Customers fall in love while waiting in health insurance queue
Two seniors who had a chance encounter at a Bupa Health Insurance store have had a fairy-tale ending. When Peter Gale noticed the lady in front of him in the queue was vision impaired, he offered his assistance. The rest, as they say, is history.
Now, Peter Gale and Lyn Mckenzie rarely leave each other's sides.
But until recently, the couple in their seventies had been living independent lives, both longing for a soulmate.
After an unsuccessful attempt at online dating, Peter says he never expected the Bupa Health Insurance store in Maroochydore to be the place he’d find love.
Peter had been waiting in the queue to chat to someone about his health insurance. He noticed Lyn, who’s legally blind, was having difficulty using the Queue Flow Manager – a system used to keep track of who was next in line.
“She was trying to read the screen and I asked if I could help her put her name in the system. So, I did, and we got chatting.”
“I went in for my turn and something just told me to wait outside for her. So, I waited for her to come back out then I asked her to have lunch with me.”
Lunch was a success, even with a few awkward fumbles.
“I did a despicable thing. I asked a blind lady out to the movies!” Peter laughed.
The laughs kept coming.
“She came to my place after a few months and she was in the bathroom and she said, “have you got a comb? And I put my head around the corner and said, “do I look like I own a comb? I’m bald!” he chuckled.
Customer Value Specialist Julie Burgess recalls the excitement she and her team felt when the long-standing customers came back into the Bupa Health Insurance store six months later to share their happy news with staff.
“Peter and Lyn came in to make a claim and they specifically waited for me to serve them. They had come to share the news that they had just become engaged!”
Lyn says life feels complete with Peter by her side.
He’s my eyes, he’s my car and he’s everything else. I feel very safe with him. He even drove me to Sydney and back for a holiday.
“At this stage of life you start to get a little bit down if you’re on your own, but now we’re as happy as anything and it just goes to show that there’s a chance for everyone. If you can find a partner at our age who you’re compatible with, who you love and care about, and who you can spend the rest of your life with, that’s all you can ask for.”
“Even after 10 months together we’ve never said a harsh word. We’re always laughing.”
News of the couple’s engagement has warmed the hearts of everyone who works at the Maroochydore Bupa Health Insurance store.
“It’s absolutely been a great team booster. We were all excited, especially because of the great connection that we all have with these customers,” Julie said.
“The two just complement each other and you can tell they are happily in love and enjoying life together.”
“Now they do everything together. I even saw them recently at a bank in Caloundra and I went up to them and said hello. Peter was waiting in line for Lyn so she didn’t have to stand. What a gentleman!” says Julie.
Julie says it’s stories like this that make her job so fulfilling.
“I love our customers. You get to meet all different types of people. It’s about the connection, trust and instant loyalty you get from people when you do a good job of them through the tough times, but also through the good times. Just letting them know you are there.”
The newly engaged Lyn reminded Julie that she served her on her very first day of the job – a first impression which will last a lifetime.
“She’s got a lovely personality and she’s good to talk to. She’s fixed me up quite a few times and sorted me out,” Lyn said.
On behalf of all of us at Bupa, congratulations Lyn and Peter!
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