Pernell
Get Convey Inc. · Voice & Language · Marketing
Pernell is an iOS app that gives you a second phone number and an AI receptionist that answers calls you miss, then sends transcripts, summaries, and action items.
About Pernell
What Is Pernell
Pernell is a second phone number for iPhone with an AI receptionist built in. You make and receive calls and texts on a line that's separate from your main number, and every call gets transcribed, summarized, and broken into follow-up tasks. The idea is simple. Instead of letting a missed call turn into a voicemail you never check, Pernell answers it, takes notes, and tells you what happened.
It targets people who live on the phone but can't always pick up. Sales reps, consultants, founders, and anyone running a side business end up juggling client calls, cold outreach, and personal lines at the same time. Pernell splits those apart and keeps a written record of each one. When you're in a meeting, driving, or off the clock, the receptionist picks up and handles the caller.
The main limit is the platform. Pernell runs on iOS only, so there's no Android app and no desktop client yet. Early reviews also mention that setup involves a few steps, like picking your number and granting call permissions, which can feel slower than it should.
Getting Started
- Download Pernell from the App Store and create your account.
- Pick a second phone number from the options the app offers.
- Grant the call and microphone permissions the receptionist needs to answer on your behalf.
- Set the receptionist to answer all calls or only the ones you reject.
- Open a finished call to read the transcript, summary, and action items.
Product Information
A quick look at Pernell's pricing, supported platforms, and performance.
Best for
The users, tasks, and scenarios where this tool fits best.
Users
- Sales reps
- Consultants and freelancers
- Small business owners
Tasks
- Capturing call notes
- Tracking follow-ups
- Screening missed calls
Scenarios
- Back-to-back meetings
- Client call review
- After-hours inquiries
Key features
AI Receptionist
When you can't pick up, Pernell's receptionist answers and talks to the caller in a natural voice. It then hands you a record of what was said. This is the feature that separates Pernell from a plain second-number app, since a standard voicemail just records a one-way message.
Automatic Call Transcription
Pernell transcribes your calls without you tapping record first. Each conversation turns into text you can scan, search, and copy. That matters for anyone who takes client calls on the move and can't stop to write notes.
Call Summaries
After a call ends, Pernell writes a short summary of what was discussed. Instead of replaying a long recording, you read a few lines and know what happened. Reviewers point out this is where the app saves the most time on a busy day.
Action Item Extraction
Beyond a summary, the app pulls out follow-ups and to-dos from each call. Tasks and promises get listed in one place, so nothing depends on memory. Sales and consulting users tend to lean on this the most.
Second Phone Number
Pernell gives you a number that's separate from your personal line. You make and receive calls and texts on it like any phone line. Keeping work and personal calls apart is the basic reason people pick a second number in the first place.
Built-In Call Record
Every incoming call lands in a dashboard with its transcript, AI call summaries, and action items attached. You browse past calls in one list rather than digging through separate apps for notes and recordings.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The AI receptionist answers missed and rejected calls, so you stop losing callers to voicemail.
- Transcription, summaries, and action items are generated automatically, which cuts out manual note-taking.
- A second number keeps business calls separate from your personal line.
- The dashboard keeps transcripts and follow-ups in one place for quick review.
Cons
- It's iOS only, so Android and desktop users have no way to use it.
- The subscription runs $19.99 per month, which is steep if you only get a few calls a week.
- Setup takes a few steps, including number selection and call permissions, and some users find it clunky.
- Transcription accuracy drops on calls with poor audio or heavy accents.
Frequently asked questions
Pernell gives your iPhone a second phone number and an AI receptionist that answers calls you miss. It then transcribes each call, writes a summary, and lists the follow-ups, so you keep a written record of every conversation.
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