Over on-third of smart home device owners have experienced technical difficulties this year, according to a new consumer research report.

The latest white paper from market intelligence firm Parks Associates and RouteThis found the strong uptake of smart home devices means that users are frequently needing to troubleshoot technical issues.

Users are fast learning to deal with these issues themselves; 21 per cent of those experiencing a technical issue with a smart home device used a self-help app to fix the problem, while 91 per cent will attempt at least one self-help option before calling in the professionals.

“The reality is, smart home brands today need to become experts in Wi-Fi diagnostics,” said Jason Moore, CEO, RouteThis.

“Given that Wi-Fi troubleshooting can be a complex and time-consuming process, you can end up with this broken cycle where neither the consumer nor the smart home brand finds the resolution they’re looking for.

“That can lead to repeat calls from frustrated customers negative reviews and product returns.”

“Growing technical difficulties with smart home devices are felt the most by those using smart home devices at a high rate,” said Jennifer Kent, VP, Research, Parks Associates.

“Parks Associates’ data demonstrate that households with heads of household ages 35-44 are the most likely to experience technical issues with their devices. This age group also strongly correlates to above-average rates of smart home device ownership.

“Consumers clearly desire a self-help approach first but need more effective tools to solve the problems on their own.”