For Buhir Rafiq, founder of Total Books Accountants the drive for excellence is at the heart of his business. What started as a one-person operation has grown into a practice serving a diverse range of clients. From tackling tax consultancy projects to ensuring accounting compliance for clients, Buhir has consistently sought out technological tools to enhance efficiency and deliver best-in-class service.
BrightManager is the foundation of Total Books Accountants, giving Buhir and the team, the tools to streamline processes, communicate with clients effectively and elevate performance by operating efficiently from a cloud-based practice management platform. The features provided such as automation and the client portal have become the cornerstone of the firm’s efficiency and growth.
Below, we explore the features of BrightManager that Buhir and the Total Books Accountants team consider essential.
Automating workflows for maximum efficiency
For Buhir, automation has redefined his workflows. BrightManager’s automation tools ensure that time-consuming, repetitive processes are handled seamlessly, freeing up valuable time for more strategic tasks.
Email and text automation
Every email sent via BrightManager is paired with an automated text message for seamless client communication. “BrightManager automatically generates an email to the client saying your documents are ready to view. So I drop the document into the portal, and BrightManager will automate an email to the client.” Buhir explains. This dual-layer communication ensures that deadlines are met whilst minimising back-and-forth communication.
BrightManager also allows accountants like Buhir to use canned messages for emails. Canned messages are pre-written snippets that save hours each week by enabling users to insert blocks of text, at a click of a button. The result, informative, tailored emails, that take seconds to write.
Buhir states – “with automated canned messages all I have to do, is double check the VAT figure with Xero and make sure it was right. We can then automate Vat filing review, and VAT payment emails at an instant. These can then be replicated via the BrightManager automated text messages and business WhatsApp. We can then get on the phone to the client…. every Quarter this one canned message rolled out across all of our clients it saves hours of time.”
Workflow delegation
BrightManager’s workflow tool has had a dramatic impact on Total Books Accountants. “We know exactly where we are and have some quite complex jobs through the workflow.” Buhir says. By using customised workflows, the team has created detailed step-by-step process for projects such as the Let Property Campaign. These workflows ensure no detail is overlooked, even when juggling intricate, long-term projects.
BrightManager also supports customisation, allowing Buhir to amend existing templates from the workflow library or create bespoke workflows from scratch.
Client timeline for accountability and assurance
One of the standout features is BrightManager’s client timeline. This tool creates a live audit trail of all communications, attachments, and updates, providing clarity, transparency and reassurance about the latest interactions with a client.
“The client timeline for us has been an absolute godsend,” Buhir explains. The timeline offers peace of mind during client disputes or HMRC Enquiries. Buhir detailed a past scenario where a client disputed a missed deadline. Using the timeline, he was able to prove multiple reminders had been sent and could see that the client had opened these emails.
Integration that simplifies complex processes
BrightManager’s ability to integrate seamlessly with software like GoProposal and Xero significantly speeds up onboarding and compliance processes. “For me, I can go on to GoProposal, fill in the proposal. There’s a button right at the start around the integration. So then the data that I’m putting into GoProposal goes straight into BrightManager, and into Xero.
In tech-enabled practices like Total Books Accountants, integrations between the software packages within the firm are key to ensuring the unnecessary admin is mitigated and that data accuracy is improved by automatically transferring client details from one system to the next.
Secure and user-friendly document portal
When talking to Buhir about the BrightManager portal, he said, “It’s all in one place and it’s secure with password protection and 2FA.”
Total Books values security and accessibility, and BrightManager’s document portal helps deliver precisely that. Featuring two-factor authentication (2FA), clients can securely log in, review, and sign documents. For Buhir, the portal’s organisation is just as valuable.
“it’s so easy and versatile for me to get data at an instant in the right place, and it’s always there.” and “for clients, it’s nice for them to see what they want, when they need it” Buhir explains.
Another standout feature of the portal is its ability to automatically notify clients when new documents are available. This automation ensures that nothing slips through the cracks and maintains transparency between Totalbooks Accountants and its clients.
“It’s instant. It’s safe. It’s secure. It’s in the right place. It stays where it’s meant to be.”
Saving time with reusable templates
Templates are fundamental to Buhir’s client communication. Totalbooks uses customisable templates for everything from introductory emails to disengagement letters. These templates allow Buhir to create client-specific emails in seconds rather than hours.
“And with automation, we’re able to streamline our time to do this… I’m talking saving hours per email,” Buhir says.
“The combination of templates, canned messages, and other time-saving tools has made managing Total Books Accountants and its clients far simpler.
A digital-first client experience
Total Books Accountants has built a loyal client base by focusing on customer experience and leveraging cutting-edge technology. Services such as Loom videos offer clear explanations of tax filings, making even complex topics digestible for clients. Automated reminders, combined with real-time notifications, ensure that deadlines are met without the need for constant manual follow-ups.
Looking ahead automation and AI opportunities
Buhir is already looking to the future of practice management. By incorporating new automations like AI agents, Repeat Process Automation and Zapier application integrations, he plans further to streamline processes like report creation and client onboarding. “BrightManager has been ahead of the curve with that, for me, of digitisation and automation.” he says.
This forward-looking approach not only enhances efficiency but ensures that Total Books Accountants stays ahead of competitors in a landscape that demands constant innovation.
The BrightManager difference
For Buhir, BrightManager is more than just software; it’s a partner in the growth of Total Books Accountants. Over the years, the Total Books Accounting team has seamlessly adapted to each new feature and update, and Buhir credits BrightManager’s customer-first approach for much of their success.
“I can ring you up and there is somebody on the end of the line who gets it, who can dial into my system, who is good at what they’re doing, that know that what they’re doing.” Buhir says. From unbeatable live and polite customer support to an evolving roadmap of features, BrightManager has cemented its reputation as the go-to solution for accountants looking to modernise their practice.
Also adding “You guys deal with me as though I’m your one and only client. I don’t feel like I’m just a number. I still feel special when I speak to somebody on the phone”
