Keystone Data Systems goes beyond coming up with advertising for its clients.
It even inventories their materials.
"We are a distributor of printer products, ad specialties, mailing solutions, and inventory management," said Keystone President Joe Hume Jr. "We are the largest client for printers locally."
Located at 1314-3 Commerce Park Drive, Williamsport, Keystone has in place a warehouse for storing materials for customers.
In fact, inventory management is a key component of the business.
It allows the company to track orders and send out products when needed.
For example, Hume noted how a local nursing home uses Keystone to track and re-order patient admission forms and other documents needed for running its business.
Keystone works with companies and organizations looking to merchandise their services with glossy magazines, as well as the individual in need of nothing more than business cards.
"We have a diversified client base," Hume said.
The company contracts with freelancers such as graphic designers many of its materials.
"The beauty of that is you can get an economical rate," he said. "We don't print here."
But Keystone is not limited to print advertising.
The company works with political candidates, organizations, businesses looking to advertise services or products on a t-shirt, a pen, a hat.
Overall, advertising is a challenging, ever-evolving industry.
"There's more color. Production has changed. There's less commercial print houses today," he said.
And some people are turning to online production for their own advertising.
But Hume sees that as a disadvantage.
The do-it-your-self service puts the burden on the client to get things right.
"What happens when something goes wrong?" he asked.
The individualized, personal attention to a client results in a professionally done product and a satisfied customer.
"From our standpoint, we try to help our clients when they get into the specific process," he said.
It means consulting and basically serving their best interests.
The key question is: What is the client trying to do?
"We try to solve unique problems a client may have," he said.
Hume's father, Joe Hume Sr., runs Promotional Specialists, a separate business housed in the same building.
"I'm responsible for a lot of the promotions," he said.
Specialty merchandise, awards, personal gifts, promotional advertising sportswear are among some of the items the elder Hume is involved with.
Father and son agree that the two businesses complement each other.
"Definitely," said Hume Jr.
