Telephone Call Centers
Key Figures
Figures are published for NAICS 56142 directly.
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Official definition
This industry comprises (1) establishments primarily engaged in answering telephone calls and relaying messages to clients and (2) establishments primarily engaged in providing telemarketing services on a contract or fee basis for others, such as promoting clients' products or services by telephone; taking orders for clients by telephone; and soliciting contributions or providing information for clients by telephone. Telemarketing establishments never own the product or provide the service that they are representing and generally originate and/or receive calls for others.
Source: US Census Bureau, 2017 NAICS Definitions. Public domain.
Which code does this activity belong in?
Telephone call centers handle inbound and outbound calls on behalf of clients, either relaying messages or conducting telemarketing activities such as product promotion, order-taking, or solicitation. The boundary with Collection Agencies (56144) lies in purpose: call centers perform general telemarketing and message relay for various clients, whereas collection agencies specifically pursue payment recovery for debts and claims. Call centers differ from Business Service Centers (56143) in that they provide telephone-based services exclusively, not the range of office support services including copying, mailing, and document services that business service centers offer.