Business phone system for general automotive repair shops in South Dakota
396 general automotive repair shops operated in South Dakota in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 396CBP 2023
- Employees
- 1,667mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 42.8U.S. 25.0
- State rank
- 43rd of 51by count
How many general automotive repair shops operate in South Dakota
South Dakota had 396 general automotive repair shops in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 811111, General Automotive Repair). They employed 1,667 people in mid-March and reported $82.0 million in annual payroll. That is the 43rd highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. General automotive repair shops make up 1.4% of the 29,106 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) South Dakota has 42.8 general automotive repair shops, 71.6% above the national rate of 25.0. The average establishment has 4.2 employees against 4.8 nationally. Payroll per employee is $49,182, 7.3% below the U.S. figure of $53,031.
| Measure | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 396 | 84,859 |
| Mid-March employees | 1,667 | 403,389 |
| Annual payroll | $81,986,000 | $21,391,957,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 4.2 | 4.8 |
| Payroll per employee | $49,182 | $53,031 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 42.8 | 25.0 |
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.
General automotive repair shops by metro area in South Dakota
Census published auto repair shop counts for 11 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of South Dakota. The largest is Sioux Falls, SD-MN, with 105 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 42% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | 105 | 480 | 34.1 |
| Rapid City, SD | 66 | 302 | 42.2 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 39 | 279 | 26.7 |
| Aberdeen, SD | 16 | 64 | 38.5 |
| Watertown, SD | 16 | 76 | 54.6 |
| Spearfish, SD | 16 | 44 | 55.5 |
| Mitchell, SD | 14 | 65 | 54.3 |
| Brookings, SD | 12 | 42 | 33.0 |
| Huron, SD | 12 | 41 | 61.7 |
| Pierre, SD | 8 | — | 38.9 |
| Yankton, SD | 6 | — | 25.5 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at general automotive repair shops in South Dakota
68.0% of South Dakota's general automotive repair shops with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 65.6% nationally. 94.7% 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 | 268 | 68.0% | 65.6% |
| 5–9 employees | 105 | 26.6% | 24.6% |
| 10–19 employees | 18 | 4.6% | 7.7% |
| 20–49 employees | 3 | 0.8% | 1.7% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.4% |
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.
What general automotive repair shops in South Dakota use the phone for
Repair shops field calls for appointments, estimates and status updates while technicians are in the bays. Calling customers to approve additional work quickly keeps cars moving.
Typical inbound and outbound calls for general automotive repair shops in South Dakota:
- A driver calls about a check-engine light.
- The shop calls a customer to approve a repair.
- A customer calls to ask whether their car is ready.
Calls after closing time
After-hours calls are often breakdowns or appointment requests.
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 general automotive repair shops in South Dakota
General automotive repair shops in South Dakota average 4.2 employees, so the comparison uses a 4-person team. Priced per seat, 4 users would run $120.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $99.80 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 4 people cost $99.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $252. 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 | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $76.00 | $912.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $92.00 | $1,104.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $99.80 | $1,197.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $108.00 | $1,296.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $120.00 | $1,440.00 |
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 South Dakota
South Dakota 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 605 | 745 | Central and Mountain | 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 general automotive repair shops in South Dakota
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.
If you already have a number in South Dakota, 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 general automotive repair shops are in South Dakota?
396 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 1,667 people in mid-March.
Which South Dakota metro area has the most general automotive repair shops?
Sioux Falls, SD-MN, with 105 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 4-person auto repair shop?
$120.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $99.80 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $99.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a South Dakota 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.