A customer calls a technician frequently for the same problem. Which of the following troubleshooting steps MUST the technician perform NEXT to attempt to permanently solve this issue?

Establishing a plan and implementing a solution addresses the current instance but does not prevent the problem from recurring, which is the stated concern.

Documentation is the final step in the troubleshooting process and records what happened; it does not actively prevent future occurrences.

Verifying full system functionality and implementing preventive measures is the step that addresses root-cause recurrence. In the CompTIA troubleshooting methodology, preventive measures - such as updating software, adjusting settings, or educating the user - are applied after a fix is confirmed working to ensure the same problem does not return.

Identifying the problem is the first step and is already implied by the fact that the technician has handled this issue multiple times before.