An MSP Evolution Story: Kon Kakanis, OneTeam IT
For the IT Channel, evolution isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the difference between thriving and going out of business. For OneTeam IT, an Australian reseller and MSP, that’s risen to become a Predatar APEX Partner, their journey has been one of resilience, reinvention, and a deep understanding of people and problems.
Predatar Founder & CEO, Alistair Mackenzie managed to speak to Kon as he was high-tailing it out of Brisbane to escape the supercell storms which were threatening to batter the Queensland coast. Not so much the “Sunshine State” that day but it did seem to be an appropriate scenario to be talking about resilience with this 40-year IT industry veteran.
From IBM to OneTeam: Building Credibility from Scratch
Kon’s journey began at IBM, where, at the age of just 21, he was tasked with selling mainframes to senior government officials. Armed with a prestigious business card and good old-fashioned IBM training, he gained firsthand experience in earning credibility without an established track record.
At 25, Kon helped to launch the reseller, Sundata, and found the transition from Big Blue was anything but easy. The memory of that time prompted my first question for Kon “How do you build trust when you’re starting from zero?” Imagine the stress and pressure he faced from his fellow board members, who waited 18 months for him to land his first significant deal. But that was 18 months of building trust with prospects, many of whom are still doing business with him today at OneTeam IT.
Kon explained that making the transition from reseller to service provider sometimes feel like starting again from zero. But it all starts with building trust with prospects and customers.
“Tell Me Where It Hurts”
Kon outlined a fundamental principle of the company’s trust-building approach, starting with the customer’s pain points.
“It’s like going to the doctor,” Kon says. “The first thing you ask is, ‘Where does it hurt?’ People love to talk about their challenges, and if you genuinely listen, you’re halfway to solving the problem.”
This consultative approach isn’t about flashy presentations or sales tricks. It’s about having the courage to delve into areas that might initially seem beyond your expertise. As Kon puts it, “If I don’t know the answer, I’ll go find it. But I’ll always tell the customer honestly whether we can help or not. Wasting their time would be wasting my own.”
This ethos resonates throughout OneTeam’s culture, where fostering meaningful conversations has been the key to building long-term trust with clients.
The IT Industry – Then and Now
Reflecting on the industry’s evolution, Kon notes that the channels for building relationships have changed dramatically. “Forty years ago, you’d pick up the phone, and people answered. Now, we’re competing with voicemail, email filters, and endless distractions,” he explains.
Yet, the core of the business remains the same: understanding the customer’s needs. And while the tools and strategies have evolved, Kon believes that authenticity and persistence are timeless.
Mentoring the Next Generation
One Team’s journey is also about passing the torch. Kon mentors MBA students and aspiring entrepreneurs, many of whom are diving into the world of software-as-a-service startups.
“It’s inspiring to see their passion,” he says. “These young entrepreneurs aren’t necessarily drawn to the infrastructure side of IT like I was—they’re building cloud-based solutions from their garages. It’s a different world, but the same principles apply; solve real problems, build trust, and stay curious.”
Scaling the business with Managed Services
For OneTeam IT, a strategic pivot has been the move toward managed services—a shift driven by the need for sustainable, high-margin revenue. Managed services encompass everything from managing systems to providing backup services and other recurring contracted offerings.
Today, OneTeam is leveraging its partnership with Predatar to scale its backup-as-a-service offering, focusing on recovery assurance. Kon likens it to starting over but with decades of experience as a guide.
“It’s like launching a new business within the business,” he says. “The energy is different, but the lessons learned over 40 years help us avoid the blind alleys and focus on delivering real value.”
Addressing Customer Churn with Proactive Strategies
One of the significant hurdles for managed service providers (MSPs) is contract churn, often caused by customers underestimating the value of services once their IT environments are stabilised. As Kon explains, the phenomenon can feel like “a leaky bucket.” Customers initially approach MSPs to address pressing grievances, but as the provider resolves these issues, the customer may start questioning the necessity of the ongoing relationship.
To counter this, One Team IT employs a two-phase strategy:
1. Proactive Issue Mitigation: Before initiating a Managed Services Agreement (MSA), the company conducts an in-depth “take-on period” to address any major grievances upfront. This establishes a stable foundation for ongoing services, ensuring initial buy-in from the customer.
2. Continuous Optimisation: During the first six months, the team works to improve system efficiency and reliability, automating processes and gaining a deeper understanding of customer needs. This effort reduces costs and reinforces the value of the partnership.
This strategy creates the link between customer value and price, allowing OneTeam to offer a point of differentiation.
Lowering cost or dropping price?
A standout feature of OneTeam IT’s approach is its flexible pricing model. Recognising that customers appreciate transparency and fairness, Kon emphasises a commitment to lowering costs as systems stabilise.
“If you sign an MSA with us, we will commit to a reduction in cost for the same scope if you renew,” Kon says. This anti-inflationary approach not only builds trust but also demonstrates the company’s confidence in its ability to deliver value through automation, efficiency, and process improvements.
Shifting the Perception of Managed Services
Many customers perceive MSPs as expensive when compared to the costs of hiring in-house staff. According to Kon, this perception stems from a lack of understanding of the broader value MSPs provide. Talking data protection, he draws an analogy to a well-maintained house that can withstand storms versus relying on insurance to rebuild a flimsy house after damage, perhaps caused by one of those Queensland cyclones!
In this context, OneTeam IT positions its recovery assurance services not as “insurance” but as an investment in operational resilience. For instance, in backup and disaster recovery services, the emphasis is on ensuring data integrity and recoverability, rather than just selling a policy that covers potential losses. This shift from a cost-focused to a value-focused narrative helps customers appreciate the strategic importance of robust IT systems.
Tell them what you are doing. Then tell them again.
Effective communication is a cornerstone of customer retention for OneTeam IT. Kon highlights the importance of concise and impactful reporting to keep stakeholders informed of the value being delivered. “You don’t want to do it at a systems administrator level; you want to do it at a CIO or CEO level,” he asserts.
OneTeam IT’s service reports include:
- Summaries of recovery testing outcomes.
- Key performance indicators (KPIs) for metrics such as Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO).
- Visual dashboards that clearly communicate system health and compliance.
Such transparency reassures customers that their IT environments are being managed effectively, addressing concerns from finance leaders who are inclined to question the value of every offering.
Driving Growth with Predatar
Predatar has been instrumental in transforming OneTeam IT’s operations. Its advanced dashboard capabilities allow OneTeam IT to provide customers with clear insights into their IT performance, including cleanroom recovery testing and adherence to SLAs. This level of visibility not only strengthens customer confidence but also aligns with the company’s goal of demonstrating continuous value.
Kon notes that tools like Predatar are particularly effective in illustrating the outcomes of disaster recovery tests and compliance with recovery metrics. These insights provide tangible evidence of the MSP’s effectiveness, helping to counter the misconception that IT services are merely a line item on the budget.
Conclusion
As customer expectations of MSPs continue to increase, OneTeam IT is proving that success lies not just in solving technical problems but in building trust, confidence, and resilience for its customers. With a clear vision and innovative strategies, OneTeam IT is well positioned to lead the industry into the future.
Is Your IT Channel Business Ready To Evolve?
More than 20 exceptional channel businesses are already on an evolution journey with Predatar. If your organisation has an ambition to deliver world-leading cyber resiliency services, get in touch to learn more about the APEX partner program.
