Over OneThird Of Smart Home Devices Owners Experienced Technical Difficulties This Year

According to a recent consumer research report by Parks Associates, more than a third of smart home device owners have experienced technical issues this year. Developed in collaboration with RouteThis, the new self-service support. The "Improving Home Automation" document focuses on the support needs of the connected home, as well as strategies to solve technical problems for consumers.

“The increasing technical challenges associated with smart home devices are felt most by those who use smart home devices on a regular basis,” said Jennifer Kent, vice president of research at Parks Associates. “Parks Associates data shows that households with people ages 35-44 are the most likely to experience technical issues with their devices. This age group is also strongly associated with above-average smart home device ownership.”

The white paper also reports that 21% of those who encountered a technical problem with a smart home device used the self-help program with the device to resolve the issue; this is nearly double the use of self-help apps in 2018. Owners of smart homes and connected devices have several options for resolving technical issues with their devices. In fact, 91% of smart home device owners who experience technical issues with their devices will try at least one self-help method.

“The reality is that today's smart home brands need to become experts in Wi-Fi diagnostics,” said Jason Moore, CEO of RouteThis. “Because Wi-Fi troubleshooting can be a complex and time-consuming process, it can break the cycle if neither the consumer nor the smart home brand gets the right solution. This can lead to repeat calls from frustrated customers, negative reviews, and product returns.”

Users need tools to identify specific issues affecting their networks and devices, with a focus on testing and diagnosing Wi-Fi issues, followed by clear recommendations to fix the specific problem. To this end, self-help applications and solutions with advanced diagnostic features have expanded significantly in the last four years.

"Consumers clearly want self-help first, but need better tools to solve their own problems," Kent said.

Self-service support. The home automation update is available for download. To request data or an interview, please contact Rosie Serra at [email protected] 972.996.0233.

See also: Parks Associates study sheds light on using a smart garage opener.