CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Maine
155 automotive body, paint and interior repair shops operated in Maine in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 155CBP 2023
- Employees
- 942mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 11.0U.S. 10.3
- State rank
- 44th of 51by count
The auto body shop industry in Maine
County Business Patterns counts 155 establishments in Maine classified as Automotive Body, Paint, and Interior Repair and Maintenance (NAICS 811121) for 2023. They employed 942 people in mid-March and reported $57.3 million in annual payroll. That is the 44th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Automotive body, paint and interior repair shops make up 0.36% of the 43,345 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Maine has 11.0 automotive body, paint and interior repair shops, 7.1% above the national rate of 10.3. The average establishment has 6.1 employees against 7.0 nationally. Payroll per employee is $60,872, in line with the U.S. figure of $60,721.
| Measure | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 155 | 35,029 |
| Mid-March employees | 942 | 246,720 |
| Annual payroll | $57,341,000 (moderate noise) | $14,981,057,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 6.1 | 7.0 |
| Payroll per employee | $60,872 | $60,721 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 11.0 | 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.
Maine's largest markets for automotive body, paint and interior repair shops
Census published auto body shop counts for 4 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Maine. The largest is Portland, ME, with 55 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 63% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ME | 55 | 431 | 9.6 |
| Bangor, ME | 15 | 98 | 9.6 |
| Lewiston, ME | 15 | 91 | 13.0 |
| Augusta, ME | 13 | — | 10.1 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Maine
57.4% of Maine's automotive body, paint and interior repair shops with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 53.8% nationally. 76.1% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 89 | 57.4% | 53.8% |
| 5–9 employees | 29 | 18.7% | 21.9% |
| 10–19 employees | 29 | 18.7% | 17.4% |
| 20–49 employees | 8 | 5.2% | 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.
Calls an auto body shop in Maine has to catch
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 Maine as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Maine:
- An insurance adjuster calls about a claim.
- The shop calls a customer about supplemental damage.
- A driver calls after an accident for an estimate.
Business texting for automotive body, paint and interior repair shops
Shops text status updates and photos.
Texting from a local number in Maine requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.
What a phone system costs an auto body shop in Maine
Automotive body, paint and interior repair shops in Maine average 6.1 employees, so the comparison uses a 6-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 6 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $180.00 a month and 6 on Ooma Office Pro cost $149.70. Callata comes to $119.00 a month for 6 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $732 less than RingCentral for an auto body shop in Maine of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $119.00 | $1,428.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $114.00 | $1,368.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $138.00 | $1,656.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $149.70 | $1,796.40 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $162.00 | $1,944.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $180.00 | $2,160.00 |
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 Maine
Maine has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so an auto body shop can hold a number in more than one of them.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207 | 742 | 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 Maine
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in Maine is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many automotive body, paint and interior repair shops are in Maine?
155 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 942 people in mid-March.
Which Maine metro area has the most automotive body, paint and interior repair shops?
Portland, ME, with 55 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 6-person auto body shop?
$180.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $149.70 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $119.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Maine 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.