Although the UK can’t put a foot right in the eyes of the USA at the moment, there is one thing that we can get right, Cricket. Okay, so maybe the UK is not so good at political relationships, but who cares when there is sport! This week saw England win the Ashes and all bad news was forgotten. So the Round- Up will plough on with this week’s news with a spring in its step and brimming with positivity.

A trend the Round-Up has noticed this week, amongst others, is a surge of importance placed on improved customer services as a way of differentiating oneself from competitors. According to Fujitsu, 40 percent of CIOs see improved customer service as key during recession.

IT leaders are looking inwards as they seek new ways to deliver value amidst the recession, according to new research commissioned by Fujitsu Technology Solutions. The report, entitled “Dynamic Infrastructures and the Future of IT” found that more than half of the respondents prioritised the improvement of service levels when it comes to their investment in new technology.

However, this is not the main reason for Fujitsu’s visibility in the media this week. It seems the company may be in difficulty as it announced the plan to reduce up to 1,200 jobs of its UK operations. This measure is being proposed because of lower than anticipated revenues. It seems it is another knock-on effect of the lagging economy.

On a more optimistic note, (remember, just three paragraphs ago I promised springy steps cardiac positivity) interesting news came in the form of the U.S. National Guard outsourcing its training programs to CSC. It is promising that the training of America’s National Army is being entrusted to an outsourced IT provider. If outsourcing is good enough for the Army, then it is good enough for anyone!

And to end on an even higher note, Steria has signed a £45 million deal with the IPCC. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) signed the ten-year contract with Steria to provide Information and Communication Technology.

Amongst other departments the IPCC also investigates serious complaints against HM Revenue and Customs, the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the UK Border Agency. The staff exercise police-like powers. So information and communication technology is a pretty important aspect of the department. The round-up is sure Steria will make sure no complaint goes awry.

But we’re not complaining this weekend in the UK as you well know. The August bank holiday has finally arrived and not a minute too soon. We’ll soon be welcoming tanned colleagues back into the office, packing kids off to school and wondering bewildered at where the summer went again. Enjoy the three days while they last!