I also use automatic bill pay, but I have it set up that my bank pays amounts that I have previously set (monthly mortgage, budgeted gas and electric). For bills that vary from month to month I use “e-bill”. The bank gets the bill and per my set up instructions pays either the total amount due, minimum due or no more than an amount I set. The bank sends emails when the bill comes in and when it is paid
I am not comfortable with the other process where the company is authorized to debit your account. I feel that if they make a mistake they leave me in a position of possibly having to chase them to get back my own money
The only problems I have had were when countrywide and WAMU failed and were taken over I did not catch the fact that eventually the ebills from them stopped and as a result the new banks did not get paid. I was charged late fees, but the new banks, BoA and Chase graciously waived the fees when I discovered and explained the error
I cannot imagine going back to using snail mail. Too often the checks were late because they were forgotten in my jacket pocket or the visor of the car