Matchett says he has built his business by offering an "open ear to listen to the concerns and needs of the customers." He got his start in the industry like many other body shop owners, studying auto body repair in high school, then working in a local shop where he developed his skills as a painter. Like so many others, he began dreaming of owning a shop one day. He pursued those dreams and in 1975 he and a friend, Steve, entered into a partnership - S&W Expert Collision Repair was born.

Within a year, the partnership dissolved and Matchett became sole owner of S&W. For one-and-a-half years, he operated out of a 1000 sq.ft. facility, staffed with three employees. As in many close-knit communities, satisfied customers spread the word of their positive experiences and the quality of repairs. Answering the calls of his customers to expand, Matchett purchased the land to house the current location of S&W in Lufkin, Texas. Building began in 1978 with a 6000 sq.ft. shop. The shop has grown to what now stands at over 25,000 sq.ft. and boasts a second facility in the neighboring city of Nacogdoches.

 

The need for a satellite office was first explored in January of 2000 when market research indicated that S&W in Lufkin was a shop often preferred by residents of Nacogdoches, 25 miles away. Evidence suggested that there was no dominant shop in the town, so Matchett decided to open a full-service facility rather than a satellite office. Construction on the 16-month project ended in June 2001 with the opening of a 13,000 sq.ft. repair center that is state-of-the-art in design and capability.

 

The Lufkin location general manager supervises one estimator, eight body technicians and six paint team members, as well as a shop foreman and parts personnel. The staff also includes an office manager who oversees the financial aspects of the business as well as supervises the receptionist and two on-site bookkeepers. There are also two wrecker drivers on staff in order to fulfill the 24-hour a day towing and recovery service offered. Not to be excluded are the many detail technicians and maintenance personnel members that help to keep S & W a leader in its industry.

Keeping it cool and productive

 

In an extreme climate such as Texas, any body tech or painter can testify that regulating the temperature in the shop can be a major problem. Hot, sticky days can lower production from even the best technicians. S & W is kept at a comfortable temperature because the shop is cooled with Polar Cool fans. After testing several systems over the years, Matchett chose to stick with these energy efficient fans because they are not only easy to operate, they are easy to maintain. Matchett was so impressed by the fans, and saw such a reduction in wasted time as a result of their use, that he became the local distributor himself. He claims that Polar Cool fans lower the temperature 20 degrees faster and more cost effectively than any other system in the market.

Since the Nacogdoches facility is not yet as busy as Matchett anticipated, the responsibilities of the general manager are more "hands on" than at the Lufkin shop. When the receptionist is not passing him estimates to write himself, he is teaching the tricks of the trade to a second estimator, who also doubles as the parts and materials manager. The duties of the general manager also include production: directing three body technicians, two paint team members, and a detail and maintenance crew. From the estimate to the delivery of the repaired vehicle, this shop demonstrates teamwork.

 

Computer network connects shops

With his two shops 25 miles apart, Matchett had to find ways to have the facilities communicate effectively. He did this by updating his computer capability, allowing him to keep the shops connected via videoconferencing at all times.

In addition to keeping his shops connected, Matchett finds ways to keep them involved in the communities that support them. Each facility is active in scholarship donations and participates in the drug-free business partnership program.

S&W has received several community honors, including the Pacesetter and Keep Texas Beautiful awards.

Chooses Sikkens paint

 

To serve customers well and maintain profitability, the right paint is essential. S&W tested different brands, but settled on the Sikkens® paint system from Akzo Nobel. The system comes with its own warranty, the Refinish Assurance Plan, ensuring customers a finish that will be indistinguishable from the original factory paint job.

 

Whether it is furnishing a free courtesy car during repairs, offering a written lifetime warranty to stand behind those repairs, or insisting on a six-month quality control inspection of repairs, S&W makes the experience of auto body repair a good one for its clients.