This was the path taken by JDN Realty Group (Juan D. Nepomuceno Sons Inc.), a Philippine-based real estate and property development company, when it replaced its aging business systems.
From manual processes to integrated systems
In 2014, the 60-year-old company began using Oracle NetSuite to streamline financial operations and improve efficiency in managing more than 70,000 square meters of leasable space across Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, and Pangasinan.
Aaron Jeffrey Montenegro, president and chief executive officer of JDN, said in an interview with InsiderPH that before automation, reporting was largely manual and typically took up to five days to complete.
The company also relied on third parties to process and analyze data.
He said integrating different controllers into NetSuite simplified processes and improved accuracy in revenue reporting from top line to bottom line. The system also provided a more reliable basis for reporting to owners.
Improving efficiency
Since adopting NetSuite, JDN has improved operational efficiency, reduced costs, and enhanced business visibility, alongside a more than 300 percent increase in its tenant base, according to Montenegro.
“As our business has expanded several-fold, driven by growing urbanization and strong local economic activity, NetSuite has continued to scale with us to support increasing operational complexity,” he said.
NetSuite also enabled JDN to integrate workflows across finance, accounting, procurement, and property operations.
This reduced financial reporting turnaround time from four days to one to two hours, while automating processes such as fixed-asset depreciation and lease accounting.
Adoption and ease of use across teams
Beyond automation, Montenegro said the system was easy to learn, allowing employees to adapt quickly.
He added that this has helped the company address talent gaps by enabling staff to take on more analytical and decision-making roles.
“It’s very easy to navigate once teams are trained and fully integrated into the system. It’s not complicated,” he said.
As a result, he joked that some finance managers and NetSuite champions within the company have developed deeper system expertise than the IT team.
Addressing talent gaps
Montenegro said automation has not led to large-scale layoffs. Instead, the company has focused on upskilling employees through continuous training and internal development.
“We hire professionals for NetSuite to train our people and make them experts. We believe that our champions should come from within the organization,” he said.
He added that automation has reduced reliance on third-party providers by enabling faster analysis and workflow creation. However, employees still require training to use these tools effectively.
During the pandemic, NetSuite also enabled remote work while helping maintain financial operations, ensuring that obligations such as bill payments were met on time.
Exploring AI and future system enhancements
Looking ahead, Montenegro said the company is exploring further enhancements such as automated field scheduling and deeper AI integration within its cloud-based systems.
During SuiteConnect Manila, Oracle NetSuite also introduced new AI-powered features under its next-generation platform, NetSuite Next.
These include tools for natural language search, conversational interfaces, and automated workflows, which are expected to roll out in ASEAN within the next 12 months. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
Content Producer
