But prior to their recent slump, Smith's side racked up four wins on the spin, including impressive away victories at Ulster and Warriors.
And rather than fret over his side's recent losing habit, Smith is convinced that his team's early season form is evidence of the strides they are making.
"We've had a few good wins in the RaboDirect PRO12 which proves what we are capable of, but after a couple of defeats it's important we get back on track," said Smith, who takes Treviso to Connacht on Friday.
"Our approach is much better this year and we've got the experience of last season to look back on, so we're getting closer and closer to the level that we need to be playing at.
"We've got a lot of experience in the squad now and the four wins in a row we had was a big step for us in terms of confidence and believing that we can win matches in this league.
"Our players are learning fast and but we just need to cut our some of the mistakes which have seen us lose other matches, which we could possibly have won."
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