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RS Academy Training

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, FOR REAL PROFESSIONALS.

The most successful store operators in the industry understand that Retail Shipping is not a simple business. There are literally tens of thousands of rules, regulations, best business practices and details that you must know before you can represent yourself as a real expert. Quality training and education for you and your staff is an absolute necessity.

The Retail Shipping Academy was created to provide professional training materials and content, delivered by qualified industry experts using a variety of modalities to deliver the knowledge — and to quantify your expertise.

Whether you prefer do-it-yourself manuals, CDs and DVDs or “live” training, the goal of RS Academy is to deliver relevant, up-to-date materials that will ensure the title of “Retail Shipping Expert” is accurate when you display it to your customers.

 

RS Academy Certification Training

RS Academy live classes are 3-hour, college level certification courses developed by RSA exclusively for RSA Members. All course content has been fully vetted for accuracy and cover any and all relevant rules, science (physics of packaging), regulations, and best business practices. RS Academy instructors are industry professionals and have been certified by RSA as subject matter experts.

All students must pass a final exam for each class in order to receive RS Academy Certification. Course certificates are intended to be displayed in your store so clientele can see the measures you’ve taken to invest in your knowledge base.

RS Academy classes are taught live and online throughout the year.

 

Live Class Pricing

Basic Members: $120.00 per class.    Premium Members: $90.00 per class   PackageHub Members: $60.00 per class

 

Shipping Training

Topics Covered:
  • Carrier rules and terms of carriage
  • Shipment size and weight limitations
  • Insurance and shipment value protection
  • Carrier packaging requirements
  • Shipping options
  • Package processing
  • Shipping product options
  • Service guarantees
  • Automation options
  • Carrier account setup
Shipping 101
Basics of Small Package Transportation

Designed for new store owners and staff, this course covers the basics and the essential rules, requirements, science, and best practices for small package shipping in the United States. Subjects covered: specific carrier (DHL, FedEx, UPS, USPS) rules and terms of carriage, shipment size and weight limitations, insurance and shipment value protection, packaging requirements, package processing, pricing, shipping product options, service guarantees, automation options, and carrier account setup.

 
Topics Covered:
  • Carrier-specific regulations & updates
  • Customs documentation
  • Restrictions and Prohibitions
  • Red Flag countries
  • Shipping options
  • Resources & Forms
Shipping 102
International Shipping

International shipping is a substantial profit center for retail shipping centers, but remembering every detail, procedure, and regulation can be a challenge. Rules and services can change every day - and knowing how to adjust to those changes can mean the difference between great profits and great losses! This course builds on Shipping 101: Basics of Small Package Transportation. Attendees are highly encouraged to complete Shipping 101 prior to attending Shipping 102.

 
Topics Covered:
  • Carrier rules and terms of carriage
  • Shipment size and weight limitations
  • Insurance and shipment value protection
  • Carrier packaging requirements
  • Shipping options
Shipping 103
Freight & Air Cargo

Large freight is an increasingly important menu item for today's successful Retail Shipping Store. As a high-potential profit center, freight can be complex and certainly has risk, so understanding the rules, options, and opportunities is crucial. This course covers the details-National Motor Freight Classification, trade lanes, carriers, Full Truckload, Less Than full Load (LTL), Air Cargo, Sea Container, shipment preparation (crating, palletizing, specialty packaging/handling), pickup and delivery options, and pricing. Become your neighborhood freight expert and start packing the profit pounds on your bottom line.

 

 
 

Packing Training

Topics Covered:
  • The Distribution Environment
  • Carrier Requirements
  • The Dynamics of Packaging
  • Shipping Containers
  • Cushioning Materials
  • Packing Tools
  • The Packaging Process
  • Packaging Demonstrations
Packing 101
Packing Essentials

Find a box in the nearest dumpster, throw your stuff in, slap some duct tape on, mark it "Fragile", then ship it. Simple, right? Wrong. Many Retail Shipping Store operators make a grave mistake in thinking that packaging is simple. But in order to properly prepare your packages to survive the rigors of the transportation network, you must follow very specific carrier rules and the physics of packaging dynamics. This class covers both the science and rules; containers, packaging/cushioning materials and how to use the "right" one for the job, packaging techniques, sealing, carrier rules, and tricks of the trade that will make you a true packaging expert. Topics include:

 
Topics Covered:
  • Packaging Dynamics
  • Carrier Considerations
  • Packaging Design
  • Corrugated Carton Design & Construction
  • Carton Design Diagrams
Packing 102
Advanced Packing

Stock box sizes don’t always fit items being shipped or sent via freight.  Custom box/container design and construction is an art, and the product can be a significant profit center with extraordinary margins.  Learn – and practice - professional techniques for custom box building for fragile, large, awkward and valuable items. Become your neighborhood Packaging Expert. The lab-based course curriculum includes:

Store Operations

Topics Covered:
  • Understanding Your Customers
  • Gain & Retain Customers
  • Professionalism
  • Elicit & Utilize Feedback
  • Positive Language
Operations 101
Outstanding Customer Service

This course is designed to help develop industry-specific, superior customer service skills. Learn about positive language, relationship building, and why customer service is more than just a smile. This course examines various scenarios, such as dealing with difficult customers and eliciting customer feedback. The learning outcome of this class is critical to the success of your business. Topics include:

Topics Covered:
  • CMRA Guidelines
  • Compliance Issues
  • Mail Center Security
  • Aviation Security and Hazardous Materials
  • USPS Approved Shipper Program
Operations 102
CMRA Mailbox Rental Management
& USPS Approved Shipper Program

If postal services are a part of your product mix, the United States Postal Service plays a vital role in your day-to-day operation. As a regulator, the USPS requires compliance with the rules and regulations imposed on private mail box rental services through the Commercial Mail Receiving Agent (CMRA) program. And as a business partner, the USPS Approved Shipper Program provides marketing tools and operational support for reselling USPS products and services in your center. This three-hour operations course covers all the basics – and all the bases. Topics include:

Topics Covered:
  • Site Selection
  • Store Operations
  • General Administration
  • Products & Profit Centers
  • Product & Service Pricing
  • Store Design & Finish-Out
  • Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment
  • Marketing Strategies
  • Hiring & Training
  • Merchandising
  • Point-of-Sale Systems
  • Carrier Account Setup
  • Store Inventory
  • Store Security

RS BootCamp

Owners & Managers Seminar

Class Time: 9:00a to 5:00p

RS Boot Camp was developed by RS Academy for both new store owners and veteran operators and staff. As the seminar title indicates, this 8 hour intensive program provides a comprehensive overview of what it takes to thrive in the retail shipping and business services industry. Store owners will learn all the right steps, but of equal importance, we also show you how to avoid the costly mistakes many owners make. Veteran owners and staff will fine-tune and get their stores ‘back in fighting shape’. Our goal is to help you build a Million-Dollar-Store.

This seminar is presented by Brandon Gale, RS Associates President and 30+-year industry veteran and multi-store owner along with industry suppliers, carriers and service providers.

Whether you are just getting started or a 10-year industry veteran, BootCamp will get you into “fighting form” so you can compete at the highest level.
 

BootCamp Pricing

PackageHub® Franchisee

First Student: $375
Additional Students: $275

RS Premium Member

First Student: $390
Additional Students: $290

RS Basic Member

First Student: $475
Additional Students: $375

 
Upcoming BootCamp Classes:

MAY 28th | Dallas, TX

HOTEL: 300 Reunion Blvd. | Dallas, TX | 75207 ($159/Night)

SEPTEMBER 16th | Indianapolis, IN

HOTEL: TBD

NOVEMBER 8th | Orange County, CA

HOTEL: TBD

NOTICE: Some RS BootCamp training events are presented as part of the 2024 Road Show training weekend series — tandem events with PostalMate® point-of-sale system User Training. There is a separate fee for RS BootCamp and PostalMate User Training. Additionally, these events run concurrently on Saturday afternoon, so if you register for both RS BootCamp AND the PostalMate User Training, you will need to choose to miss the end of BootCamp or the beginning of User Training.

CANCELLATION POLICY: RS BootCamp Registrations are non-refundable once the course has sold out, or two days prior to the date of the event, whichever comes first.

 

Training Events

RS Academy Professional Skills Certification Training classes are presented “live” throughout the year. Our entire course curriculum is offered at the Retail Shippers Expo and Trade Show, the annual national convention for our industry. RSA also hosts RS Weekend Workshops and participates in other regional events throughout the year in which we present the most-requested certification classes.

  • May 28 - Jun 1
    2025 RS Expo - Dallas, Texas
    2025 Retail Shippers Expo & Trade Show
    Details

Online Training

RS Academy Certification Training

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, FOR REAL PROFESSIONALS

 
Available Certifications:
  • Operations 101
  • Operations 102
  • Shipping 101
  • Shipping 102

RS Academy online classes are 4-hour, college level certification courses developed by RSA exclusively for RSA Members. All course content has been fully vetted for accuracy and cover any and all relevant rules, science (physics of packaging), regulations, and best business practices.

RS Academy instructors are industry professionals and have been certified by RSA as subject matter experts. All students must pass a final exam for each class in order to receive RS Academy Certification. Course certificates are intended to be displayed in your store so clientele can see the measures you’ve taken to invest in your knowledge base.

Certification Training Pricing

PackageHub® Franchisee

Per Student: $60

RS Premium Member

Per Student: $90

RS Basic Member

Per Student: $120

 
Upcoming Training Classes:

THURSDAY | April 24th, 2025

12:00p - 4:00p (Eastern)

Operations 101: Outstanding Customer Service – Instructor: John Williamson

5:00p - 9:00p (Eastern)

Shipping 102: International Shipping – Instructor: Carlise Campbell

FRIDAY | April 25th, 2025

12:00p - 4:00p (Eastern)

Operations 102: CMRA & Mailbox Rental Management – Instructor: Charlie Bournis

Register Now

Online | On-Demand

Coming Soon!

Shipping 101: Basics of Small Package Transportation – Presented by: RS Academy

NOTICE: All online training attendees MUST register with a unique email address. For example, multiple students from the same store cannot use the store's email address for all students.

NOTICE: Each registered attendee will receive an email from customercare@gototraining.com 24 hours prior to each online class with instructions on dialing in and it will also include course material.

CANCELLATION POLICY: All classes are non-refundable once materials haven been distributed. once the class has sold out, or two days prior to the date of the event, whichever comes first.

 

Instructors

Industry Experts, with Years Behind the counter

Charlie Bournis

Formerly Office 11211 | Brooklyn, NY

Charlie Bournis earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from St. John’s University.  After graduating he started a computer consulting company and was approached by Intel to teach its certification classes. This led to working at The Chubb Institute as a Certified Network Instructor during the dot.com boom. After starting multiple cell phone stores he realized that there was a need for a shipping store in his neighborhood and successfully morphed his business into one of the top shipping stores in the country. Charlie sold both his stores in 2021 and is currently working as a business consultant. Charlie has been an instructor for RSA since 2011.

Carlise Campbell

THE BUSINESS CENTER SHIP, PRINT & MORE | Ranson, WV

Entering the transportation and logistics industry more than 20 years ago as an employee of a franchised retail shipping store, Carlise swiftly made her way up the ranks to become the manager; a position she held for more than 8 years. In 2010, she purchased an existing franchise and closed it in 2016 after the franchise expired. In 2017, Carlise built her own shopping center and opened an independent shipping store, The Business Center Ship, Print & More, which she currently owns and operates. Her retail shipping center was amongst the first to become a PackageHub Business Centers® franchise, becoming a member in 2020. Carlise is a member of the RS Advisory Council and is an accomplished presenter/instructor on behalf of the Retail Shippers Expo & Trade Show and RS Academy.

Rajan Dorasami

Box & Ship | Fort Worth, TX

After a brief career in commercial logistics and warehousing, Rajan purchased Box & Ship in 2002. Since that time Box & Ship has experienced phenomenal growth and has become a model store in the industry for design and service. Box & Ship became the first PackageHub Business Center location in 2020 and Rajan's passion for customer service in our industry has led him to become the Director of Operations for PBC. He continues to teach Certification courses for the RS Academy as well as co-presenting the New Owners Bootcamp. Rajan is a charter member of the RS Advisory council.

John Williamson

Exit 29 Postal | Brunswick, GA

Since 2010, John Williamson has been the founder and operator of Exit 29 Postal & More located in Brunswick, GA. John formerly held various retail management positions with Lowe's and Sears for 15 years. He graduated from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Business Administration with a Marketing emphasis. He has been actively involved in the industry for years attending many regional and expo training events. He is honored to be a part of the advisory council and looks forward to the great things ahead for our industry.