For years, I would avoid the main post office, especially at peak times, and go to a small local…read moreone. That's before they bought in self service machines and it's probably not overstating that it has changed my life somewhat. It may not be any quicker at the self-service machine, seeing as I'm not a trained PO professional but I pretty quickly learnt the order the questions are going to come up on the big touch-screen in front of me to select what sort of postal service I need. You will be very unlucky if you have to wait in line here as there are plenty of machines that mostly work. If there is anywhere you may have to wait in line is if you need a 'proof of postage' receipt or are sending by any traceable service (recorded deliver, special delivery etc.) but otherwise your stamps are printed along with your receipt in seconds and you pop your post in the box and go. Even better, the post office is now open until 6.30 each week night. It is almost empty for the last hour as no-one knows about late opening. Until now that is.

As Post Offices go... This one is pretty good actually. Ideally situated just off Victoria Square,…read moreI believe it's the largest Post Office in the City Centre. It offers all the services you would need, including a travel money service, a selection of collectable coins/small gifts, insurance/banking and a cash machine. There are a number of counters (and normally plenty of staff), so you WILL have a wait (inevitable these days), but now there is a ticket system in place so you at least have some idea of how long that's going to be. Plus, no more queuing! This branch has installed plenty of seats so you can sit and wait to be called. I popped in to post a parcel to America this week. Obviously, being the festive season... It was packed. I took a ticket and was informed there were 15 people in front of me. When you get your ticket from the automatic machine, you select the service you require (meaning that people waiting for passport/financial services aren't in the same queue as people who just want to post something). Posting things abroad is expensive these days, but the friendly and helpful member of staff I encountered made the pain a little more bearable. Once I was called, I scooted up to the desk to be greeted with a big friendly smile and was asked what I required. I explained I wanted to post a parcel and the guy gave me a sympathetic look and asked me to place my item on the scale. Yes... It was pricey. After going through the American import protocol (filling in the little sticker that pretty much renders any surprise gone for the recipient as you detail EXACTLY what is in the parcel), we had a chat about who I was sending it to and what I was sending. Not in a creepy way, just an interested one. Whilst the exchange was going on, we got to the subject of upcoming travel plans. With two trips abroad planned (so far) for 2014/2015, we got on to the subject of their various financial services for people going on holidays. Now, I am pretty clued up on currency etc - but he had some pretty good information about services I didn't know the Post Office offered (and assured me he wasn't on commission). I left lighter in the wallet, but not too bothered about it. I did everything I needed fairly swiftly and without and hassle. The service I received was pretty fantastic and I left armed with information about things I very well may use in the future. I would definitely use this Post Office again rather than my usual JQ branch if I was headed into town.

I never really had the need to use the Post Offices in Kingstanding until about 12 months ago when…read moreI had a big splurge on Ebay and posted around 100 packages over a period of about two months. I tried the main Post Office on Kingstanding Circle but the queues were always ridiculously long, so I decided to take my next batch of parcels to a nearby Sub-Post Office on College Road. It's quite a small Post Office with the counter at the back and a small shopping area, although it's small in size it still stocks everything I'd expect to find in a Post Office of this kind. There are a rack of different sized envelopes as well as postal boxes and other items for sending your mail, I was pleased to see a selection of brown wrapping paper because this is what I was using to wrap my parcels and it was costing me a fortune to buy it from the nearby papershop. The rolls in here are 99p which was fine for me as a roll of this length would easily wrap four or five of my parcels. You can also buy a nice selection of stationery and colouring books, I usually buy my artistic nine year old a new book whenever I visit this Post Office because the selection changes regularly and there was always a new one that I knew she'd like. The top shelf is filled with £4.99 handbags of different sizes and styles, to be honest since I've been coming here it looks like the same bags are here so I don't know why they don't give them up as a bad job and use this shelf for something better. There's nothing wrong with the bags, don't get me wrong, it's just that THESE particular bags can be bought nearby for just £2.99 which somewhat says something about the quality of them! Last time I was using this Post Office I noticed they'd started to sell a range of second hand chick-lit books, presumably the owners daughters, which were unfortunately overpriced otherwise I'd have bought a couple. I like that I can also buy cold drinks and my fags from here as most Sub-Post Offices do not sell tobacco products, I know it's bad for me but give us smokers a break and at least let me buy them in whatever shop I choose! A few bags of crisps and chocolate bars make up the remainder of the shop, as well as one of those annoying cheap toy racks where everything is £1. It's a load of plastic tat that will probably break before you even get home, but aren't these shopkeepers crafty - they know full well that mum will give in once her child starts mithering for a toy simply because it is only one pound! I hate being manipulated like this! The husband and wife (I think) team who run College Road Post Office are lovely, they are family people and often have their little girl with them behind the counter colouring or doing her homework. They are both very helpful, it's the lady who runs the Post Office while her husband is in charge of the shop. The man is really polite and will hold open the door for you and help carry heavy parcels to the counter, this I think is unusual in Sub Post Offices as usually they will watch you struggling with a look of glee on their faces - well, this is the case in Birmingham anyway!

I've used this Post Office, on a regular basis, for many years and whilst I tend to shy away from…read morethe internet felt I had to make a comment about the service I receive generally, as well as a specific example of good service. The Post Office staff are welcoming, friendly and helpful. They offer a professional, knowledgeable service and have a good rapport with their customers. Longstanding customers are known by name and there is the feel of a community hub, within the Post Office. Whilst posting letters yesterday,I purchased a snow shovel and was advised it was the last one. Rather than transport it between my home and my mother's I decided it would be wise to acquire another one. Today,I rang to enquire if they could source another for me and within 10 minutes I received a call back to say they had reordered some more some more snow shovels and would put one aside for me. Can't ask for better customer service than that. Wonder if I can get a home delivery ? I'm only joking, however, knowing them I"m sure if I was elderly they would go out of their way on a personal level to help.

Not quite in the centre of town but need to access a post office? This particular post office is…read moresituated in Newton which is just before you get into the city centre and next to Aston. There is a small shopping area in Newtown which offers a small range of shops and takeaways. There's this post office which is the main post office in the shopping complex. It's a nice little post office, it's usually not too busy so you can just pop in and be straight out in no time; however once in a while you will get there and there are a few more people than usual. My experience of the post office has been positive and I don't have anything negative to say. I've always received great customer service. One thing the staff there will not tolerate is ignorant customers. Last time I went in there, there was one person who was being slightly rude; but they were quickly put in their place.

I don't generally have to visit a post office that often and can find them to be a bit laborious…read moreand difficult when I have to post a package with ebay items as it is a process I do fairly rarely. In a huge post office I can find this a bit stressful, whereas Selly Oak's post office that is tucked away on Oak Tree Lane aids this dilemma by being a bit smaller and quieter. The staff are helpful and are a necessity for dumb kids like me who have no idea what they're doing! Recorded delivery and all that jazz is regularly offered and explained and I have often popped in to get supplies, envelopes and stationary. Serving the local area, it is usually pretty busy but decent service more than makes up for this.

I use this post office for my ebay posting…read more The customer service is very good and patient, especially when you have 10 parcels. They are really helpful and the shop offers a wide variety of different types of envelopes and boxes. The post office is also a corner shop where you can get lottery tickets.

nice little post office ,the staff are very nice and very good.they sale very thing from stamps to…read morecar insure.pens,paper,cards,phone top ups.you can use the post office to do your own banking,if your bank your bank is on there list

a lovely friendly little post office were the staff are lovely and helpful. They go out of their…read moreway for you. Queues are never that big and your always greeted with a smile, one of the best post offices around.

This is a very good post office with really competent staff, however, there is not a lot of room,…read moreand the queues always lead outside, which is not good for young or old people or people with prams who have to squeeze up the ramps outside. this will be one of the only post offices in bilston that is open soon and so will be absolutely jam packed all the time, which is quite scary considering the size. the staff are lovely and always help you out no matter what.

Extremely friendly and well run little post office of the type Labour are currently desperate to…read moreclose down for some stupid reason. Staff are always very friendly and helpful. My only criticism is that que's can get a little long at times. With so many PO's getting the chop though what can you really expect?

This Post Office offers all of the standard features which you would expect. The main problems are…read morethat it is very small, and there always seems to be a large queue of people waiting to be served. There is also a photocopier available, as well as a range of cards and stationery to buy. You can now top up your mobile phone credit and get your holiday foreign currency at the post office, although you may need to order in advance for more unusual currencies. Staff are generally friendly and attentive, if somewhat slow to serve customers.

Small post office. Capable of meeting everyday needs although struggle with more logistical…read morequeries. Small post office normally very busy and full of drug addicts cashing their benefits so queue can be long and smell can be unbearable. Sells small selection of chocolates, magazines and cards of a reasonable price along with cigarrettes which are dramatically overpriced. ATM machine inside although by counter so hard to get to when busy and not really discreet so risk of people seeing screen. Staff are friendly although more so at the confectionary counter than the actual post office counter.

Handy little post office - glad its still open for business. Never seen a queue yet!read more