Business phone system for barber shops in Allentown, PA-NJ

Barber shops in Allentown, PA-NJ by the numbers

There were 20 barber shops in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 812111, Barber Shops). They employed 38 people in mid-March and paid $798,000 in annual payroll. By establishment count the area is 67th out of 264 areas with published figures for barber shops.

Measured against its 886,000 residents (2024 estimate), the area has 2.3 barber shops per 100,000 people; the U.S. rate is 2.3, so Allentown, PA-NJ is in line with the national figure. The average establishment here has 1.9 employees, compared with 3.7 nationally. Payroll per employee comes to $21,000, 37.6% below the national $33,667.

Establishment size: barber shops in Allentown, PA-NJ

Of the barber shops in Allentown, PA-NJ that had employees in March 2023, 100.0% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 75.5%). When a business has only a few people, whoever is free answers the phone, and calls that arrive while everyone is busy go to voicemail unless they are routed somewhere else.

Calls a barber shop in Allentown, PA-NJ has to catch

Barbers are busy with clients all day, and calls for appointments and wait times often go unanswered. Capturing calls and texting back helps fill chairs.

A few of the calls that come in to barber shops in Allentown, PA-NJ:

• The shop calls a client about a cancellation.
• A client calls to book a haircut.
• A client calls to ask about walk-in wait.

Texting clients

Shops text appointment reminders.

Team texting on Callata runs from your business number, so replies come from the practice or shop rather than someone's personal phone. It turns on after the one-time $49 carrier registration (10DLC) is approved.

What a phone system costs a barber shop in Allentown, PA-NJ

The average barber shop in Allentown, PA-NJ has 1.9 employees, so a 2-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 2 users would run $60.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $49.90 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). Callata costs $99.00 a month ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), so at this team size both per-seat plans are cheaper; Callata drops below them from 4 users.

At this team size the per-seat plans cost less than Callata's $99 base price, which already covers 5 users; Callata becomes the lower price from 4 users.

Getting a local number in Allentown, PA-NJ

NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 7 area codes. 484 has the most, with 176 of 464 exchanges (38%). A local number lets clients in Allentown, PA-NJ call without dialing out of area. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, and which numbers are open in an area code depends on carrier inventory when you choose.

How Callata works for barber shops

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.

Porting a number you already use in Allentown, PA-NJ 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.