In the high-stakes, fast-paced business of real estate, agility is more than just a buzzword; it’s a requirement. Nonetheless, many organisations are still hampered by antiquated finance systems, fragmented data, and time-consuming manual procedures. The transition to Oracle’s Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Cloud is altering this dynamic, allowing real estate companies to streamline operations, get insights, and make better decisions.

Keller Williams (KW), the world’s largest real estate franchise, is the best illustration of this, having recently redefined its financial future with Oracle Cloud.

The Legacy Burden: Growth outpacing Infrastructure

Keller Williams spent years prioritising franchisee support and growth. However, internally, the company was using an extensively customised on-premises finance system supported by spreadsheets and email chains. Budgeting, reporting, and forecasting become labour intensive, compartmentalised, and inefficient. Even something as easy as creating an executive-ready financial report can derail the entire finance team’s day.

“We were working internally on older systems while offering cutting-edge technology to our franchisees,” says Tamara Hurwitz, KW’s VP of Technology Operations and Innovation.

The disparity between external innovation and domestic capacity was no longer sustainable. It was time for a financial technology shift.

A strategic leap to the Oracle cloud

Keller Williams made a bold move in early 2024: with the help of consultancy partner Accelalpha, the company moved its primary financial processes to Oracle Cloud Financials, which is part of the larger Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP system. Soon after, they implemented Oracle Cloud EPM and Fusion Data Intelligence, which marked a critical milestone in their finance modernisation journey.

The impact was immediate. Manual invoice approvals, expenditure processes, and month-end reconciliations, which used to take days, are now automated. Finance personnel were no longer constrained by Excel files and siloed systems. Planning cycles, which had previously taken weeks, were substantially reduced.

Most telling? KW witnessed a 90% decrease in financial reporting time, demonstrating the power of real-time data access and seamless connectivity across ERP and EPM platforms.

What Does This Mean for Real Estate Firms

KW’s difficulties are not unusual, but its response is ahead of the curve. As the real estate business navigates volatile markets, regulatory changes, and increasingly complex portfolio needs, the ability to adapt swiftly with reliable financial intelligence is critical.

Oracle EPM Cloud enables organisations with:

• Real-time access to financial data eliminates the need for slow, manual operations.
• Centralised planning and forecasting ensures uniformity throughout development, leasing, capital, and operations.
• Smart automation solutions, such as Smart View for Excel and predictive modelling, can help speed up decision-making.
• Integrating AI and machine learning to develop data-driven plans from both internal and external sources.

These attributes aren’t just theoretical; they’re actually generating improved business outcomes, as Keller Williams demonstrated.

Empowering Franchisees and Agents with Data

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of KW’s progress is how the technological advantages reach beyond the corporate finance division. With Oracle Cloud Infrastructure integration services, KW built a self-service portal that lets franchisees and agents to maintain their own data, such as updating bank information, without having to go via support channels. This modest modification has decreased data inaccuracies, freed up internal resources, and boosted transparency.

Looking ahead, KW is investigating how Oracle’s AI capabilities might help connect training initiatives (such as its KSCORE real estate education program) to franchisee performance. Imagine being able to detect which classes result in more closed deals—and customising your training investments accordingly. Oracle EPM makes this future viable.

Guidance Matters: Why Oracle Makes a Difference

Choosing the proper tools isn’t enough to successfully use Oracle EPM Cloud; you also need the right assistance. This is where Oracle comes in.

With extensive knowledge of Oracle Cloud applications and a thorough grasp of the real estate industry, Oracle collaborate closely with customers to ensure that every step of the journey—from planning and selection to customisation and rollout—is done effectively. Whether it’s assisting real estate companies in deciding between EPM Standard and Enterprise, or incorporating sophisticated capabilities such as Groovy scripting or predictive analytics, your team ensures that technology fits real business requirements.

Companies that work with Oracle avoid costly problems, accelerate deployment, and fully realise the benefits of Oracle EPM Cloud, just as Keller Williams did.

Conclusion: Cloud-Based Planning for a Smarter Real Estate Industry

The real estate industry is rapidly evolving – and the organisations that flourish will be those who can convert information into action faster than before. Oracle EPM Cloud is no longer a luxury; it is a strategic need for businesses seeking to make agile, data-driven decisions at scale.

Keller Williams provides a powerful real-world illustration of what is achievable when firms adopt cloud-based transformation. What started as a modernisation project is now providing strategic insights, operational efficiency, and franchisee success.

Real estate companies may confidently go forward with Oracle EPM Cloud and the experienced direction throughout the entire Oracle journey.