Business phone system for temporary help services in Massachusetts

How many temporary help services operate in Massachusetts

The Census Bureau counted 930 temporary help services in Massachusetts in its 2023 County Business Patterns (NAICS 561320). They employed 83,318 people in mid-March and reported $3.9 billion in annual payroll. That is the 14th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Temporary help services make up 0.51% of the 183,767 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Massachusetts has 13.0 temporary help services, 15.9% above the national rate of 11.2. The average establishment has 89.6 employees against 95.3 nationally. Payroll per employee is $46,564, 4.3% below the U.S. figure of $48,635.

Temporary help services by metro area in Massachusetts

Census published temporary staffing agency counts for 8 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Massachusetts. The largest is Boston, MA-NH, with 682 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 17% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Team sizes at temporary help services in Massachusetts

36.9% of Massachusetts's temporary help services with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 37.2% nationally. 47.0% 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.

Calls a temporary staffing agency in Massachusetts has to catch

Staffing agencies fill shifts on short notice, so the phone is constantly in use with workers and clients. Early-morning call-outs require quick action.

A few of the calls that come in to temporary help services in Massachusetts:

• A client calls about a timesheet.
• A worker calls about a paycheck.
• The agency calls workers about open shifts.

What temporary help services text about

Agencies text shift offers and confirmations to workers who opted in.

Texting from a local number in Massachusetts requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.

Callata vs. per-seat pricing for temporary help services in Massachusetts

Temporary help services in Massachusetts average 89.6 employees, so the comparison uses a 90-person team. Priced per seat, 90 users would run $2,700.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $2,245.50 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $1,799.00 a month for 90 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $10,812 less than RingCentral for a temporary staffing agency in Massachusetts of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Area codes in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has 9 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a temporary staffing agency can hold a number in more than one of them.

How Callata works for temporary help services in Massachusetts

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 Massachusetts 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.