The Great Recession is over, but that doesn't mean everything is back to the way it was before 2008. For retailers, this statement couldn't be more accurate.

Customers' wants and needs have changed. Technology has changed. The whole retail industry has changed. Retailers who were successful before the Great Recession cannot "go back to the way things were" and expect to be successful again.

So, what can you do to make your business successful again? Take a cue from JCPenney CEO Marvin Ellison.

Just a few short years ago, JCPenney appeared to be heading down the same road as defunct retailers Blockbuster or Circuit City. Cash flow was negative and getting worse. Customers were dissatisfied, and so were employees.

The company was on its way out — until Ellison stepped in. Now, JCPenney is profitable once again and succeeding where many competitors are struggling.

While the details of the turnaround are specific to JCPenney, these general concepts could be utilized by any struggling retailer:

1. Refocus the company for customer, employee satisfaction

Everyone knows one of the most important aspects of a successful retail business is customer service. If the customers aren't happy, they won't return.

But retailers must also focus on employee satisfaction. If your employees aren't happy, it will trickle down into their customer service. Employees become satisfied when they feel their work is meaningful, and their satisfaction decreases when they are being micromanaged.

Ellison's plan gives managers a sense of responsibility and increased decision-making. He wants them "to use their intuition and tenured knowledge to drive their own business," according to a recent article in The Dallas Morning News.

Ellison also wants to reduce the amount of time managers spend on email and reports. When managers are answering emails and writing reports, they are not in the store helping customers — or employees. While most companies live and breathe by email, Ellison is banning emails over the weekend. It's time to focus on the customer, not the computer.

2. Take a second look at your products — or potential products

JCPenney partnered with cosmetics retailer Sephora years ago in hopes of increasing revenue. Many said it was questionable because of the different customer base. However, the partnership has proved successful, and the number of JCPenney locations with Sephora has increased significantly.

The continued push to keep and increase the number of Sephora locations has helped JCPenney recover from an almost-certain demise. Other retailers could benefit from a unique partnership like this.

Impulse buys are coming to JCPenney, too. Most of the time, when you get to a department store checkout, there's the POS system, credit card machine, a stand of gift cards and maybe a rack of reusable bags for sale. However, JCPenney plans to change this.

They are now offering drinks and snacks at the register. While this may seem a bit off-the-wall for a department store, these products will make JCPenney stand out, increase sales and satisfy many customers by offering something so simple yet uncommon in competitors.

"JCPenney is also testing the sale of major appliances with an eye to growing its business while at the same time hurting a rival (Sears)," according to RetailWire. It has been more than 30 years since they sold these types of products, but it has the ability to push revenue to the next level and gain new customers from the competition.

3. Fix current problems within the organization

One of Ellison's other goals is to address the less-obvious parts of the company that are still up to par.

Credit cards and royalty programs are being revamped, while ship-to-store orders and in-store Wi-Fi are being fixed to improve store function and accuracy. Focusing on these small details is tedious, but they all correlate to increased customer satisfaction.

While all of these changes might sound challenging, the overall goal is actually business simplification — and Ellison is reinforcing this with a "BS" stamp for all managers.

"I want to reinforce BS, which can stand for business simplification or whatever else you want it to stand for," Ellison said at his recent news conference. "We're very serious about this. It's very difficult for a business to simplify."

Simplifying your business could be the solution to the changing retail industry. Determine where your focus should be, then start simplifying.

JCPenney managed to pull through hardship and now they are focusing on the customer. Where should your company focus?