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.

Naila in the local post office really helped today with delivering a book I needed to send to the…read moreother part of the country. Great service, and provided plenty of different options to get it there quickly, and as cheap as possible.

Emma S's fantastic Post Office review made me think I should probably post about one of my most…read moreused local services in the Jewellery Quarter. Firstly, it should be noted that it's moving soon. It will be a real shame as it's current location in the Big Peg is very handy to get to as it's slap bang in the middle of the Quarter. I could turn this into a rant about the increase in the prices to actually post things, but that's not this particular branches fault; so I will steer clear! It's opening hours are OK, but no matter what time of day you go in here - it's ALWAYS busy. As it's the main postal hub for the JQ, many of the businesses use it for their post (as well as the local residents). Expect queues of up to 25 minutes at particularly busy periods. The staff here are definitely at two ends of the spectrum. Some are happy, cheerful and helpful and some... aren't (to keep it diplomatic). Mind you, I wonder if I were very cheerful if I was serving someone like me (with up to 22 packages for eBay or some-such at any one time). As a plus point, it covers nearly every service. Currency exchange, parcel services, Check and Send Passport, Passport photos, Cash Machine and... well... everything a big post office would do. It doesn't sell any cards or novelties in this branch, but you have Tesco over the road and plenty of stores nearby should you need to grab and post in a hurry (forgotten birthday anyone?). I genuinely hope that they'll stay a similar size when they move to cater for the residential and business trade, but I guess that remains to be seen.

I often use this post office when I can't be bothered to get dressed properly and trudge up to town…read morewith an Ikea bag full of eBay packages. For some reason I feel like I fit in better looking like a crazy in Hockley than in the bustling crowds of the Birmingham metropolis. Unfortunately for me though, and everyone else who has to use this place out of logistical convenience, the service is really, really slow. I must spend an average of 20 mins queueing in this place each time I come. There is no shop in this post office which is a real pain. Especially when you've queued for half hour then realise you need some extra box tape or something. I'm also pretty put off by the shoddy booth they've erected in front of one of the cashiers desks to take passport photos. It feels pretty weird stepping into the realms of Narnia just to send a package and buy a few stamps.

Post Office seems to have random opening hours, feels like an ad hoc hobby rather than a…read moreprofessional business. Shame as this is a handy location with parking available

The recent closure of many post offices across the city has made me realise the sheer significance…read moreof having a branch close to home! Thankfully, I live very close to Sir Harry's Post Office and its open six days a week. There are two main staff members who deal with post office duties and I've become such a regular that we've grown to exchange random banter when I'm there - although I doubt those queuing behind me appreciate my random conversation! The staff are very helpful and friendly. They have a limited supply of stationary, which is useful when you don't have the correct type of envelope or need sellotape to reinforce your parcel! Only it's a little absurd that you have to pay for this at the confectionary till when it's adjacent to the post office counter. There's the added convenience of being in a grocery shop in case you need food supplies.

I have a soft spot for this place because of the who the postmaster is. When I lived in Harborne…read moremany years ago I regularly used an off-license on Court Oak Road. Myself and my then housemates were in there on a daily basis and we had a sort of running joke with the owner - If we went in a bought a pint of milk, he'd say "No beer tonight?". The shop became known as 'No Beer Tonight'. When I moved to Selly Park two years ago, this became my closest post office and the first time I went in I was delighted to see that it was being run by Mr No Beer Tonight who, he explained, had moved out of the beer business and into the stamp business. Each time I pop in now I always have a chat with him and his wife (after all these years, we still don't know each others names - I should sort that out) and pass the time of day whilst I get my parcels, or whatever, ready for postage. This is a small post office but as it's a Royal Mail outlet it has all the services you'd normally expect. They have a small selection of goods for sale, but nothing like you'd see in a main or bigger branch. As the place is quite small, with only two counters, you take your chances when you pop in as you could either be the only one in there, or you could be stuck behind a few people, and we all know how annoying that can be. As an aside, this post office has a cash machine on the outside of the building. It's one of the only cash machines in the area, so that's worth knowing, too.

I have been in this post office a handful of times and one of the things that puts me off…read morereturning, is the fact that they do not give change. Therefore, you either have to have the right change, which I rarely do, or you have to pay by card. There are also a number or services that they do not cater for anymore (I am not sure why), but you can no longer get your car taxed here. However, the staff have always been polite and quite helpful when I have been in. There is nearly always a queue as it is in quite a busy location, but I have never waited agonisingly long to be served! If you use the post office for things other than general postage services, then I would recommend going elsewhere, however this store is good for stamps and such and they also sell packaging and a couple of cards.

Used to think the staff were friendly and nice but the staff are rude and unhelpful when it's…read moresomething they are at fault for. They also lie when need to. Come to this post office often enough and then suddenly they don't remember people.

Cotteridge Post Office is located at the back of a Spar. Which is either really convenient if you…read morewant to do some shopping at the same time, or really inconvenient if you're actually trying to find the darn place. I was, and eventually did, and also discovered a huge queue. Of course, this being a post office, this is pretty standard. However, I was a little confused as to why they only had 2 counters open out of the 6 possible, considering that the snaking queue was encroaching into the aisles of the Spar... It was also a bit mucky, and generally didn't seem well looked-after. The 2 poor staff who were actually there were very good; apologising for the wait and being very polite in the face of cross people. I suppose that's (partly) what they're paid to do. Not sure I'd pop in here again though to be honest. Although the staff were good, there just weren't enough of them, and it needs a bit of TLC.

This small Post Office / convenience store is usually quiet with no queues, and being only a ten…read moreminute walk from my house is great when I want to drop off a parcel without waiting around. The lady who runs the Post Office is always friendly, deals with requests efficiently and with a smile, and is generally a pleasure to deal with. The Post Office also sells greetings cards, stationary and other bits and bobs. The convenience store had everything you might need in a pinch, and is usually well stocked. A throw back to the traditional days of a local friendly Post Office. What more do you need?

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 hate how they don't nock the door loud and then just run off when you do think some one might be…read moreat your door, then take it back to the office witch you then need to Wait till the next day to pick up. Then try and call them that's not going to work as no one wants to ever pick up.

Royal Mail can offer good and bad service. This service of theirs in giving you back your items…read morethat could not be delivered to your address for whatever reason is an example as such. Sometimes when people send you posts but have not forwarded the right stamps and when you go to pick that item up then they can charge you for the other person's wrongdoings which i have experienced at this depot. They do not also ask for i.d which the recipt which you must show says that you should. This can be good in some respects for convenience sakes though. This depot of theirs can be quite inconvenient for people to get to as it serves a largely scattered populated area.

I had a ups delivery to this shop went in the man behind the counter was just sitting on his phone…read morecompletely ignoring myself was extremely rude when he eventually got of his phone. i was then told my package was not there but my tracking information told me it was I called the shop the next day to be spoken to rudely yet again so I called UPS for them to confirm my package was still at the shop woul recommend this shop to anyone horrible rude staff in the shop just unacceptable behaviour the shop should be closed down not happy at all

****AVOID AT ALL COSTS**** They overcharge for postage by…read morealmost double, don't be fooled into paying these prices, my usual fee is £4.40, they tried to charge me £8.60 and bully me into paying a special guaranteed next day delivery fee of over £11. Needless to say I didnt use them, they also sell out of date food and harass/perv on women.