CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Delaware
74 automotive body, paint and interior repair shops operated in Delaware in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 74CBP 2023
- Employees
- 614mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 7.0U.S. 10.3
- State rank
- 49th of 51by count
The auto body shop industry in Delaware
Delaware had 74 automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 811121, Automotive Body, Paint, and Interior Repair and Maintenance). They employed 614 people in mid-March and reported $43.0 million in annual payroll. That is the 49th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Automotive body, paint and interior repair shops make up 0.25% of the 29,706 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Delaware has 7.0 automotive body, paint and interior repair shops, 31.7% below the national rate of 10.3. The average establishment has 8.3 employees against 7.0 nationally. Payroll per employee is $69,977, 15.2% above the U.S. figure of $60,721.
| Measure | Delaware | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 74 | 35,029 |
| Mid-March employees | 614 | 246,720 |
| Annual payroll | $42,966,000 | $14,981,057,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 8.3 | 7.0 |
| Payroll per employee | $69,977 | $60,721 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 7.0 | 10.3 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Delaware's largest markets for automotive body, paint and interior repair shops
Census published auto body shop counts for 3 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Delaware. The largest is Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD, with 691 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 38% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 691 | 5,379 | 10.9 |
| Dover, DE | 15 | 128 | 7.8 |
| Seaford, DE | 13 | — | 4.8 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Delaware
50.0% of Delaware's automotive body, paint and interior repair shops with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 53.8% nationally. 73.6% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 36 | 50.0% | 53.8% |
| 5–9 employees | 17 | 23.6% | 21.9% |
| 10–19 employees | 15 | 20.8% | 17.4% |
| 20–49 employees | 4 | 5.6% | 6.2% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.7% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Delaware
Collision repair involves customers, insurers and parts suppliers, so body shops make and receive many calls per job. Keeping customers updated reduces status calls. That holds for automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Delaware as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Delaware:
- A customer calls for a repair status.
- An insurance adjuster calls about a claim.
- The shop calls a customer about supplemental damage.
When nobody can pick up
Accident-related calls can come in any time.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Delaware
Automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Delaware average 8.3 employees, so the comparison uses an 8-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $199.60 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $240.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 8 people cost $159.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $972. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $159.00 | $1,908.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $152.00 | $1,824.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $184.00 | $2,208.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $199.60 | $2,395.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $216.00 | $2,592.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $240.00 | $2,880.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Delaware
Delaware has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your customers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 302 | 656 | Eastern | 1947 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Delaware
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in Delaware, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many automotive body, paint and interior repair shops are in Delaware?
74 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 614 people in mid-March.
Which Delaware metro area has the most automotive body, paint and interior repair shops?
Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD, with 691 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost an 8-person auto body shop?
$240.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $199.60 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $159.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Delaware number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.