CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for employment placement agencies in Charleston, SC
Employment placement agencies in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area: 16 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 15-person team.
- Establishments
- 16CBP 2023
- Employees
- 241mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 1.8U.S. 2.3
- Rank
- 67th of 245areas by count
The employment placement agency market in Charleston, SC
County Business Patterns counts 16 employment placement agencies (NAICS 561311, Employment Placement Agencies) in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area for 2023. They employed 241 people in mid-March and paid $11.8 million in annual payroll. By establishment count the area is 67th out of 245 areas with published figures for employment placement agencies.
Measured against its 870,000 residents (2024 estimate), the area has 1.8 employment placement agencies per 100,000 people; the U.S. rate is 2.3, so Charleston, SC is 18.5% below the national figure. The average establishment here has 15.1 employees, compared with 42.9 nationally. Payroll per employee comes to $48,780, in line with the national $49,577.
| Measure | Charleston, SC | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 16 | 113 | 7,679 |
| Mid-March employees | 241 (moderate noise) | 4,606 (moderate noise) | 329,566 |
| Annual payroll | $11,756,000 (moderate noise) | $152,503,000 (moderate noise) | $16,338,963,000 (moderate noise) |
| Employees per establishment | 15.1 | 40.8 | 42.9 |
| Payroll per employee | $48,780 | $33,110 | $49,577 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.3 |
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.
Team sizes at employment placement agencies in Charleston, SC
Of the employment placement agencies in Charleston, SC that had employees in March 2023, 76.9% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 54.5%). Small teams usually share the phone: the person who answers is often also serving a customer or doing the job, which is when calls get missed.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 10 | 76.9% | 54.5% |
| 5–9 employees | not published | — | 10.9% |
| 10–19 employees | not published | — | 8.9% |
| 20–49 employees | 3 | 23.1% | 10.7% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 15.1% |
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 employment placement agencies in Charleston, SC use the phone for
Recruiters live on the phone with candidates and hiring managers. Calls and texts need to be logged and routed to the right recruiter.
Calls an employment placement agency in Charleston, SC might handle in a typical week include:
- A candidate calls about a posted job.
- A hiring manager calls about a search.
- A reference calls back.
Texting candidates and employers
Recruiters text interview confirmations and job details to candidates who opted in.
Texts sent from a local business number in Charleston, SC have to be registered with carriers first (10DLC); on Callata that is a one-time $49 fee, after which the whole team can text from the shared number.
What a phone system costs an employment placement agency in Charleston, SC
The average employment placement agency in Charleston, SC has 15.1 employees, so a 15-person team is a reasonable benchmark. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $374.25 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $450.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $299.00 a month for 15 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $1,812 less than RingCentral for an employment placement agency in Charleston, SC 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 | $299.00 | $3,588.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $285.00 | $3,420.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $345.00 | $4,140.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $374.25 | $4,491.00 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $405.00 | $4,860.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $450.00 | $5,400.00 |
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.
Local area codes for employment placement agencies in Charleston, SC
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 2 area codes. 843 has the most, with 267 of 330 exchanges (81%). A local number lets candidates and employers in Charleston, SC 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.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 843 | 267 | Eastern | 1998 | 854 |
| 854 | 63 | Eastern | 2015 | 843 |
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.
What employment placement agencies in Charleston, SC get with Callata
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 Charleston, SC 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 employment placement agencies are there in Charleston, SC?
Census County Business Patterns counted 16 employment placement agencies in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area in 2023. They employed 241 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 15-person employment placement agency?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 15 users cost $450.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $374.25 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $299.00.
What area code should an employment placement agency in Charleston, SC use?
Area code 843 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 854. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for an employment placement agency?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.