Geospatial · Software Implementation · Project Services · Cloud

Eichcorp Insights

2026 Issue 2: Trending

Subscribe Operations Septic Connect

Philadelphia really delivered over Labor Day weekend — the calendar says summer, but it sure feels like fall.

AI the Trend

It would be an understatement to write that AI is trending, and it would go against my communication style to write that AI is “having its moment”. So, I’ll just put it this way:

• AI is here
• AI is here to stay
• There is much to learn about how to employ AI to improve our professional value/output

Others with deeper knowledge and wider reach have written at greater length on the AI revolution that many of us are experiencing in business and in the software business specifically.

My take: AI is here and in order to survive, software practitioners need to understand it, including its strengths and weaknesses, and make smart use of it in our day to day, as well as in our longer term strategies.

Additionally I believe AI will have staying power, but at the same time its value/benefit will reach a ceiling based on the fact that a) it’s intelligent, but still artificial, and b) as individuals and organizations adapt, the value it adds is measured against the value that your peers/competitors are also gaining by employing AI as a tool in their own work/output.

Is AI a good operations platform?

(Hint: we don’t think it is)

It’s Fall 2026 (at least on most scholastic calendars), and non-developers can use AI to “vibe code” their own software applications. Should they? Some folks are even skipping this step and using AI as their platform for organizing their team’s work. Is this sound?

The rise of vibe-coded, self-authored software applications has been, IMO, a healthy disruption to the software business. Also, believe me I have been understanding and adopting AI for Eichcorp’s work (see below). I also asked myself whether I would recommend leveraging AI as a platform to manage my business’s operations.

In short, no. I would not use AI as operations management platform. Instead, use a software platform like Eichcorp OWA. A platform offers two critical benefits over adopting AI as a management platform:

First, AI is non-deterministic, meaning that it does not always generate the same output given the same inputs. If you are using Claude (e.g.) as your business operations platform, then you run the risk (very real risk!) of getting different results day to day or week to week based on the same inputs. So, instead of tasking Claude with scheduling your field crews, use a platform that will yield the same results each time.

Second, because AI is the platform, cost is incurred on each use. More queries or More data? Guess what? You will incur more usage against your quota (tokens). Just as important, because you are relying on AI each time (each query, each analysis), you’ll pay with your time. AI isn't the quickest path, and that cost adds up over time. Alternatively, choose well designed software which performs up to the high standards of you and your teams.

Eichcorp OWA reliably triggers automation each and every time, no prompt required.

Read on for more information about how Eichcorp uses AI in our day to day, including to develop and extend Eichcorp OWA, our operations management software designed for businesses in: Onsite Wastewater/Septic, Fiber Broadband, Energy, Commercial Real Estate, and more.

Learn More

AI at Eichcorp

(Hint: we use it for what it’s good at.)

AI brings a lot of value to a small software business like Eichcorp.

It saves time on recurring work

First, AI saves me time on things I do regularly, including publishing this newsletter. No, AI doesn’t write the newsletter for me, but it’s a fantastic tool to translate text to .html, and as I wrote here on LinkedIn it also helps me with publishing.

It takes great notes

Second, I use an AI notetaker (Gemini) for many of my meetings. Here AI helps me work better by allowing me to focus on moderating — for example user interviews to gather requirements for new software features. Post-meeting, the raw notes are there for me, as well as a typically pretty well-done summary.

It helps us build software for clients

Thirdly, and perhaps what you were most curious about, we use AI to develop software for Eichcorp clients.

• AI is pretty good at writing code, but it benefits from the right instructions, and guardrails.
• Also, as many of you are aware, developing software involves much more than writing code. Early in my process I use Claude to generate architectural options and ideas that I may not have thought of as a software/system architect.
• Claude also helps us test code. It’s 2026 people! Software engineers are running out of excuses for releasing under-tested software. AI (again with our input) can generate software test plans and write automated tests which traditionally have been tedious and expensive to write by hand.

One tip in this area: don’t use AI (e.g. Claude) as your test framework. Instead, ask Claude to develop a framework and tests which can be executed regularly/ad-hoc/etc. without using Claude. Sensing a theme here?

Upcoming Events (see you there!)

TUE SEP-15, 9am: Charlottesville Espressos and Entrepreneurs

CE2 is one of Charlottesville’s bedrock professional events. I am excited to be taking the stage to share some of Eichcorp’s story, gather feedback, and initiate fruitful conversations about infrastructure asset management and work management for field operations in the construction and engineering industry.

More info: cvilleinnovation.org/entrepreneurs-espresso

TUE SEP-15, 10am: City of Charlottesville Reverse Vendor Fair

Instead of exhibiting at a table, businesses like Eichcorp make the rounds to City buyers and procurers.

More info: charlottesville.gov: Reverse Vendor Fair Fall 2026

FRI SEP-18, 9am: Charlottesville Professional Breakfast Group Monthly Meetup

Eichcorp is the proud founder and lead organizer of this monthly professional networking group. We rotate the spot, and this month we return to a favorite Maple Pine Breakfast & Thai.

More info: CPBG on LinkedIn

FRI OCT-02: Onsite Wastewater Professionals NC Tools & Technology Conference (Greensboro, NC)

Eichcorp is excited to be exhibiting at the OWP NC 2026 Tools & Technology Conference and Expo in Greensboro, NC. Will you be attending this year? Contact us at info@eichcorp.com — we’d love to connect with you in Greensboro.

More info: owpnc.com/expo

Other Events

OCT-27 thru OCT-29: Esri IMGIS Conference (Palm Springs, CA)

Esri Infrastructure Management & GIS Conference.

More info: esri.com: IMGIS

Where can I learn more?

Subscribe to Eichcorp Insights if you haven’t already!

Subscribe

Learn more about the Eichcorp OWA Platform.

Operations

Are you managing septic site evaluation, design, or inspection work?

Septic

Reach out to set up a conversation at: info@eichcorp.com.

Connect

Eichcorp Inc.

513 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902

eichcorp.com