How can the HR Department deliver faster and better response and be more cost effective?

If HR department can move from "REACTIVE" to "PROACTIVE"  mode, things will definitely change to the better.   To be able to do that,  HR department needs to be empowered/enabled to to become proactive in its work with "adequate" cooperation from other departments who can be internal customers seeking HR services, or other support departments that HR function relies heavily on to execute their job duties properly.