Frontline Series - “I Told Them My Mower Was Broken…”

“I Told Them My Mower Was Broken…”

A Frontline Blog from the Field, Written by One of the Guys Who Just Wants to Work

I’m not a complainer.

I wasn’t raised that way. I don’t go looking for problems.

I show up on time. I keep my gear clean. I take care of my truck. I get the work done.

But when something’s not working — when my mower starts choking mid-pass or the trimmer starts rattling like it’s got bolts loose — I speak up.

Not to be a pain in the ass.

Not to whine.

Just to keep the machine moving, because when one piece falls apart, the rest of the day follows.

And when I told someone about my mower?

I thought that would be enough.

First Time I Mentioned It

I said it in passing — casual, not urgent — but clear:

“Hey, mower’s been running weird — sounds off when I turn sharp. Might be the belt. Just a heads-up.”

They nodded.

“Got it. I’ll let someone know.”

Felt like the right tone. Felt like I did my part.

Second Time I Mentioned It

It was getting worse.

The vibration was stronger.

The noise was louder.

And I was pushing that machine around every day like nothing was wrong — even though it felt like something was about to let go.

So I said something again.

“Still acting weird. I think if we don’t fix it soon, it’s gonna snap something.”

Another nod.

Another “Thanks, we’ll check it.”

Then… Silence

Nothing was tagged.

Nothing was moved to the mechanic area.

No one followed up.

No “Hey, we saw your report — hang tight.”

Just the same mower. Same spot on the trailer.

Still mine. Still broken.

At that point, I started wondering:

• “Am I not saying it the right way?”

• “Do they think I’m exaggerating?”

• “Should I be texting someone instead?”

I didn’t want to keep repeating myself. I didn’t want to seem annoying.

But also I didn’t want to be the guy who lets equipment fail mid-job.

And Then It Broke

Middle of a high-end property.

I hit a turn, deck drops, belt slips and bang the blade locks up. Dead.

We were behind before we even started that day.

Now we were down a mower.

Client was outside.

Crew was standing around.

And I was standing there with a sick feeling in my gut.

Because the only thing running through my head was:

“I told them. I told them this would happen.”

Now I’m the Problem?

We limped through the day with a backup mower.

Back at the yard, I mentioned it again.

And I swear, the look I got was like I had caused it.

“Why didn’t you report that earlier?”

“Wasn’t flagged for service.”

I stood there stunned.

I did report it. Twice.

But there was no paper trail. No system. No visibility.

So it never counted.

I’m Not Trying to Be a Hero

I’m not asking for a raise.

I’m not asking for gold stars.

I just want:

• The tools I use to work the way they’re supposed to

• To feel heard when I say something’s off

• To know I’m not going to get blamed when it finally breaks

That’s not asking too much.

But when you’ve got no system, no way to log issues, no way to track them, no visibility from the field, then nothing changes.

And guess who ends up dealing with the fallout?

Us.

The guys who are out there sweating through our shirts trying to hold the day together.

CrewHero Changed All That

Now?

When I notice a weird noise or a belt slipping, I don’t have to chase anyone down.

I don’t have to remember who I told, or when.

I just open the CrewHero app:

✅ Tap “Fleet”

✅ Select my mower

✅ Report a repair

✅ Type what I’m hearing — “slipping belt, squeals on turns”

✅ Snap a photo

✅ Done

It’s documented.

It’s visible to the shop.

I can check the status right on my phone.

No more guesswork.

No more surprises.

No more getting blamed when things go south.

Final Thought

I’ve been around long enough to know this:

When things fall through the cracks, it’s never the office that feels it first.

It’s the field.

And we don’t want to fight. We don’t want to argue.

We just want to work, with tools that work, in a system that works.

CrewHero gave me that.

Not because they handed me a fancy app, but because they finally gave guys like me a way to be heard, to be respected, and to help the company without getting stepped on.

That’s all I ever wanted.

— One of the guys who gives a damn, and just wants the day to go right