In addition to all the other weirdness about this, their email announcing this had a fascinating bug in it:<p>I received an email with subject "Bench is Back — Here’s What You Need to Know". The contents looked like a copy of the previous mail: "We regret to inform you that we will be shutting down Bench services. Effective immediately, [...]".<p>On a hunch, I checked the HTML version rather than the plain text. "<p>Bench has been acquired by Employer.com and we’re thrilled to share with you that as of today, December 30, 2024, we’re back in action.<br /><br /></p> [...]"<p>Somehow, they managed to send out an HTML mail that has the plain-text of a <i>completely different mail</i>. How does that even happen? What possible steps would lead to sending such a mail?<p>-----<p>For anyone curious about the complete contents of the mail sent to Bench customers (the HTML one they seem to have actually intended to send):<p>Dear Bench customer,<p>We wanted to get in touch with you to give you an update on Bench Accounting.<p>Bench has been acquired by Employer.com and we’re thrilled to share with you that as of
today, December 30, 2024, we’re back in action.<p>What You Should Know<p>Is anything changing?<p>No, you will continue to work with the same great team, platform, and service. We’re
preparing to wrap up your year-end financials and get you set for a smooth tax season in Q1
2025.<p>Who will be doing my books?<p>The same great Bench team will continue to be supporting you with your books using the
Bench.co platform, ensuring that you have a seamless experience moving forward.<p>Next Steps<p>To continue working with the Bench team and platform, simply login to your account, and
click “I Consent.”<p>This gives us the permission to continue supporting your account, and transfers your data
ownership from Bench to Employer.com<p>If you do not wish to provide consent, you will have the option to opt out. Please note
that once opted out, we cannot reverse the action nor can we provide any refunds.<p>We know the sudden shutdown of Bench disrupted things, and for that, we’re truly sorry.
This acquisition is about turning things around and making sure your bookkeeping needs are
met — better than ever. We look forward to working with you for a successful tax season
ahead.<p>Thank you for your patience and understanding, and please reach out if you have any
questions.<p>The Bench Team