Dividing Tasks and Creating Accountable Ownership

THE PROBLEM:

Process Without Ownership Is Just a Suggestion

You have a process document now. It's comprehensive. It's clear. It has everything someone needs to manage snow removal effectively.

And when the first storm hits, nobody does anything because nobody knows it's their job to do it.

This is the gap that kills most process improvement efforts. Organizations spend weeks documenting what should happen, then act surprised when it doesn't actually happen. The process document sits in a shared drive while your team operates exactly like they always have: reacting to problems after they occur, assuming someone else is handling the proactive stuff, and improvising when things go wrong.

WALKING THROUGH THE BREAKDOWN:

From Document to Assignment

Let's take your process document from Section 2 and turn it into actual ownership. Here's how to work through it systematically.

Step 1: Identify Every Action Verb

Go through your process document with a highlighter (literal or digital). Mark every action verb—every "monitor," "dispatch," "approve," "document," "escalate," "verify," "contact," "review," "update."

From the example document in Section 2, we'd highlight:

• Monitor weather forecasts

• Verify vendor availability

• Contact vendors once thresholds are met

• Authorize dispatch decisions

• Log dispatch information in CMMS

• Confirm vendor arrival

• Track vendor no-shows

• Initiate backup vendor escalation

• Verify completion photos

• Document any damage or issues

• Conduct post-storm quality checks

That list of verbs becomes your task list. If it's not on this list, it's not getting done.

Step 2: Group Related Actions Into Role Clusters

Some actions naturally belong together because they require the same skills, happen at the same time, or need the same level of authority. Group them.

Real-time coordination tasks (need someone actively monitoring and responding):

• Monitor weather forecasts

• Contact vendors

• Log dispatch information

• Confirm vendor arrival

• Track vendor no-shows

• Initiate escalations

Decision authority tasks (need someone with budget approval and vendor management authority):

• Authorize dispatch decisions

• Approve emergency/premium rate vendors

• Manage vendor performance issues

• Make contract decisions based on seasonal data

Quality control tasks (need someone detail-oriented who can enforce standards):

• Verify completion photos

• Conduct post-storm quality checks

• Document damage or incomplete service

• Track documentation compliance

Communication tasks (need someone who interfaces with operations):

• Communicate forecasts to store managers

• Provide storm updates to corporate

• Report completion status by region

You're not assigning these to people yet—you're just grouping similar work.

Step 3: Assign Ownership to Specific Roles

Now match those task clusters to roles. Use role titles, not names. Names change. Roles are stable.

For a typical multi-location facilities operation, assignments might look like:

Maintenance Coordinator role:

• Monitor weather forecasts daily during winter season

• Contact vendors when dispatch thresholds are met

• Log all dispatch activity in CMMS with timestamps

• Confirm vendor arrival and track response times

• Initiate backup vendor escalation when primary vendors are unavailable or late

• Verify completion photos meet documentation standards

• Document any service issues or damage reports

Facilities Director/Manager role:

• Authorize dispatch for storms meeting defined thresholds

• Approve emergency/premium rate vendor calls

• Review vendor performance data weekly during active season

• Communicate with operations leadership on major storm events

• Make contract renewal decisions based on seasonal performance data

Store Operations (informed/consulted, not responsible):

• Receive forecast notifications for their regions

• Report any service quality issues to maintenance coordinator

• Provide site access and support as needed

Notice what's different here: every task has exactly one role that owns it. The coordinator doesn't need to ask permission to contact vendors once thresholds are met—that's their responsibility. But they can't authorize premium rates—that's the director's responsibility. Clean lines.

Step 4: Identify Which Tasks Need Detailed SOPs

Go back through your assignments. For each task, ask: "Could someone new to this role execute this task with just the basic assignment, or do they need detailed instructions?"

Tasks that DON'T need SOPs:

• Log dispatch information in CMMS (straightforward data entry)

• Confirm vendor arrival (simple check-in call or message)

• Monitor weather forecasts (just check the forecast source daily)

Tasks that DO need SOPs:

• Authorize dispatch for storms meeting defined thresholds (requires judgment on accumulation, timing, forecast confidence)

• Initiate backup vendor escalation (requires decision tree: when to escalate, who to contact, what information to provide)

• Verify completion photos meet documentation standards (requires specific criteria for what's acceptable)

The tasks that need SOPs are usually the ones involving "if/then" decision-making or quality judgment.

EXAMPLE SOP:

Deciding When to Dispatch Vendors

Let's build a complete SOP for one of the most judgment-intensive tasks in snow removal.

SOP: Snow Removal Vendor Dispatch Decision

Purpose: This procedure defines how maintenance coordinators decide when to dispatch snow removal vendors and what information to gather before making that decision.

When to use: Review this procedure when any forecasted snow event appears in your monitoring regions within the next 48 hours.

Responsible role: Maintenance Coordinator

Inputs required before making dispatch decision:

• Current accumulation forecast from Weather.com (check within 4 hours of decision)

• Forecast confidence level (winter storm watch vs. warning vs. advisory)

• Current vendor availability confirmation (if within 24 hours of forecasted event)

• Store operating hours for affected locations

• Current vendor service queue status (during active storm periods)

Decision matrix:

Standard dispatch (primary vendors, standard rates):

• 2-4 inches accumulation during business hours (10 AM - 8 PM) + winter storm watch or warning

• 2-4 inches accumulation overnight/early morning (8 PM - 10 AM) + winter storm watch or warning

• Any ice accumulation forecast (regardless of snow depth)

Priority dispatch (expedited timing, may require premium rates):

• 4+ inches accumulation any time

• Ice accumulation + morning rush timing (5 AM - 10 AM forecast)

• Any accumulation + store-specific emergency request from operations

Monitor only (no dispatch yet):

• 1-2 inches forecast with winter weather advisory only

• Forecast more than 48 hours out with low confidence

• Flurries or light snow with no accumulation forecast

Special considerations:

If forecast is borderline (1.5-2 inches):

• Check forecast trend (increasing or decreasing prediction)

• Consider timing (morning rush = lower threshold, overnight = higher threshold)

• Review regional patterns (does this forecast source typically over/under-predict for this region?)

• When in doubt, consult with facilities director before committing vendors

If primary vendor unavailable:

• Immediately contact backup vendor and confirm availability

• Notify facilities director if backup also unavailable—emergency escalation required

• Do not delay dispatch decision waiting for primary vendor response beyond 2 hours

If forecast changes significantly after dispatch:

• Increases to 6+ inches: Notify vendor of updated forecast, confirm they can still service all locations, alert operations of potential delays

• Decreases below dispatch threshold: Contact vendor to cancel or reduce scope if more than 12 hours before event, otherwise proceed as planned

Outputs and documentation:

After dispatch decision, log in CMMS:

• Dispatch authorization timestamp

• Accumulation forecast and source

• Vendor confirmation time

• Expected service window

• Any special instructions or priority locations

Notify:

• Vendor: confirm dispatch, provide service window, specify any priority locations

• Store operations: expected vendor arrival window for their regions

• Facilities director: dispatch summary if 4+ locations affected or emergency rates required

Set follow-up:

• Calendar reminder for vendor arrival confirmation (2 hours before expected service window)

• Weather forecast check (4 hours before event to catch any significant changes)

Common questions:

Q: What if I'm not sure whether to dispatch? A: If accumulation forecast is between 1.5-2 inches or forecast confidence is low, consult with facilities director. Document the consultation and decision in CMMS. It's better to ask than to guess wrong.

Q: Can I dispatch outside these thresholds if a store manager requests it? A: Store managers can request emergency snow removal, which triggers priority dispatch. Document the request and requesting manager name. If it's outside normal thresholds and not clearly justified, loop in facilities director before committing vendors.

Q: What if the vendor says they'll try to get there but can't commit to timing? A: That's not confirmation—that's a soft no. Move immediately to backup vendor and notify facilities director. We need committed service windows, not best efforts.

This SOP doesn't just say "decide when to dispatch vendors." It provides specific thresholds, handles edge cases, tells you what to do when things go wrong, and answers the questions coordinators actually ask when they're new to the role.

That's the level of detail you need for SOPs. Not for everything—just for the tasks that require judgment or have multiple decision points.

Common SOP Mistakes to Avoid

Too vague:

"Use good judgment to determine if conditions warrant vendor dispatch." That's not an SOP. That's an instruction to guess.

Too rigid:

"Follow these 23 steps in exact order with no deviation regardless of circumstances." Nobody will follow that. Reality is messier than 23-step procedures.

No clear owner:

"The team will evaluate forecast conditions and coordinate vendor response." Who, specifically? One person needs to own the decision.

Doesn't address exceptions:

SOPs that only cover perfect scenarios are useless. The SOP needs to tell you what to do when the vendor doesn't answer, when the forecast changes, when operations is screaming for emergency service.

Not maintained:

You write an SOP in October. By January, you've learned three important exceptions that should be in the SOP but aren't. Now people are following outdated instructions or ignoring the SOP entirely. SOPs need an owner who updates them when reality reveals gaps.

Common Issues to Watch For and Fix:

Even with a good prompt, AI output needs human refinement. Here's what to watch for:

AI being too generic.

If the output says "contact the appropriate vendor" instead of "call Jim Reynolds at Jim's Plowing (555-0123) and confirm availability for the forecasted storm window," make it specific. Generic process documents don't help anyone.

Missing your company-specific terminology or tools.

If you use ServiceChannel or Corrigo or a custom CMMS, make sure that's reflected. If you call your maintenance coordinators "facilities dispatchers" or "VMCs," make sure the AI uses your terminology. You can add a note to the prompt: "We use [CMMS NAME] for work orders and refer to our coordination team as [ROLE NAME]."

Over-complicating simple steps.

Sometimes AI will turn "call the vendor" into a five-step communication protocol with templates and follow-up schedules. If something is straightforward, simplify it. Your process document should be clear, not bureaucratic.

Assuming standard practices you don't actually follow.

If the AI adds a step you didn't mention like "conduct post-storm debrief meetings" and you don't actually do that, remove it. Document the process you'll actually execute, not the process that sounds impressive.

MAKING IT STICK:

The Assignment Matrix

You've broken down your process into tasks. You've grouped them into roles. You've written SOPs for the complex stuff. Now you need a simple reference document that shows who owns what.

Create a responsibility assignment matrix. You can use RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) or a simpler version. Here's what it looks like for snow removal:

Responsible = The person who does the work Accountable = The person who owns the outcome (often same as Responsible for individual tasks) Consulted = People whose input is needed before action Informed = People who need to know after action

You can simplify this if RACI feels like overkill. The key is: for every task, one role is clearly responsible. Not "we all handle it." One role owns it.

This matrix becomes your training document. When you hire a new maintenance coordinator, this shows them exactly what they own. When your facilities director goes on vacation, whoever's covering knows which decisions they need to make. When store operations asks "who do I talk to about the plow not showing up," this matrix tells them it's the maintenance coordinator.

What You Have Now And What's Still Missing

At this point, you've gone from scattered tribal knowledge to documented process to clear ownership. You have:

1. A complete process document that describes your snow removal operation end-to-end

2. Specific task assignments for each role involved

3. SOPs for the complex tasks that require judgment or have multiple steps

4. A responsibility matrix that makes ownership crystal clear

Someone new could join your team, read these documents, and start managing snow removal within a week instead of "after they go through a winter."

But here's what you still don't have: proof that it's working. You have assignments, but do you know if people are executing them? You have SOPs, but are they being followed? You have documented standards, but are vendors actually meeting them?

That's Section 4. How do you measure performance so you know your process is working—or where it's breaking down?