Lost in Translation

Ever played broken telephone? The final result is usually totally different than the starting message and the participants rave with laughter as to how one statement became something totally different.

I want to start off with a story that may bring the point across with even more conviction. Below is a picture of a grocery list that I took with me to get items in preparation for a brunch we were hosting (pre-COVID). As I looked at the list, I asked myself why would I only buy 10 bagels. Shouldn't I get a dozen?


As I bring the groceries home, my wife, life long partner and best friend (see Blog post: https://customsandcooking.blogspot.com/2021/07/partner.html ) asks me where is the smoked salmon (aka lox)? I said with assertiveness that lox was not on the list! She took the list and points to the word right beside "bagels" and asks me, "What does that say?"  I responded that it is telling me to get 10 bagels. We both stop and had one of the biggest laughs that we could remember. Truly, a CLASSIC example of "Lost in Translation".

Here is another example...
With various safety measures in place due to the current worldwide health situation, we tend to place a grocery order on-line and then pick up the order instead of going into the store. We found that this one location of a major grocery chain has excellent customer service and attention to detail when packing the order.
As we picked up the most recent order, we noticed three 10 pound bags of potatoes. Funny... We thought we only ordered two. After reviewing the order, sure enough, there were three. When thinking about when we placed the order, we realized that we did not double check to verify the quantities inputted and due to a simple key stroke error, we pressed three instead of two. Another example, even if it is a bit of a stretch, of  something that is "Lost in Translation".

(Two bags of potatoes left...)

Don't worry, one of the sacks of potatoes has already been used and the recipes and pictures can be viewed below.

This brings me to the Customs aspect of "Lost in Translation".
In a previous Blog posting (see: https://customsandcooking.blogspot.com/2021/08/all-in-presentation.html ) we spoke about presenting responses to Customs inquiries during an audit/verification. Yes, there is something to say about the presentation but will the receiving party (i.e.: the Customs auditor) understand what is being presented? How the information is presented is definitely important as it decreases the chance of the responses and messaging provided being "Lost in Translation".
Fixing the issue of forgetting the lox was easy. I just ran back to the store and picked up a package of lox! But how can an importer correct a message that was misunderstood by the Customs officer?

In Canada, if a decision being rendered will negatively impact the importer, Customs issues an "interim verification report". This report outlines how the audit officer interpreted the information provided. It provides a chance for the importer to respond to the audit officer outlining how the information noted on the report does not accurately reflect the information provided to the officer. One of the biggest mistakes that an importer can make is to not review and respond to the interim audit report. Keep in mind that the response should incorporate the strategy of "presentation" and that may require the assistance of a Customs practitioner.

Here is another Customs example of "Lost in Translation". (And I mean literally that the Translation was lost...)

I heard this story from a long standing Customs practitioner. Prior to the Department of Finance in Canada reducing duty rates for manufacturing inputs in the textile and apparel industry to zero, duty rates were based on the composition of the fabric and, on average, were set at about 14%. There was a provision where if a fabric contained a certain amount of elastomeric yarn, the duty rates would change. What this practitioner noticed was that the tariff description in English did not match the description in the French version of the tariff. If the product was aligned to the description in the French version, the duty rate would be lower than 14% simply because the fabric would fall under a different HS code. 
As I said, "Lost in Translation"!
This translation anomaly was corrected pretty quickly by the Department of Finance and the legal "loophole" was closed. But it demonstrates another example of identifying legitimate opportunities for importers within the world of Customs compliance.

In the world of Customs compliance, don't let aspects of communication get "Lost in Translation". Ensure that a team member or (the partnership established with) a consultant keeps a keen eye on how Customs interprets information provided to them.
It also enables the elimination of extra trips to the grocery store! 😀

PS. Communication is also key. I could have asked my wife what "lOx" was. If there is any doubt about how a message was received, communication will hopefully be a good step in realigning the understanding of the message trying to be conveyed. As my mom always advised me, "TALK!!!"


On to the recipes...
So one bag of potatoes have already been used.
When we brought the potatoes home, we knew we better use them up quickly. 
So I searched the web for "potato recipes" and found the following...

1) Ground Beef and Potatoes
https://www.wellplated.com/ground-beef-and-potatoes/
(Note: I replaced the Worcestershire sauce with soya sauce)

This was prepared for a dinner and the family really enjoyed this dish!!!


2) Potatoes Au Gratin
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/simple-au-gratin-potatoes/ 

Served for lunch and a great substitute for mac and cheese when you feel you need a change.

So we were able to resolve the grocery store keying error "Lost in Translation" issue and were able to use two new recipes that we all enjoyed!

Remember, try to ensure that Customs issues are not "Lost in Translation"!

Location: Montreal, QC, Canada

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