New Customer Service Offering: Assumed Invoicing

I had a rather interesting customer service experience recently that really made my jaw drop. I received an invoice from the accounting firm I had used last year to prepare my taxes. They had thoughtfully filed 2009 tax extensions on my behalf and had kindly charged me $41 for the service. I was bit puzzled by this, as I had prepared and filed my taxes back in February on my own and I had no contact with the accounting firm since last year. So, naturally I called their office and spoke with a kind but rather befuddled staff member.

"I don't understand why you filed tax paperwork without my authorization."

"We do that as a convenience for our clients, if our records show that they haven't filed yet."

"But I never told you to file these extensions for me. Don't you think it would make sense to call and ask me first before doing this?"

"Well sir we have hundreds of clients and we couldn't possibly call all of them."

I was literally taken aback. I simply can't understand that absurdity: a professional services organzation that thinks reaching out to its client is a bother. Apparently, it's an inconvenience to call the lifeblood of your business and ask "How can we help you?" Smart businesses try to find excuses to call their clients; these bozos think it's just too much effort and so they've clearly found a better way: what I've now termed "Assumed Invoicing".

Are you tired of that pesky decision-making process?

Confused about what services you want and which ones you don't?

Have extra disposable income that you don't need?

We'll take care of all of that for you! Hire us once and we'll simply assume that you'll want to hire us over and over again. In fact, we'll preemptively provide services and even invoice you for them, all without you saying it's Ok!

I'm quite certain that I consider this unethical, and perhaps bordering on illegal. Assumed invoicing? I now have a new fastest way to stop partonizing a business.