How Oberoi Realty is Redefining Luxury Real Estate Through Digital Transformation

Real estate may have been slow to digitize, but at Oberoi Realty, technology is now at the heart of every experience—from design and construction to customer engagement. In this exclusive interview, Pankaj Pandit, Chief Information Officer, reveals how the company is transforming luxury real estate through AI, IoT, cloud computing, and data analytics. With a clear focus on innovation, precision, and personalization, Pandit explains why tech is no longer just a support function—it’s a strategic differentiator reshaping the future of the industry.

Real estate has traditionally been slow in adopting digital transformation. How is IT redefining the sector today and how has technology adoption evolved over the past decade?

India’s real estate sector is undergoing a digital revolution, and adopting advanced technologies has become an essential part of the larger business strategy. While the transition accelerated during the pandemic, digital transformation has now significantly impacted how customers and real estate brands interact with each other.

We have taken a strategic approach to technology, carefully selecting the right solutions and implementing them with persistence and pragmatism to drive meaningful business outcomes. We embraced innovation as we experiment with modern technologies and believe in testing new ideas rapidly, learning from setbacks, and refining solutions efficiently.

We believe technology is not just an enabler, it’s a differentiator. Our innovative digital transformation enhances every stage of the customer journey, from first interaction to post-possession services. We have deployed Salesforce-powered CRM and focused Customer Mobile Apps to offer seamless engagement, real-time support, and data-driven insights to anticipate customer needs.

On the project execution front, our adoption of BIM (Building Information Modelling), SAP, and Autodesk platforms ensures precision, efficiency, and quality, reinforcing our commitment to delivering flawless luxury experiences. For operational speed and accuracy, we have digitized and mobile enabled key processes. Additionally, we are deploying AI tools for customer analysis, business data insights and design process improvements.

What role does IT play in improving project planning, construction management, and operational efficiency in real estate?

With increasing project complexities, rising customer expectations, and the need for precision-driven execution, leveraging cutting-edge IT solutions is critical to ensuring efficiency, sustainability, and excellence in modern developments.

At Oberoi Realty, we are passionate about Design. We endeavour to provide unparalleled quality of living spaces to our customers. We have enabled this passion by providing a collaboration platform to our Architecture and Design teams located in India and abroad. Our robust Common Data Environment (CDE), powered by Autodesk, enables real-time collaboration among architects, structural engineers, and execution teams, eliminating inefficiencies and driving seamless project delivery.

Furthermore, our project sites have been digitally enabled to monitor and control quality of construction. Also, by transitioning from 2D to 5D modelling we are integrating design, scheduling, and cost management. This enhances accuracy, minimizes rework, and results in better integration of quality and innovation across our developments.

These consistent efforts have enabled us to deliver architectural mastery, impeccable quality, and enduring value, which are key hallmarks of every Oberoi Realty project. We are not just building homes, but shaping the future of luxury real estate, by staying ahead of the digital curve through structured transformation.

How is Cloud computing transforming real estate operations at Oberoi Realty?

Cloud computing is fundamentally changing how real estate companies operate, and the impact is clearly visible across the sector. Today, we are seeing that cloud computing is powering everything from ERP systems and CRMs to advanced analytics and digital customer experiences across India Inc. It is also critical in enabling hybrid work, improving disaster recovery, and supporting innovation at scale, thereby becoming a key driver of operational resilience and long-term growth.

Adoption of cloud computing has enabled greater agility, scalability, and efficiency across functions. From centralized data access for project teams to seamless collaboration between on-site and remote staff, cloud platforms have removed traditional silos and improved speed of execution.

Can you share examples of how IoT is being used to enhance building management, energy efficiency, or security?

IoT is playing a major role in modernizing building infrastructure across industries, and we are taking proactive steps towards widespread adoption as part of our processes. Security systems are becoming smarter with IoT-based surveillance, biometric access, and remote monitoring, improving both safety and operational efficiency in commercial and residential spaces.

From enabling real-time monitoring of energy consumption to predictive maintenance for HVAC systems, and automated lighting and climate controls to reduce waste; the industry should unanimously explore IoT’s potential, making it an integral part of business operations.

How do you leverage data analytics and business intelligence to drive better decision-making in real estate?

Our business now has well established and robust transaction processing systems like ERP, CRM, Sourcing, workflows etc. These systems capture tons of important business data in a structured manner. We have deployed business intelligence tools to adopt decision support dashboards to cover all critical business functions.

Data analytics and business intelligence are becoming central to how real estate companies plan, execute, and grow. These tools enable faster, more informed decisions by turning raw data into actionable insights.

Over and above, we are working to leverage AI to facilitate natural language conversations with this business analytics to provide further insights. At a broader level, across India Inc., BI platforms are helping businesses monitor key performance indicators, analyse operational efficiency, and reduce costs. In real estate specifically, firms are using analytics to manage inventory more strategically, improve construction timelines, and his shift toward data-led decision-making is not just improving agility—it’s driving better alignment between business goals, market realities, and customer expectations.

"We are deploying AI tools for customer analysis, business data insights and design process improvements."

Real estate companies manage vast amounts of sensitive customer and financial data. What are the biggest cybersecurity challenges in the sector?

The main challenges lie in managing data across multiple touchpoints and legacy systems that may not be built for today’s threat landscape. As digital adoption accelerates, real estate firms are increasingly targeted by phishing, ransomware, and data theft. It has become imperative for companies across sectors to secure cloud infrastructure, thereby enforcing strong access controls, and creating a culture of cyber-awareness are critical steps to mitigate these risks.

Data pilferage through social engineering is another constant threat. We have deployed robust measures to prevent data leakages through such attacks. Data privacy is guarded with utmost importance.

How is technology improving home-buying experiences for customers, from virtual property tours to AI-driven recommendations? How does IT contribute to personalizing real estate services and improving customer satisfaction?

In the rapidly evolving real estate landscape, technology is a critical enabler of precision, efficiency, and customer-centric innovation. We are integrating latest digital solutions to redefine both residential and commercial experiences. We are working towards embedding technology into every stage of the real estate lifecycle and constantly exploring opportunities for refining our customer experiences.

As we move ahead, the industry should collaboratively work towards delivering spaces that are not only aesthetically superior but also functionally intelligent, setting new benchmarks in design, sustainability, and customer experience.

Similarly, in commercial developments, intelligent building management systems (BMS) drive energy efficiency, sustainability, and workplace wellness, optimizing operational performance.

What are the biggest digital transformation trends shaping the real estate industry today?

In the real estate segment especially, clients expect more than listings, they want tailored, high-touch experiences. Whereas in the luxury segment, it is important to communicate our brand messaging through digital communication channels to establish a strong connection with our clientele. We are leveraging AI and data analytics to deliver smarter property recommendations that align with a buyer’s lifestyle. From intelligent lead nurturing to seamless communication and digital paperwork, the focus is on reducing friction and elevating every step of the journey.

The biggest digital transformation trends shaping the real estate industry today primarily focus on personalization, immersion, and automation. Ultimately, digital transformation in real estate isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about creating a smarter, more refined client experience.

What’s next for Oberoi Realty’s IT roadmap in terms of technology investments and innovation?

It has become imperative that real estate companies integrate AI-driven automation to streamline operations, deploying digital twins for real-time project tracking. Luxury real estate brands like us have continuously been exploring and utilising new communication technologies and digital transformations. Blockchain is an interesting piece of technology waiting for a good business use case.

While adopting the newer technologies, we need to ensure that cyber security gets due consideration. Utmost care should be taken to protect customer data and other such data entrusted to businesses. We continuously need to invest and push the boundaries of technology, enabling us to not just keep up our pace with the global realty sector’s evolution but also shape the future of India’s real estate.