Business phone system for management consulting firms in Tennessee
1,063 management consulting firms operated in Tennessee in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 1,063CBP 2023
- Employees
- 14,403mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 14.7U.S. 30.7
- State rank
- 23rd of 51by count
The management consulting firm industry in Tennessee
County Business Patterns counts 1,063 establishments in Tennessee classified as Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (NAICS 541611) for 2023. They employed 14,403 people in mid-March and reported $1.8 billion in annual payroll. That is the 23rd highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Management consulting firms make up 0.71% of the 150,129 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Tennessee has 14.7 management consulting firms, 52.1% below the national rate of 30.7. The average establishment has 13.5 employees against 8.3 nationally. Payroll per employee is $127,633, 4.8% above the U.S. figure of $121,753.
| Measure | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 1,063 | 104,494 |
| Mid-March employees | 14,403 | 869,457 |
| Annual payroll | $1,838,298,000 (moderate noise) | $105,858,919,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 13.5 | 8.3 |
| Payroll per employee | $127,633 | $121,753 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 14.7 | 30.7 |
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.
Management consulting firms by metro area in Tennessee
Census published management consulting firm counts for 21 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Tennessee. The largest is Nashville, TN, with 540 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 73% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 540 | 5,535 | 25.1 |
| Knoxville, TN | 134 | — | 14.0 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 132 | 1,805 | 9.9 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 106 | 1,137 | 18.0 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 26 | 76 | 7.5 |
| Kingsport, TN-VA | 22 | 111 | 7.0 |
| Johnson City, TN | 13 | — | 6.0 |
| Jackson, TN | 13 | 50 | 7.1 |
| Cookeville, TN | 13 | — | 8.7 |
| Cleveland, TN | 13 | 52 | 9.8 |
| Sevierville, TN | 6 | — | 6.0 |
| Morristown, TN | 5 | — | 3.9 |
| Winchester, TN | 5 | 6 | 11.1 |
| McMinnville, TN | 5 | 40 | 11.5 |
| Dyersburg, TN | 5 | — | 13.7 |
| Tullahoma, TN | 4 | 8 | 5.9 |
| Lewisburg, TN | 4 | 5 | 10.6 |
| Greeneville, TN | 3 | — | 4.1 |
| Athens, TN | 3 | 13 | 4.2 |
| Crossville, TN | 3 | 8 | 4.6 |
| Martin, TN | 3 | — | 9.0 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at management consulting firms in Tennessee
76.4% of Tennessee's management consulting firms with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 83.6% nationally. 85.2% 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 | 812 | 76.4% | 83.6% |
| 5–9 employees | 94 | 8.8% | 6.8% |
| 10–19 employees | 62 | 5.8% | 4.1% |
| 20–49 employees | 45 | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 50 | 4.7% | 2.5% |
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 a management consulting firm in Tennessee has to catch
Consultants spend much of their time with clients and away from a desk, so calls land on cell phones. A business line that rings their cell keeps personal numbers private and makes the firm look established.
A few of the calls that come in to management consulting firms in Tennessee:
- A client calls to move a workshop date.
- A prospective client calls after a referral.
- The consultant calls a client to follow up on a proposal.
Business texting for management consulting firms
Consultants text meeting logistics and quick confirmations to clients.
Texting from a local number in Tennessee requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.
What a phone system costs a management consulting firm in Tennessee
Management consulting firms in Tennessee average 13.5 employees, so the comparison uses a 14-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $349.30 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $420.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $279.00 a month for 14 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $1,692 less than RingCentral for a management consulting firm in Tennessee 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 | $279.00 | $3,348.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $266.00 | $3,192.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $322.00 | $3,864.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $349.30 | $4,191.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $378.00 | $4,536.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $420.00 | $5,040.00 |
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 Tennessee
Tennessee has 8 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a management consulting firm can hold a number in more than one of them.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 615 | 781 | Central | 1954 | 629 |
| 423 | 764 | Eastern and Central | 1995 | 729 |
| 901 | 616 | Central | 1947 | none |
| 931 | 538 | Eastern and Central | 1997 | none |
| 865 | 506 | Eastern | 1999 | none |
| 731 | 395 | Central | 2001 | none |
| 629 | 197 | Central | 2015 | 615 |
| 729 | 0 | Eastern and Central | 2025 | 423 |
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 management consulting firms in Tennessee
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in Tennessee 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 management consulting firms are in Tennessee?
1,063 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 14,403 people in mid-March.
Which Tennessee metro area has the most management consulting firms?
Nashville, TN, with 540 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 14-person management consulting firm?
$420.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $349.30 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $279.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Tennessee 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.