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Community Ties Keep PDQ’s Doors Open for 35 Years

Downtown Scranton showcases many gems in the form of successful community leaders, beautiful architecture and small businesses that flourish, no matter what is going on outside their doors. One such lasting gem is PDQ Print Center located on busy Mulberry Street.  

PDQ Print Center offers customers on demand printing digital technology to meet any business communications need. From printing to advertising pieces, PDQ Print Center supplies a vast array of products and services to its customers.

A staple in the downtown for the past 35 years, it is their ties to the community that have kept their doors open and their belief in the downtown’s potential.

So how does a company who has lasted for 35 years survive and thrive in a competitive and ever-changing industry?

MetroAction staff member Desiree Ranella recently had the opportunity to chat with PDQ Print Center president, David Price and asked just that:

Desiree: David, I am always happy to hear about companies celebrating milestones and a company that is around for 35 years certainly has something to celebrate! How has PDQ Print Center managed to keep their doors open?
David: We certainly haven’t lasted this long without our share of difficulties; technologies are always changing and new competition emerges daily. You truly have to be active with your business. Looking at everything that PDQ Print Center has going for it, our services, products and staff far outweigh the challenges and logistical issues we have faced in the past, ones we face today and those we will face in the future.

We recently acquired a new 10,000 square foot facility in Taylor. It is only five miles away from our Scranton location which we outgrew over the years. We could have picked up and moved out of the downtown as it is a challenge to operate two locations so near to each other but we are so entrenched in the downtown community that the benefits of being located here only add to our image and success.

Another thing is to keep up to date with all changes in technologies related to our business; we have to keep pace with it. No longer are customers coming to us as they were in the past. We have to realize now that the customer is out there waiting for us to go to them. People order online, via telephone and fax. We do our best to keep that connection with our customers and to maintain innovation for keeping PDQ Print Center fresh and current.

Ultimately, you have to be willing to do it all. Operating a strong successful business, being involved in the community and listening to the customer have all had part in keeping our doors open these past 35 years.

Desiree: How many people are employed by PDQ Print Center?
David: We employ 24 people here at PDQ Print Center. Six of them just celebrated over 20 years of employment with us. I look at that as a testament of us truly being a strong company to have employees who started off working for us at young ages still being here 20 years later.

Desiree: What are your top three reasons someone should become a customer of PDQ Print Center?
David: First we invest our time in people. To us, each order is more than just ink on paper. We want to know that the products we supply to our customers are helping them get their desired results. Second, we are prepared to work hard for our customers and third is to we never stop communicating with our customers. We want to make sure our customer’s needs are being met and if not, we want to realize a solution to make sure they are getting a return on their investment into these products and services.

Desiree: David, you talked about the downtown already during our interview and how it is a big factor in keeping this location going. What is it that you like best about doing business in downtown Scranton?
David: The entire community. It is feeling part of the energy that exists in the downtown. The people here are fantastic. There seems to be this overall network of community and individuals that make the downtown what it is. People like Mayor Dougherty, Austin Burke and others that, when working together, really make downtown Scranton amazing.

Desiree: You’ve been recognized with various community awards and are supportive of numerous community organizations via contributions, sponsorships and so on. What do you see as the value in being involved with the community?
David: Management and staff are encouraged to get involved in the community. We sponsor many programs and events that all have impacts on our community.  I always look at things with the “glass half full” perspective. As mentioned before, trying to be involved in as much as possible related to work commitments and giving back to the community, I truly believe that if you do the right thing, for the right reasons, right things will happen. And I see that happen daily here at PDQ Print Center.

For more information on PDQ Print Center, visit them at http://www.pdqprint.com.

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