Making IT Units More Effective.

• Position: Information technology - Brief Article

Gerry Smith, CEO of Toronto-based Changepoint (www.changepoint.com), a provider of Web-based business process automation solutions for corporate IT departments, offers a list of five suggested steps for IT companies battling the current economic slowdown.

1. Make the customer part of your team. By including customers in the details of the service delivery process, you give customers a more intimate look at the work being performed. That can help keep problems from spinning out of control.

2. Re-evaluate your IT spending. While cuts on IT infrastructure spending are unavoidable, look for software that helps you build profitability and leverages your hardware infrastructure.

3. Overhaul your budgeting process. Assess budgets across the whole enterprise, analyze where your money is being spent and look at ways to increase billing efficiency in order to improve cash flow.

4. Focus...