• by Chuck Martin , October 17, 2018

The number of homes with smart devices continues to increase as do unresolved technical issues with those devices, according to a new study.

Of smart home owners in U.S. broadband households, 12% report technical problems going unresolved this year, according to the study by Parks Associates.

This is an increase from 5% of smart home device owners having unresolved problems in the previous three years.

"The number of reported problems declined, but the jump in unresolved problems points to issues getting more complicated and difficult to diagnose," stated Patrice Samuels, senior analyst, Parks Associates. "Strong value is achieved from the smart home when devices communicate with each other, but diversity in device technology and communication protocols adds complexity to the smart home and creates challenges in achieving seamless communication."

Of problems that did get resolved, most were by the owner, friend or family member without any professional help, followed by problems bring resolved with the help of a professional technician.

Resolving issues may have an ultimate impact on brands, according to Parks. "The support experience reflects directly on a consumers' perception of that brand," stated Samuels. "While most brands now recognize the need to adequately support their customers, minimizing the cost of doing so is critical to maintaining profitability.”