Is Empathy a Tool of Influence?

In an article you did not read for this week, "Empathy Is Vital In Helping The Business Grow. How So?" the author concluded the piece by stating, "All in all, empathy is one of the most precious yet overlooked assets in any business. You can develop this skill by listening and understand the concerns. Only then you can come up with solutions."

Being mindful that the goal of a negotiation is to influence the other side in such a way that the value you receive in a negotiated agreement exceeds the alternative of not getting a deal (and having to meet your interests through an alternative to this negotiation) (BATNA), is the author's conclusion accurate? How do you integrate the 2 concepts? Do you struggle in any way with accepting that empathy is a tool of influence to accomplish your goal of getting what you want out of a negotiation? If so, why? If not, why not?