We will often use the term “delivery guy” to describe someone who brings us our ordered pizza, or even our letter mail and parcels. However, “delivery guy” is not considered a gender-neutral or formal way to address someone with this career. Therefore, this article will highlight appropriate alternatives.
What Can I Say Instead Of “Delivery Guy”?
There is an abundance of words that you can choose to utilize in place of the term “delivery guy”. For the sake of this article, we will be taking a closer look at the following ten alternatives in particular:
- Delivery Person
- Courier
- Delivery Driver
- Messenger
- Letter Carrier
- Shipping Agent
- Delivery Associate
- An Errand Runner
- A Bearer
- A Porter
The preferred version that we will highlight in this article is a “delivery person”. This is because when we use the term “person”, we are not conforming to the use of one gender or the other. Therefore, this is a very formal and gender-neutral way to address or refer to someone with this career.
Delivery Person
To call someone a “delivery person” is to acknowledge their chosen profession or current job, while also ensuring that we remain gender-neutral. In the present day, referring to someone with the correct pronouns is considered to be very important and highly appropriate.
Therefore, if we are unsure or unaware, we should always use a neutral term, like “delivery person”. This way, we remain respectful and courteous.
Here are a few examples that highlight the use of this term:
- I ordered us all some Chinese food and the delivery person should be here within the hour.
- The delivery person, unfortunately, forgot half of our order, so the restaurant is sending them back.
- The delivery person did a fantastic job, so I wanted to ensure you were aware of the phenomenal employee you have in them.
Courier
Another excellent alternative that we can choose to use is a “courier”. Cambridge Dictionary defines a “courier” as a person or company that takes messages, letters, or parcels from one person or place to another. This is another gender-neutral term to define this profession.
Because of this, a “courier” is an appropriate term to use, to describe someone who delivers goods, packages, food or letters to us.
For further clarity, here are various examples including this term:
- I need the package expedited by your most professional and fastest courier.
- I tip my local courier every Christmas because he does such a fantastic job throughout the year.
- He wasn’t impressed with the services provided by the courier – finding him to be quite abrasive.
Delivery Driver
When we refer to someone as a “delivery driver”, we are doing so in a similar way to describing someone as a “delivery guy”. However, to use the term “driver” is to merely acknowledge their profession, as opposed to an associated gender.
This way, we are utilizing appropriate terminology, as to never insult someone or seem impolite or ignorant.
We will now go over the following examples that use this term:
- The delivery driver arrived promptly, so much so, that the food was still incredibly hot.
- I wanted to give a 5-star rating to the delivery driver that just came to my address. She did an excellent job and was very polite.
- The delivery driver forgot my French fries, which caused me to become upset.
Messenger
Cambridge Dictionary defines a “messenger” as someone who takes messages or documents from one person to another. Because of this, we can use the term “messenger” to accurately describe someone who delivers us a specific message, forms of paperwork, or even crucial documents.
Generally speaking, the term “messenger” can be applied to a man, woman, or non-binary individual, making it appropriate to use, regardless of the person’s gender.
Some examples that accurately utilize this specific term are:
- My divorce papers were delivered directly to me by a special messenger from my ex-husband’s lawyer’s office.
- A younger messenger delivered my court papers, but despite their age, they were very professional.
- I considered using a messenger to deliver this letter, however, I figured I ought to bring it to you myself.
Letter Carrier
The next superb alternative that we will look at in-depth is a “letter carrier”. Cambridge Dictionary defines a “letter carrier” as a postman. Because of this, we often consider a “letter carrier” to be the person who delivers our mail on a daily or routine basis.
A “letter carrier” is a considerably crucial and trusted position, therefore, it’s important we always use respectful and appropriate terminology.
Here are various examples that utilize this specific term:
- My letter carrier always does a fantastic job, regardless of the weather.
- Our local letter carriers truly deserve a huge round of applause, especially considering they were out working during last week’s horrendous snowstorms.
- The letter carrier was fired from Canada Post, after learning that she was opening other people’s mail.
Shipping Agent
“Shipping agent” is another gender-neutral and appropriate alternative that we can choose to use. Cambridge Dictionary defines a “shipping agent” as a person or company whose job is to deal with arrangements and documents for sending goods from one place to another.
Therefore, we can use the term “shipping agent” to accurately describe someone who delivers or dispatches goods to us that we have ordered or arranged for.
We will now go over the following examples that showcase the use of this term:
- The shipping agent reassured me that our Christmas parcels would arrive in Toronto on time.
- You should call in and get some proper advice from a shipping agent before you consider shipping any valuables overseas.
- He made sure to hire the appropriate shipping agent for the job.
Delivery Associate
Another great alternative that we can use in place of a “deliver guy” is a “delivery associate”. This is because to refer to someone as an “associate” is to showcase our respect for their position of employment. We are also ensuring the use of a gender-neutral term.
When we use the term “delivery associate” we are accurately depicting someone who delivers goods or services to the public.
For additional information on this term, here are a few examples:
- The delivery associate didn’t act in a very professional manner, which caused her to contemplate submitting an official complaint.
- I just got hired as a delivery associate for Amazon – I couldn’t be happier!
- Walmart is currently hiring for the position of delivery associate. You should consider applying!
An Errand Runner
We often consider an “errand runner” as someone who has been hired or contracted out by a company in order to deliver messages, complete tasks and deliver goods. This is generally someone who is regarded as being an incredibly hard worker, constantly completing jobs for other people.
While an “errand runner” may not be considered the most important profession by some, this is not necessarily the case. “Errand runners” still deserve our utmost respect and therefore, adequate terminology.
Here are some examples that appropriately use this term:
- He was hired as an errand runner, which was an incredibly busy and trying job.
- Your company has been consistently disrespecting and overworking your errand-runner and I feel like that has been detrimental to his mental health.
- The errand runner worked over twelve hours a day, all to pay for her children to attend the colleges of their dreams.
A Bearer
Cambridge Dictionary defines “a bearer” as a person whose job is to carry something or a person who brings a message to another person. Because of this, we can use the term “bearer” to accurately describe someone who often brings us a message or even important documents or paperwork.
At the same time, we can also use the term “a bearer” to depict a person whose job is to present a check or other order to pay money.
We will now look over the following examples that highlight the use of this particular term:
- He was considered to be a bearer by profession and a bearer of bad news by his family members.
- He was a casket bearer and his great grandfather’s funeral, which he considered a great honour and source of immense sadness.
- She was a bearer of legal documents for the courthouse. She could often be found delivering paperwork from one floor to another.
A Porter
The last alternative that we’ll be going over for the purpose of this article will be “a porter”. We can use the term “a porter” similarly to how we would use “delivery guy”. However, this is again, a much more appropriate and gender-neutral term that we can choose to utilize.
Cambridge Dictionary defines “a porter” as a person whose job is to carry things, especially traveler’s luggage at railway stations, airports, hotels, etc. Therefore, we consider “a porter” someone who safely and timely delivers or transports our belongings, making it a very trusted profession.
Finally, we will go over the last few examples for this article, using this specific term:
- There weren’t any available porters, so we had to find a trolley in the hotel lobby to transport our luggage to our room.
- The resort’s porters were regarded as some of the best and prided themselves on being both incredibly timely and courteous to all guests.
- The porters did such a phenomenal job, I felt the need to tip each and every one before departing from our vacation destination.