Soakai will lead his side into a tough battle tonight against an in-form Bay of Plenty side at Rotorua.
The home side has won its past two games and sits one point outside the top seven, so will be keen for a big victory tonight.
Otago must be on form and be accurate in all it does.
Soakai said Bay of Plenty was a good outfit but his side just needed to get out there and play some good, solid rugby.
"We have been doing some good things but the results have just not been coming. It is just a matter of too many individual errors," he said.
"It's not the coaches' fault. It is us, as players. Individuals have got to get better. Picking the right moment and making sure what you are going to do is done properly. That is all it takes."
Soakai said players were slowly adjusting to what is expected at ITM Cup level and needed to go to the next benchmark.
Otago has often been in the running but has not been able to close out games. It lost in the last few minutes to Northland last week.
"That was disappointing but it just shows you how a game can swing on just one turnover. That changed the whole momentum of the game. You've got to look after the ball and make sure when you go into the contact area the ball is there.
"We have given ourselves opportunities to score tries but we have not totally identified when it needs to be done."
He said Bay of Plenty first five-eighth Mike Delany was obviously a key player for the home team.
Soakai said the loss of Adam Thomson would be a big blow for Otago but it was a chance for someone else to rise to the challenge.
"And for Adam it may be a blessing in disguise. He has been going at it since the start of 2007 really so [a break] may be good. Get away from rugby for a while and then come back all ready for a big season next year."
Thomson has been replaced by Charlie O'Connell, and the Taieri loose forward has a big job in front of him.
Thomson's athleticism and ball-winning ability will be sorely missed and others will have to step up to fill the gap.
Props Halani Aulika and Kees Meeuws have changed sides, with Meeuws back to playing his preferred tighthead option. For reasons not overly obvious, Meeuws seems to have run foul of referees in past weeks.
Bay of Plenty is a side which appears to be building nicely and will be eying five points from tonight's encounter.
Delany, and Taniela Moa inside him, are the men to keep an eye on, while loose forwards such as captain Colin Bourke and Luke Braid are also quality players.
Although it is starting to sound like a stuck record, Otago just needs to take chances when they come along, and not turn the ball over so often. The team has to back itself and be absolutely ruthless when the tryline comes in sight.
Mistakes have plagued its game all season and it basically just needs to be tidier and more decisive.
Otago has not played in Rotorua since 2002, when it won. Fine breezy weather, with the odd shower, is forecast for tonight.
BAY OF PLENTY v OTAGO
Rotorua, tonight, 7.35pm
Referee: Ben Skeen (Auckland)
TAB odds: Bay of Plenty $1.30, Otago $3.30
• Otago: Ben Smith, Joe Hill, Josh Tatupu, Andrew Parata, Fetu'u Vainikolo, Glenn Dickson, Sean Romans, Charlie O'Connell, Alando Soakai (captain), Brad Cameron, Hayden Triggs, Josh Townsend, Kees Meeuws, Peter Mirrielees, Halani Aulika.
Reserves: Wyatt McKay, Sam Hibbard, Hoani Matenga, Paul Grant, Johnny Legg, Chris Noakes, Chris Small.
• Bay of Plenty: Toby Arnold, Lelia Masaga, Brett Mather, Phil Burleigh, Jason Hona, Mike Delany, Taniela Moa, Colin Bourke (captain), Tanerau Latimer, Luke Braid, Culum Retallick, Luke Andrews, Tristan Moran, John Pareanga, Josh Hohneck.
Reserves: Simon Chisholm, Joe Savage, Luke Katene, Solomon King, Dan Waenga, Cory Aporo, Ben Smith.
