How One Chick-fil-A Accountant Found Creative Fulfillment in Data Science

Justin Long started his Chick-fil-A, Inc. career as an accountant. But his interests didn’t stop there.?

When he was asked to incorporate some financial analysis into his work, Long became fascinated, and quickly asked his people leader to let him know whenever opportunities for analysis work arose. Soon, he was working on cost-of-goods and profitability analysis. Before long, he enrolled in Georgia Tech’s Master's of Science in Analytics program — with the company footing the bill.?

Now, he works as a lead data scientist for the company, building — among other things — predictive modeling meant to help Chick-fil-A offer customers rewards that they truly want.?

Are you interested in learning more about what it's like to work in Data Analytics at Chick-fil-A, Inc.? Get an inside look at our Talent Community here.

Some might think of the undertaking as purely cerebral work — but Long says he experiences it as both profoundly creative and intellectually satisfying.?

“There is a hard truth: the customers did or they didn’t redeem their rewards,” Long says. “Based on that, you can judge your predictions as either accurate or inaccurate. That’s math. But the decisions you make along the way to ideate solutions and create that model, that's where all the creativity comes in."?

Long is constantly tweaking his algorithm — part of what the company calls its personalization engine. He formulates hypotheses, then tests them against past data to identify which approach will give customers the best result.?

It’s all part of the quick-service restaurant company’s mission to deliver service that is both radically convenient and remarkably human.??

“In digital ordering, customers can’t experience our signature in-person hospitality at the order point,” Long says. “Personalization allows us to show care for our customers by delivering the information and rewards that are the most interesting to them.”?

Delivering human experiences in digital environments is an essential challenge for a brand that has placed care at the center of its identity.?

Long says that care isn’t reserved for customers. He sees it every day in the interactions between his Atlanta-based colleagues, and he has come to feel that his team is an extension of his family.?

“Because of Chick-fil-A, I feel like I’m a better person, a better husband, a better dad,” Long says. “There are other people, other parents on my team that all care about me. And I learn from all of them, because we share stories from our lives.”?

Are you interested in learning more about what it's like to work in Data Analytics at Chick-fil-A, Inc.? Get an inside look at our Talent Community here.