I completely agree...the control point is very good as well. I take as much control as the client wants -- for some they just give me the raw files and have me do everything else, but most have a clear idea of what they want, but are often not completely aware of all the possibilities.
For example, I recently did a job for a gallery here where the work consisted of pairing star trail images with portraits of a dying man. The portraits were just of the head, floating moonlike in a black space. The client had initially wanted a standard Hahnemühle matte paper, but to me the silveriness and slight shine of Photo Rag Satin seemed like a better choice. It is a bit of an oddball paper, but it fit extremely well for this work. I did a small test for him, and he agreed that it was a much better fit than either a standard matte paper or a luster/gloss paper. The client knew what they wanted, and would have been happy with a fine art matte paper, but once they saw a new option, they were even happier.
I certainly do not want to persuade anyone against printing for themselves, as I think that is great thing to do. Many people, however, are simply not of that mindset. Even for those that are, working with a good printer is like having a non-judgmental advisor. They give you another set of eyes and can confront you with options you might not have considered. If you then decide not to go that route, that's fine, but it can be very helpful.
When I was learning darkroom printing at ICP, I studied with Brian Young, who is their master printer. I remember presenting him with a "finished" print. He said it was good, but suggested a few different tweaks -- a slightly different exposure, a bit more burning at a different grade etc. I went back into the darkroom and did it again, and wow...it was much better. I had thought I was done, but the advice was spot on. I try to emulate that approach in my work. It may take a few more decades, but one day I will get there!