lines of "oh the stock in Australia isn’t the same as what we have here". Um? I then repeated that he would have received an email about my appointment and had to tell him to literally check his emails- he found it and then mumbled that the optometrist was ready to see me. The appointment was great and left the store a bit bittersweet. 2 weeks later and I hadn’t received a notification or email so tried to ring the store and their phone messages were at full capacity so it kept hanging up. I contacted customer services and they were able to follow up only to find out my order hasn’t been processed at all so I’d have to wait another week and a bit for them. Frustrating. Then waited a week and a bit and still no notification, I rang the store and the guy said oh yes they were there ready to collect and I should have received a notification. I went into store to collect these and the woman at the counter proceeded to look for these for 10 minutes before she found them on the counter. I love the glasses but honestly guys, your sales staff need more training. Not impressed.

While my overall experience of Bailey Nelson has been great, with super helpful, attentive staff, this wasn't the case when I picked my latest glasses up. They didn't check and adjust the fit like they usually do, so I will probably need to go back, which is a shame. That said, I love my frames and they arrived sooner than expected.